Visiting the Barossa? Everything you need to know.
Now that travel is back, we can all enjoy the true value of experiences and the joy of exploring Australia again. Located just an hour's drive north-east of Adelaide, the Barossa in South Australia is a great place to start. One of Australia's oldest and highly regarded wine regions, with over 80 cellar doors and an abundance of locally grown produce, numerous cafes and restaurants, it’s a wine and food lover’s heaven. Make sure you leave enough time to sample all of the locally-produced delights the Barossa has to offer.
Before you pack your bags and head off, here’s a quick snapshot of everything you need to know.
HISTORY
The first German Lutheran settlers arrived in the Barossa Valley in 1842, settling at Bethany. There are however, many stories to be told due to the Indigenous history of this land. Today, the region's rich and diverse Indigenous heritage remains and forms part of the living, continuing connection between the Peramangk, Ngadjuri and Kaurna people and their land.
One of the most famous stories in the wine-making history of the Barossa is that of Peter Lehmann. His reputation and name are legendary as the man who saved the region and its grape-growing community. Read more about our beloved founder and why he was known as the Baron of the Barossa here.
GEOGRAPHY
The beautiful landscape of rolling hills, valleys, and ridges is home to some of the world’s oldest vines dating back to the 1840’s and today the region is known for producing many iconic world-class wines.
Comprising two distinct regions, The Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, and 14 sub-regions, the Barossa valley is unique for its diversity of terroir, topography and mesoclimates. Knitted together like a patchwork quilt, each sub-region displays a rich variety of soil type imparting distinctive flavours and characters into the wines.
MULTIPLE CLIMATES
Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers, relatively low rainfall and low humidity, providing perfect conditions for growing grapes.
The Barossa is one of the only wine regions in Australia to have neighbouring warm and cool climate growing conditions. The lower Barossa floor is drier, warmer and is ideally suited to growing iconic full bodied Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The higher altitude Eden Valley region has a cooler climate with abundant winter rainfall. The soil in Eden Valley is rocky and acidic, with shallow rock and shale that creates world-class Rieslings.
DIVERSITY
Peter Lehmann Wines works collaboratively with over 100 grower families across the length and breadth of the region, many of whom have been involved with the Peter Lehmann story for decades. Through these strong bonds and generations of working with the region’s finest grape-growers, Peter Lehmann Wines continues to craft a range of premium wines that tell rich stories of people and place.
To experience a true taste of the Barossa and its unique diversity, visit the Peter Lehmann winery for a tasting. Book here.
PETER LEHMANN WINERY
Founded in 1979, the Peter Lehmann winery is situated along the banks of the Para river and is the perfect spot for wine tasting and enjoying lunch – most popular is our Weighbridge platter, a tribute to the beautiful regional produce of the Barossa.
Our knowledgeable Cellar Door team can share the unique stories of our history and region, and offer a number of tasting experiences depending on your palate.
Should you need somewhere to stay – look no further than Mattschoss House. Set along the Para River with vineyard views and refurbished to reflect it's heritage with clean modern furnishings, it is a comfortable retreat all year round.
Enjoy your Barossa experience, and be sure to share your adventures with us @peterlehmannwines