Barossa Valley

Today I’m running the red light on the challenge guidelines by writing about the Barossa. I figure the title has the letter “V” in it so it counts. Come to think about it, I reckon it’s the orange I ran which must make it nearly legal.

You’re with me on that, I can tell. Thank you.

Café and restaurant in village of Greenock

We spent a blissful week pottering about this Very Voluptuous Valley, a Veritable Vibrancy of Vineyards. Yes, the Barossa is a premier destination for winos wine-lovers and anyone who enjoys good food, and who doesn’t.

The region owes its lengthy wine heritage to immigrants from Silecia and Prussia who brought vine stock from their homelands in the early 1840s. Escaping religious persecution whole villages crossed the oceans under the sponsorship of George Fife Angus who provided the safe haven for devout and hard-working Lutherans. Bringing their whole communities and collective expertise to the region they quickly established a strong wine-based industry, supported by blacksmiths, midwives, artisans, teachers and underpinning it all, Lutheran religious practices.

Lutheran Church, Greenock

They utilised a method of farming still practised in the region: the uniquely egalitarian Hufendorf system still in use in Krondorf, Bethany and Langmeill. Sustainability is strong in the Barossa as is a commitment to supporting local farmers and artisans.

Vineyards at Jacob’s Creek Winery

You can even take Gin classes at Maggie Beer’s establishment, in the Barossa. I’m smiling.

On a particularly miserable morning we spent a lovely time at the farm shop of Australian chef and guru of all things gourmet – Maggie Beer. We were lured to enjoy a shared platter of local produce while we waited for a cooking demonstration. Although Maggie did not lead the class she did make an appearance and sad to say I was so thrilled to see her, complete with a rustically woven basket of produce straight from her gardens, that I took not a single photo. I know. The café and restaurant only uses fresh and local as well as drawing from the Beer farm and gardens, such a treat.

Streetscape in Angaston

We visited a number of cellar doors and we didn’t taste anything we didn’t like although we were circumspect with the few bottles we did purchase. It’s difficult to have a wine cellar in a caravan.

Wine tasting at the Yalumba cellar door was cut short so we could step across the cobbled walkway to the Cooperage to watch wine barrels being hand made. It is the only cooperage that still operates on a vineyard today. Other cooperages are separate and independently service a large number of other wineries.

Cooperage at the Yalumba Winery

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Day Twenty-two of the 2019 A-Z Challenge during the month of April. The challenge is to post six days a week, Sunday respite from writing or catching up with other participants and their posts. Each of the twenty-six days represents a letter of the alphabet and while each post stands alone they form part of a loose theme reflecting our retirement trip around Australia: Our Big Fat Aussie Road Trip.