WINE TASTING IN AUSTRALIA’S BAROSSA VALLEY

An afternoon of wine tasting? Wine not? (Photo by Dustin Dillard)

The Barossa Valley is one of the world’s great wine regions and is particularly acclaimed for it’s Shiraz red wines. This beautiful and dry area, lies just outside of Adelaide in Southern Australia. If you’re a wino, or just in the neighborhood, the Barossa Valley is a must-taste on your travels down unda. Read on for a few tips before you sip on everything you need to know about wine tasting in the Barossa Valley!

1. Wineries and tasting rooms are referred to as “cellar doors.”
2. They are known for their Shiraz’s, which are some of the darkest full-bodied red wines in the world. They have dark berry flavors, spice and a peppery punch.
3. Shiraz is pronounced “shur-Oz” by Australians and is in fact the same grape as Syrah. The wine is called “Syrah” when it hails from France’s Rhone region and “Shiraz” when it is made down unda.
4. If you’re not into Shiraz, the Barossa Valley also produces Riesling, Semillon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Cabernet Sauvignon (and my favorite Tawny Port in the entire world).
5. You can get your tax back once you fly out of the country if you save your receipts.
6. You can take up to 5 L of unopened wine as a hand carry on domestic flights in Australia! Make sure to keep your receipts on your person, in case they need to check them. We did this everywhere we went because we have a serious problem with resisting good wine. Airport security will also likely get cheeky with you and ask if they can take a bottle, though : ).
7. Many of the wines you can find here are not available in the U.S., but if you’re willing to go all in, it’s about $200 in shipping costs to get a crate sent over. (Once you’ve tasted Rockford Wines, you’ll strongly consider it).
8. This wine region is split into several different areas for tasting: Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Plains, and Adelaide Hills. It’s best to select a region for the day and stay close. They are all between 45 minutes and an hour and a half outside of Adelaide, but the distance between them is a bit much if you plan on drinking. Within a region, many of the best wineries boarder one another or are a short drive.
9. While Barossa may be the oldest and most well-known wine region outside Adelaide, the others certainly give it a run for its money and are worth the stop. Adelaide Hills and Eden Valley are certainly up there on many wino’s favorite regions to taste in the world.

Want to continue sipping around the world after wine tasting in the Barossa Valley? Check out our post on where to taste amazing wine in Rioja, Spain!

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