Maxwell's Tour South Australia.

                      

THE BAROSSA

It’s no secret that the Barossa produces some of Australia’s finest wines and presents a range of the most convivial festivals. You can discover this region’s heritage in many eateries and produce outlets and there are lots of different dining opportunities for romantic dinners for two, as well as family celebrations.

WAKE UP IN THE BAROSSA

It’s all just over one hour’s drive away from Adelaide. Visitors who’d prefer someone else to do the driving for a day of serious wine tasting and buying can choose from a range of touring options.

Or else plan to ‘Wake up in the Barossa’ – stay overnight in a bed and breakfast, cottage or resort, and still be able to arrange a local tour. The Barossa’s tradition of working and playing hard owes much to the early English settlers and Lutheran pioneers who came here to escape religious persecution in their homeland. They settled throughout the Barossa and Eden Valleys, building farms and new communities, whose lives have become entwined in the food, the music and the wine of the region today. Bands and choirs thrive here, and they compete with the fierce enjoyment at local music festivals, while the age-old skills of smoking meats and preserving pickles and jams guarantee a gourmet selection of goodies to add to a picnic basket or pack away to take back home.

STARTING OUT

If picking the best from the 50 plus wineries in the Barossa is your goal, start at the Barossa Wine and Visitor Centre in Tanunda where you will find maps and extensive local knowledge to lead you to new vintages and old favourites.

The Barossa is renowned for its big reds that typify Australian wines, while a visit to the cellar doors in Eden Valley offers a chance to taste the crisp, dry rieslings so beloved by the locals.

It can be fun to share a sense of community history with your family as you travel around. The little towns of Bethany, Greenock and Angaston have fine examples of both early Lutheran and English architecture.

TOP SECRETS

• Fill a picnic basket with local goodies
• Bushwalk in the Kaiser Stuhl Conservation Park
• Enjoy a local heritage & wine tasting tour
• Dine at one of many fine restaurants and cafés

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

• Barossa Under the Stars – February/March (2003 –   biennial)
• Barossa Vintage Festival – April (2003 – biennial)
• Barossa Jazz Weekend – August
• Barossa International Music Festival – October
• Para Road Wine Path - November

BAROSSA SELF-DRIVE TOUR

DAY 1

From Adelaide and approaching the Barossa from the south via Gawler, you will enjoy the landscaped gardens and splendour of Yaldara Wines. Rowland Flat is a tiny village dominated by several wineries including Australia’s largest, Orlando Wyndham. At Tanunda be sure to call in to the Barossa Wine and Visitor Information Centre.

DAY 2

Peter Lehmann Wines is set in picturesque gardens, and the charming old village of Greenock is where descendants of a German master baker make traditional breads. Make time to visit the historic winery, buildings and cellars – all beautifully preserved – of Seppeltsfield. You might choose to spend some of today enjoying a picnic and a relaxing walk.

DAY 3

The town of Angaston, at the start of the Eden Valley, is an area where the influence and heritage is more English than German. The first stop should be the historic Saltram Wine Estate and Salters for lunch. Visit historic Collingrove homestead.
Yalumba Wines in the Eden Valley is another classic venue for tasting, picnicking and appreciating beautiful old buildings and gardens.

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