A Guide to Barossa Shiraz

The Barossa is primarily known for its red wines, especially Shiraz (Syrah). Penfold Grange, Australia's most famous wine, using a large percentage of Shiraz from Barossa. Henchmen Hill of Grace Shiraz Barossa also use for their wine. 

The famous Barossa Wine Region is just over an hour's drive north of Adelaide, South Australia's capital. Something that surprises many people is that Barossa actually covers two regions - the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. 

The Barossa Valley is generally less than 400 meters above sea level and stretches from Williamstown in the south to Kirundi and Truro in the north. The rainfall here can be up to 50% less than in the Eden Valley Barossa however has the advantage of more fertile red-brown earth. Temperatures are generally around 2 º C warmer. 

Eden Valley includes the country from Truro in the north up to Mount Pleasant in the south. This region averages of 400 to 600 meters above sea with vineyards located in the higher parts of the country. The region receives about 255mm more rain than neighboring region, and also stoned more acidic soil. Growing seasons in this region is longer because of the cooler temperatures. 

A number of wine enthusiasts may be wondering what all this means that well put it bluntly - fantastic growth conditions! 

The Barossa has a rich history, breeders, some dating back up to six generations - in total there are about 550 growers in the region. Together they produce on average 55,000 tones of grapes each vintage, harvested from over 8,000 hectares of vineyards.

International Barossa is unique in that it has never been exposed to an outbreak of phylloxera. By eliminating the phylloxera that has enabled producers 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 domestic crush, it is premium fruit. The story of Barossa and disproportionate presence in the super-premium categories make it Australia's most influential and internationally renowned wine region. 

Its easy to see why Barossa Shiraz has a high reputation among wine connoisseurs.