Barossa Valley
Travel Advice for Seniors: Barossa Valley
Australia’s Barossa Valley is one of the major players in the world’s red wine market. At about 225 square miles, it has some of the oldest continuously producing vines in the world. There are over 150 wineries here, over 80 with tastings available (called “cellar doors”). Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache are the main varieties of this area, and our personal favorite is…the Shiraz!
We booked a full day wine tour with an interesting twist. We would be touring in a vintage Daimler touring car, one that Princess Anne had previously used while in the area. What a treat! Our guide for the day was also the owner of the car and was, of course, very proud of it. We did indeed feel like royalty touring between top notch wineries!
Our first stop was at a community winery, whereby smaller producers marketed their grapes for communal wine production. It was a little early in the morning for a tasting, but we persevered. However, our full attention was reserved for the big names coming up: Yalumba, Turkey Flats and St Hallett.
What makes wines from Barossa Valley so important? Apparently, the soil here causes the wines to be very well-balanced. Due to their high acidity, the wines also have great ageing potential.
So, is Shiraz and Syrah the same wine? In a word, no. Shiraz is typically bolder and fruitier, with a higher alcohol content and a fuller body. Syrah is known for its more restrained and elegant characteristics.
We had a great time tasting the wines and learning about the vintages and the wineries. If I am going to buy wine overseas, I always make sure that it is something that I can’t get at home. While you may be able to buy a specific winery and vintage or year in the States, it is the geographic area and the vintage that is important. For instance, perhaps there is a small field of 100-year-old vines that produces a very limited number of grapes per year and even then, some years are better vintages than others. These are the wines you want to bring home and keep in your wine refrigerator for a special occasion.
Also, a bit on wine-tasting etiquette…you are usually paying for a sampling of the popular wines of each winery. Typically, the wine tour includes a short tour of the facility followed by a tasting. The idea of the tasting is not to drink as much as possible, but to sip the wine, swirl it around in your mouth and try to savor the flavors that are in the wine. I know, complex. A friend of mine likes to say this when evaluating a wine among wine snobs “Light, yet dark, fruity, yet nutty”. You get the point. It’s not a performance, it’s all about what YOU like and there is no such thing as your taste in wine being better or worse than anyone else’s!
The tasting process is pretty simple. The sommelier pours out a taste of each wine, you taste it, discuss it, possibly make notes and throw what you don’t drink into a container and rinse your glass (and your palate) to prepare for the next tasting. Oftentimes, the winery will provide crackers or snacks paired with the wine. Usually, we try to eat these, just to avoid getting overwhelmed by a day’s worth of winery tours/tastings. At the end of the day, we usually request just the wines be served that we are interested in, unless there is one that is a specialty of the winery of course.
A few other notes on wineries: If you have the opportunity, plan reservations well in advance for a winery luncheon. You will not be disappointed. Many of the wineries offer stellar cuisine in a magnificent setting, with wines matched to the food. This makes for a highly memorable treat.
Also, don’t forget that there is a maximum amount of liquor that you are allowed to bring back into the US. We asked about buying some wine and shipping it back, but since 9/11 the cost is super prohibitive.
I remember the first time I brought high quality, fairly expensive wine home to my parent’s house for Thanksgiving. No one liked it. Wine, like coffee, is an acquired taste. Sometimes you have to educate your palate through experience. And that’s what tastings are all about!
Where we stayed: The Playford.
How we got there: Flew from Melbourne to Adelaide then private transport to hotel. This was part of a three-week private tour through Australia. We began in Melbourne and ended in Sydney for New Years’ Eve.
General Accessibility Information: Major tourist sights, hotels and transportation in most major cities is accessible. Further, several hiking trails are accessible. See AllTrails’ wheelchair-friendly trail guide.Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements.See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
