ABOUT THE BAROSSA VALLEY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The fertile soil of the Barossa is home to some of the world’s most lauded vineyards but wine isn’t all that tastes great in the Barossa. A rich passion for food reflects the region’s strong traditions and rich heritage, mixed with modern innovation and a passion for quality. The secret ingredient is dirt.
The Barossa has a rich 180-year-old culture and architectural history and encompasses the wine-growing areas of the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley.
The Barossa is home to more than 150 wineries, with over 80 cellar doors and a winemaking heritage dating back to 1842. The secret to the highly praised vineyards and the organic fresh produce is the fertile soil – something which has assisted in making the Barossa a world-class food and wine destination.
It is home to some of Australia’s finest restaurants, inspired by fresh food, local wine and produce from the region.
The Barossa has mild summers and cool winters, with an average winter temperature of 14°c and 29°c in summer, making it perfectly suited for red wine production, particularly Shiraz and richly flavored Cabernet Sauvignon. Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Riesling, and Semillon are also part of the Barossa wine tapestry.
Some of the world’s oldest Shiraz vines that are more than 175 years old are planted in the Barossa’s wineries, including Langmeil, St Hallett Wines, Cirillo Estate Vineyards, and Bethany. There is now a total of 860 grape growers in the Barossa situated on 13,256-hectares of vineyard area and the average vineyard size is 17.7 hectares.
Preserving, smoking and baking produce are still a part of everyday life and the results include smoked mettwurst, lachschinken, traditional bread, bienenstich and streuselkuchen, dill cucumbers, pickled onions, olives and olive oil, egg noodles, and a variety of chutneys, pickles and preserves.
A rich passion for food reflects the Barossa’s strong traditions and heritage, mixed with modern innovation and a hunger for quality. The Barossa is home to some of Australia’s finest regional restaurants, inspired by fresh food, wine and produce from the region.