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is bringing growers higher prices than their best Shiraz. Today, the best examples avoid any jamminess or the appearance of dilution. They are wines of subtlety, complexity and elegance, soft yet generous of flavour with purity of fragrances and an intriguing blend of silky/sandy tannins, and with an explosion of flavour on the finish. The variety seems to prefer older, larger oak while aromatics and structure are what distinguish the better offerings. The vast majority of the gems we tasted for this Guide for the Barossa came from one or another of these grapes, or a blend of them. The world has embraced these wines. What makes them even more special is that many of these wines derive from grapes from vines which are more than a century old. There is more, of course. Riesling and Semillon dominate the whites, although Riesling is more at home in neighbouring Eden Valley, along with Chardonnay, as well as some of the emerging Mediterranean varieties like Fiano and Vermentino (the Mediterranean having a climate reminiscent of the Barossa). Semillon is very different to that which we see from the Hunter Valley. It often enjoys time in oak, and there can be some attractive toast and honey notes, which are evident in these full-throated wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, and to a lesser extent the other Bordeaux varieties, has long had a home here. Anyone looking for the grace, perfumes and elegance that Cabernet might provide in Bordeaux or even Margaret River should stick to those regions. In warmer climates like Barossa, especially when enjoying a cooler vintage or from a cooler site, we have bold and rich wines, full of flavour, wines which will
SUMMARY KEN GARGETT REVIEWS ANDREW CAILLARD MW, KEN GARGETT, TONY LOVE, AND ANDREA PRITZKER MW
While other regions around the country may like to debate the idea, the Barossa Valley, located some 60 kilometres northeast of Adelaide in South Australia, is Australia’s most legendary wine district and one of the most famous in the world. The Barossa has had its ups and downs, not least the infamous vine pull scheme, which saw many of the ancient vines removed. World wars and economic conditions, as well as the simple ebb and flow of winelovers’ preferences, have often made things tough. Today, it is an exciting, thriving region with its wines much in demand. For much of its history, the Barossa was seen as the region for workhorse wines and, more especially, fortified wines, which dominated the industry into the 1970s. Shiraz (the Aussie name for the French Syrah) has been the driving force, and it seems to be a form of poetic justice that when things turned – notably after a visit from a group of English MWs in the 1980s and the interest shown by American critic Robert Parker over the following decade – it was thanks to supremely glorious examples of that very grape that Australian wine was suddenly a must-have around the globe. The wonderful, rich, bold, plush, and full-flavoured Shiraz from the Barossa has made an indelible mark on wine drinkers everywhere. More recently, we have seen the ultimate allrounder, Grenache, once used for everything from Rosé, fortifieds, bulk wines, blends and even muffins, suddenly become flavour of the month. The soft, juicy, strawberry-flavoured wines from this grape, often exhibiting a degree of elegance and even complexity in those made from older vines, are now pulling the prices they have long deserved. While the world knows of the glories of Barossa Shiraz, it is only just coming to terms with what Grenache offers, a variety whose history also dates back to the 1840s. The Barossa has more old Grenache than any other region in Australia, conceivably more than anywhere on earth, with more than 150 hectares of vines over 70 years old. Winemakers are excited because they have long known what can be achieved – one said to me that ‘Grenache delivers what Pinot promises’ – but for so many years, the name ‘Grenache’ on a bottle was marketing suicide. Now, top quality Grenache
The Barossa Valley. Photo: Wine Australia
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
South Australia 2024
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