Fast forward to today, and Barossa is home to more than 550 grape growing families, many with the sixth generation still working the same plot of land, supplying quality grapes to more than 170 wine companies.
The best Barossan wines sit comfortably alongside the great wines of the world. Barossa Shiraz and Eden Valley Riesling have led the way as regional heroes, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Grenache, Semillon and Fortified wines all contributing to Barossa’s standing as Australia’s global wine region.
Barossa incorporates both the Barossa Valley and Eden Valleys, making it one of the only wine regions in Australia to have neighbouring warm and cool climate growing conditions.
With such a diversity of growing conditions and soil types across both valleys, and vineyards that have been tended by hand for many generations, you are bound to find a wine to call your own.
Most popular wines by variety In the Barossa
There are over 40 wine grape varieties planted in Barossa, with the top 10 Barossa wine varieties accounting for 97% of total plantings. Red varieties account for 84% of plantings.
Barossa Red Wine Varieties by Hectare
SHIRAZ 7,825 Hectares (7,061ha Barossa Valley, 764ha Eden Valley)
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
1,907 Hectares (1,570ha Barossa Valley, 337ha Eden Valley)
GRENACHE690 Hectares (670ha Barossa Valley, 20ha Eden Valley)
- Merlot 407 Hectares
- Mataro (Mourvèdre) 273 Hectares
- Tempranillo 111 Hectares
- Pinot Noir 97 Hectares
- Cabernet Franc 33 Hectares
- Sangiovese 29 Hectares
- Malbec 26 Hectares
- Others 177 Hectares
Source: SA Winegrape Crush Survey
Barossa White Wine Varieties by Hectare
RIESLING
726 Hectares (169ha Barossa Valley, 557 Eden Valley)
CHARDONNAY
592 Hectares (328ha Barossa Valley, 264 Eden Valley)
SEMILLON
377 Hectares (352ha Barossa Valley, 25 Eden Valley)
OTHER WHITES
- Sauvignon Blanc 120 Hectares
- Viognier 99 Hectares
- Muscat a Petit Grains 61 Hectares
- Pinot Gris 52 Hectares
- Chenin Blanc 15 Hectares
- Muscadelle 13 Hectares
- Marsanne 11 Hectares
- Others 105 Hectares
2019: Very high quality with low yields
The 2019 Barossa Valley vintage is shaping up to be a stand-out, with strong indications of very high quality but with below average yields.
The growing season started dry and continued that way. Annual (2017/18) rainfall was 444mm, 92% of the long-term average, but the January to June 2018 rainfall was only 62% of average. Winter 2018 rain was 130mm (77% of average), spring 79mm (64%) and summer 23mm (31%). March recorded only 3.2mm (12%) of rain.
In September, the Barossa Valley experienced just below average maximum temperatures, but over 3 ºC below average minimums which delayed budburst and early vine growth, but not enough for many to dodge the frost on 29 September. The drier soils combined with warmer than average October and November days (October 1.8ºC and November 4.9ºC above average) meant vine growth caught up, but the below average minimum temperatures in November, and clear night skies resulted in another frost on the 8th November. If the frosts and dry conditions were not enough, the flowering period was windy and unsettled, and a hailstorm on 22 November topped it all off.
The summer months of December and January experienced above average maximum temperatures (2.6 and 3.2 ºC respectively), but not such extreme minimums (1.5 ºC above average). January experienced 11 days over 35 ºC. February, thankfully, was 3 ºC cooler than January, with close to average maximums and below average minimums (1.7 ºC lower). This was the saving of many vineyards, the timing perfect for ripening their smaller crops quickly in February and March. By the end of March almost all the Barossa Valley grapes were harvested – one of the earliest on record.
Throughout the season, the flavour and phenological ripening kept up with the sugar development and despite the challenges of the dry season and in many vineyards limited water, most vineyards ripened what grapes they had evenly and completely, once again proving the tenacity of the grape vine, the terroir of the Barossa and the value of old vines.
Yields varied from vineyard to vineyard and variety to variety. Many experienced poor set due to the multiple influences already listed. Resulting yields are very variable; in most vineyards below average, in many well below. Some are reporting the lowest yielding of the past decade.
The good news is that flavours and colours (in reds) and overall quality is exceptional. Standout varieties include, but won’t be limited to, Shiraz and Grenache and Cabernet.
Louisa Rose, Head of Winemaking, Yalumba
2019 Crush totals:
- Barossa Valley: 40,169 tonnes (down 28% on 2018 vintage)
- Eden Valley: 5,477 (down 53% on 2018 vintage)
Sources:
SA Wine Grape Crush Survey, Vinehealth Australia and ‘Barossa Vintages: a wine history from 1842’, Peter Fuller
