Barossa & Eden Valley
The Barossa, just an hour's drive from Adelaide is known throughout the world as one of Australia's leading wine regions, boasting more than 60 wineries, ranging from quaint boutique cellar doors, to large international companies.
Established in 1842 by immigrants from England, Germany and Silesia (now part of Poland), the region's rich heritage is reflected in architecture, food and music - and internationally renowned wines. Around 500 grape growing families, many sixth generation, today continue to supply nearly 60,000 tonnes of grapes to about 50 winemakers - including household names like Seppelt, Penfolds and Lehmann.
For a truly classic Barossa wine experience, head to Peter Lehmann wines with its platters of produce on the banks of the Para River, and Yalumba with its sweeping lawns and impressive stone winery and clock tower. Head to the Rockford Wines for rustic charms and relaxed informality of Charles Melton, where you can see exactly how the wine is made and meet the people involved.
Make sure you visit Jacob's Creek Visitor Centre - a perfect example of how the Barossa balances the old with the new. There's a thoroughly modern tasting room, restaurant and gallery designed with the latest environmentally sustainable technology, built on the banks of the historic Jacob's Creek.
Don't miss Wolf Blass's sleek A-grade super winery and stunning new visitor centre. The new tasting complex can offer wine lovers a wine appreciation experience at every level.
On a much smaller and perhaps more traditional scale, classic and contemporary are being combined at many other cellar doors - Two Hands, Murray Street Vineyards and Kabminye Cellars, are three well worth seeking out. They offer local produce as well as seriously good wines, all with a personal touch and smart design.
Neighbouring the Barossa is Eden Valley, which has a reputation for premium wines that take advantage of the higher altitude and cooler climate, through grapes including Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet. Here you'll find five wineries with cellar doors, including the famed Henschke Wine Cellars.
The main red varieties grown in the Barossa are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, while the key white grape varieties are Riesling, Semillon and Chardonnay. Shiraz has pride of place because this is the birthplace of one of the world's great wines - Penfolds Grange.
