Barossa Valley: Old and New, Part Deux

Just a touch of lavender in South Australia's Barossa Valley

Continued from
Barossa Valley: Old and New and Koalas, Too

One day isn’t nearly enough in the Barossa Valley, the cradle of South Australian wine. Best to tuck on in for at least another 24 hours.

And again, a great idea to let someone else do the driving, like Ralf Hadzic of Life is a Cabernet; I’d best describe him as a human encyclopedia of South Australia. In his company, no wine shall go undiscovered, no meal uneaten, no tree unnamed.

But mostly, that first part.

Take Penfold’s, for example. Dating back to 1844, they’re one of Australia’s oldest, largest and best-known wineries, with wines that are easy to find in any stateside Trader Joe’s. Turns out they offer one of the Barossa’s most unique wine tasting experiences — that also happens to be silly, good fun.

For “Make Your Own Blend” ($65 AUD per person, 1.5 hours) you both dress up in white lab coats, fiddle with beakers, and (if you’re anything like me) spill lots of red wine on the counter, the back-splash, yourself…Whatever. The actual objective is to play with different ratios of the three varietals used in South Australia’s traditional GSM blend — Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre — and create your very own wine.

My own blend, Melanie Waldman ’10 (50% Grenache, 30% Shiraz and 20% Mourvedre) wasn’t exactly oenological gold, but it was certainly drinkable; it also made me question my fear of high school chemistry. Meanwhile, I had a great time learning a little more about balance in wine…and about wielding a sponge.

penfolds make your own wine barossa south australia Barossa Valley: Old and New, Part Deux

Penfold's Winery offers a chance to make your own wine

Winemaking is hard work, and should be rewarded with lunch at Vintner’s Bar & Grill. The gorgeous space here feels just like a winery, with wood-beamed ceilings, tumbled stone and gently tangled vines. Their focus is on regional Barossa produce, and VBG takes both food and food allergies very seriously. Steering clear of corn and peanuts proved a challenge for me here, but the staff was both sympathetic and thorough. When I couldn’t have the entirety of the tea smoked duck salad with pomelo, green papaya, chilli and mint that initially floated my boat, they brought me a little of the heavenly duck to pair with the rocket, pear and parmesan goodness I did have. (By the way, thumbs up for this combination.) Also dove right into some local olive oil and dukkah, a beloved and ever-changing Australian blend of herbs, spices and seeds.

IMG 1910 Barossa Valley: Old and New, Part Deux

The Barossa's own Vintner's Bar & Grill

Extend your break from wine tasting with a visit to the nearby Maggie Beer Farm Shop. With a TV show (partially shot on location at her shop), a small library of her own cookbooks, and her very own test kitchen, the twinkling Beer is Australia’s version of Martha Stewart.

(Days later, when I stumbled across her TV show while in my Adelaide hotel room, I hooted aloud to myself with delight: “Hey, it’s Maggie Beer!” Nothing like a sideswipe with fame in a foreign land.)

At the Shop, Madame Beer’s commercial ground zero in the Barossa, you can buy just about any culinary product she has ever touched, including her signature verjuice, a delicious oil substitute for cooking proteins, made from non-fermented grapes. While you’re here, assemble yourselves a small hoard of treats and relax on the back deck, which faces a tranquil pond.

maggie beer farm barossa south australia Barossa Valley: Old and New, Part Deux

Maggie Beer Farm Shop

If you want to see how the other half drinks in the Barossa, swing by Torbreck Vineyards to indulge in some of the Barossa’s most sophisticated vintages. A tasting at this unassuming homesteader’s cabin includes samples of 10-12 warm-weather, Rhône-style varietals like Viognier and Rousanne ($5 AUD for general tastings, or private ones can be arranged by appointment).

David Powell, the Australian winemaker here, has one foot in France, another in Scotland, to reflect where he studied his craft: his most reasonably-priced bottle, Cuvee Juveniles ($20 AUD), was originally created for a Parisian wine bar, while most of his other offerings bear Scottish names, including the winery itself. (Torbreck is a forest outside Inverness.) Just about every Torbreck wine is savory and vibrant, with fruit-forward perfume and a long finish…which means you’ll probably be drinking a lot of wine.

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Try a tasting at Torbreck

Afterwards, treat yourselves to a lie-down to watch golden hour glow over the rich and rolling greens of the valley.

Best place for this: the chaises on your back patio at The Louise, one of the Barossa’s most modern and luxurious resort hotels. Made almost entirely of pale sandstone, here it’s all about soft fabrics, serene greys and earth tones, allowing the scenery and relaxation to take center stage. Each gated suite offers a private courtyard, 500,000 thread-count sheets (which I may have exaggerated), fun little auto-espresso machine, whirlpool tub (mit rubber ducky) , and both indoor and outdoor showers.

Breakfast here is an especially lovely affair: order the night before and voilá, it arrives at your door — to be enjoyed wherever you like. Everything (the yogurt, muesli, honey, eggs, etc.) is from the neighborhood, and since portions are small, don’t shy away from ordering big. Delivered with your repast is an ingenious missive that details the day’s weather and any special events you might not want to miss.

the louise barossa south australia Barossa Valley: Old and New, Part Deux

The Louise, a 5-star vineyard retreat in the Barossa

Like, say, an epic dinner at the Louise’s renowned on-site restaurant, Appellation. The star chef here, Mark McNamara, has toured the world’s (other) great restaurants to see how best to train his friendly staff and prepare his almost insanely delicious, locally-inspired food. But it’s the sommelier, who looks like a teenager and knows wine better than I will ever know WordPress (and turns out to be Mark’s own son, Mat), who takes this hallowed place over the top. Between his pairing of a scallop fritter and avocado salsa with a floral Riesling, or a tasting plate of smoky, duck-based creations with a surprising Olorosso sherry, I was nearly weeping.

Fortunately, it wasn’t until after the house-made macarons and fruit gelées were presented that I lost myself…just a little.