This was published 2 years ago
Barossa Valley travel guide and things to do: Nine highlights
By Jane Reddy
Hill of Grace vineyard, Keyneton.Credit: Alamy
THE ONE WINERY
Located on the traditional lands of the Ngadjuri, Peramangk and Kaurna people about an hour's drive north-east of Adelaide, the pretty wine region of the Barossa takes in Eden Valley and towns such as Tanunda, Nuriootpa and Angaston. Settled by German Lutheran immigrants the region is now home to more than 80 cellar doors, big and small. At Henschke, explore parts of the original and working fifth-generation winery built of stone in the 1860s before a trip to its most hallowed vineyard. Hill of Grace is a literal translation from the German 'Gnadenberg', the name of the church overlooking the four hectare vineyard of shiraz grapes, the source of the premium Hill of Grace wine. See henschke.com.au; barossa.com
THE ONE LOOKOUT
Cyclists will know Mengler Hill as the tough 2.78 kilometre climb of the annual Tour Down Under. For the rest of us, the summit is the ideal place to get your bearings of the region with 180 degree views of neat vineyards interrupted by stands of gum trees. Up here, arrows point to Barossan wine attractions including Bethany and Rowland Flat. See southaustralia.com
THE ONE LUNCH
Embrace your inner cook (or chef) at Eli Beer's purpose-built cooking school at The Farm Eatery. Chef Tim Bourke (ex Southern Ocean Lodge) teaches classes simple but satisfying techniques like butter making, using local jersey cream, and classic Maggie Beer recipes from 40 years on the Pheasant farm. Take your butter next door for a long lunch, tasting the best of the state's produce including Coorong mulloway and San jose Lombo - a salt cured and air matured pork loin fillet. See thefarmeatery.com
THE ONE STAY
Surrounded by vineyards and with a big sky overhead, a night at The Louise offers an abundance of peace and privacy. Rooms have a walled courtyard and a rear vineyard-view terrace. While an afternoon is best spent on a lounger by the pool, be sure and have a seat booked at its restaurant, Appellation, for its popular and ever-changing tasting menu, matched with wines of the valley led by Kyle Johns. The hotel's three75 bar + kitchen is the casual, comfort food alternative. New pursuits at the hotel include private yoga, meditation and massage. See thelouise.com.au
THE ONE TASTING
At the heart of the 169 hectare Seppeltsfied Estate, comprising the terrace vineyard, rows of citrus, a century old elm and heritage buildings built from local slate and bluestone, is the impressive Centennial Cellar. Hundreds of barrels represent the unbroken lineage of every vintage tawny, from the current year back to 1878. Find your place in history with a tasting of your birth year drawn from the barrel. Afterwards, stop by the former stables, now JamFactory at Seppeltsfield to see artisans at work on their various mediums, including ceramics, glass and leather. Founded in 1973 under the Dunstan government as a craft training workshop in an old jam factory, design as part of daily life is part of the not-for-profit's ethos. See seppeltsfield.com.au
THE ONE ROAD
Credit: Alamy
Be sure to drive Seppeltsfield Road along the Avenue of Palms and its five-kilometre stretch of Canary Island date palms. Planted by Seppeltsfield workers during the Great Depression and said to be a morale boosting exercise, as well as keeping food on the table for workers and their families, more than 2000 palms now line the sides of the road. Keep an eye out for the Greco-Roman inspired Seppelt Family Mausoleum on top of a quartzite ridge to which you can climb. Let the affable Danny Goodwin or one of his team be your designated driver in a fleet of luxury vehicles catering to all group sizes. Passengers can enjoy the country scenes out their window and Goodwin's local knowledge is a bonus.
THE ONE SPIRIT
Gin from the Barossa Valley might seem a little incongruous, but distilleries have sprouted throughout the region including Seppeltsfield Rd Distillers. Led by Jon and Nicole Durdin (Nicole also plays French horn with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra) local botanicals such as pink peppercorn and lavender are used to make gin that's winning awards here and overseas. The still, named Christine, honours Nicole's grandmother, who was also hardworking and had Germanic heritage. For the traditionalists, there's a Barossa shiraz with flavours of cardamom and cinnamon. See seppeltsfieldroaddistillers.com.au
THE ONE BREAKFAST
A misty dawn walk in Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park, among brown stringybark and silver banksia, finishes with a picnic of house-baked treats and local sparkling Daosa from across the way in Piccadilly Valley. You'll be joined by western grey kangaroos enjoying their own breakfast in a park that contains more than 400 native plant species. See the louise.com.au; parks.sa.gov.au
ONE MORE THING
Experiences such as the Centennial Cellar tasting at Seppeltsfield are part of Bunnik Tours-SA Tourism Commission (SATC) new 12-day journeys around the state. Travelling in full-sized coaches with a maximum of 20 people the tour takes in the Barossa and Clare Valleys, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Kangaroo Island and the Flinders Ranges. Chief executive Dennis Bunnik will lead the July departure. See www.bunniktours.com.au
Jane Reddy was a guest of SATC (southaustralia.com) and Qantas (qantas.com)
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