The Barossa: An Ascent to Higher Quality

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | DECEMBER 02, 2021

The greater Barossa winegrowing area has the varied climate, altitudes and exposures needed to make pretty much all styles of wine, ranging from high-tension, dry Rieslings to some of the most decadent, high-octane red wines in the world. Lush, flamboyant and often head-spinning, high-alcohol wines have long defined the region for many wine lovers. Today, Barossa deserves a different reputation.

Ironically, very few over-the-top wines were being made in South Australia prior to the mid-to-late 1990s. In an effort to make a statement and receive attention from journalists and collectors who prized such a style, a number of wineries made the decision to push the ripeness and power envelope to the extreme. They succeeded, for a while; however, the percentage of overall production for these over-the-top wines is smaller now than one might imagine. Cooler (as it were) heads have been prevailing in recent years, and the number of truly elegant, complex red wines from the area continues a steep, upward climb. There is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to old, mostly bush vines, especially in the Barossa Valley itself, with some dating back to the mid-19th century, so there’s no lack of excellent fruit here.

A big factor in the area’s ascent to higher quality and an increasing diversity of styles is the growing presence of younger, well-traveled winemakers who possess a greater appreciation for elegant wines. Winemakers are prioritizing highly conscientious vineyard work, notably sustainability and organic farming. Even several of the largest and most established wineries have made a noticeable shift to making wines of greater detail and energy than those a generation past.

But make no mistake, shy wines are decidedly still the exception rather than the rule across the area. Much like the southern Rhône, conditions tend to be consistently warm to hot, as well as dry. One advantage is that most sites here, aside from the coldest vineyards, are enjoying disease-free growing seasons, with little worry about mildew or general rot issues. Simply put, truly “bad” vintages are tough to find in almost all of South Australia. It’s also important to remember that because of extremely high tariffs, non-Australian wines are consistently wildly expensive, so demand for the best local wines is high, as is the case with all of Australia’s wine regions. Due to the difficulties often encountered in selling their wines abroad, plus a robust Australian market, a number of the most prestigious wineries allocate very little to no wines for international distribution. The old saying that “they keep the best wines for themselves” is quite often the truth here, or at least partially so. 

Although Shiraz gets the most attention, Mourvedre has been planted in the Barossa for years, back to the late-19th century.

Shiraz: Barossa’s Past, Present and Future King

Several winegrowing regions in the world are as inextricably linked to a single variety in the public’s conscience and few more so than the Barossa Valley and Shiraz. Some of the oldest plantings of wine grapes on earth are of Shiraz planted across 8,000 hectares of land in Barossa. That easily leaves Cabernet Sauvignon, with about 2,000 hectares, in the proverbial dust. Given the huge amount of Shiraz or Shiraz-based wines that have been exported over the years, in the minds of many consumers Barossa (and Australia, for that matter) simply is Shiraz.

While most people view Barossa Shiraz as producing big, rich, full-throttle wines, often with high alcohol levels, the reality is more complex. An increasing number of producers are easing off excessive ripeness and new oak, while emphasizing energy. That’s achieved by adjusting growing practices, harvest timing and harvest times or, more important, depending on more fruit grown in cooler, often high-altitude sub-regions like the Eden Valley. Many winemakers are also using more whole clusters, which, when done right, can impart refreshing spiciness and floral lift to the wines, mitigating super-ripe qualities. This practice is quite popular now across the region, especially among the younger generation of vintners. As mentioned before, the Barossa and its surrounding regions are home to a vast array of varieties, but Shiraz isn’t turning in its crown any time soon.