Why is Barossa Shiraz so Special?
The hallowed grounds of winemaking, The Barossa, is internationally renown for its great red wines and primarily its Shiraz. Shiraz from the Barossa is used in the production of Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most famous wine. As well as Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace also uses a large amount of Shiraz grown in the Barossa.
The Barossa is situated about an hours drive north of Adelaide. Something that surprises many people is that the Barossa actually encompasses two regions – the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley.
Stretching all the way from Williamstown in the South all the way up to Kapunda in the north, the Barossa Vally covers quite a sizable area of land. The rainfall here can be up to 50% less than in Eden Valley however The Barossa has the advantage of more fertile red-brown soil. Temperatures in these regions are about 2ºC warmer on average.
The Eden Valley region starts from the north at Truro and goes all the way south, down to Mount Pleasant. It ranges between 400 metres and 600 metres above sea-level with most of the winegrowing country located in the higher, cooler, wetter sections of the region. The region receives around 255mm more rainfall than its neighboring region and also has rockier, more acidic soil. Temperatures are cooler therefore the growing season is longer.
When this is all added together, you end up with a great concoction for grape growing!
There are about 550 growers in the Barossa, some of them sixth-generation Barossans. When combined, the total growing area is over 8,000 hectares which yields around 55,000 tonnes of grapes each season.
Internationally, the Barossa is unique in that it has never suffered an outbreak of phylloxera. By avoiding phylloxera this has allowed growers to keep their root stocks and have some of the oldest vines in the world today.
While the Barossa’s 55,000 tonnes represents only about 5% of the national crush, it is premium fruit. The history of the Barossa and its disproportionate presence in the super-premium categories make it Australia’s most influential and internationally recognized wine region.
It is little wonder that Barossa Shiraz is in such high acclaim across the world.
