Things to do during a stay in the Barossa Valley

WHILE wine is the great attraction of South Australia's Barossa Valley, there's far more to be enjoyed, writes Scott Podmore.

A signpost at Jacobs Creek. Picture: Supplied

BEST FOR CELLAR DOORS

WHEN it comes to cellar doors in the Barossa Valley, the big question is where does one start, quickly followed by how long do you have?

Rockford anyone? Penfolds? Henschke? Jacob's Creek? Seppeltsfield? The list is seemingly endless.

My itinerary told me to kick my visit off by donning the white lab coat and getting a taste for the region by creating my own shiraz blend at mighty Penfolds' popular Make Your Own Blend class but, with an hour to kill before class, I found myself pulling into Artisans of the Barossa and coming face to face with John Duval, one of Penfolds' legendary winemakers for almost 30 years.

Out on his own for the past decade, he's teamed with a pool of Barossa talent to form a super cellar door.

"We're a group of seven small winemakers," Duval said of Artisans of the Barossa. "It started about eight years ago when a group of Barossa winemakers went over to the UK for the international wine fair and we started speaking over a few drinks after each day and we came back and decided to do something more organised in a marketing and sales sense with all the production kept separate."

Others include Hobbs, Massena, Spinifex, Sons of Eden, Schwarz Wine Company and Teusner. In a former life the venue was a restaurant and tasting room, so there's a commercial kitchen run by chef Mark Macnamara, of Appellation fame.

So, what does this winemaking king believe sets the Barossa apart from other wine regions?

"The Barossa is a unique part of the world. We have the oldest shiraz, grenache, mourvedre and cabernet vineyards.

"It's unique in terms of how it got started with the migrants from Silesia, Eastern Europe and the Germanic influence, which rolls into the culture here that we have today - great wine, food and music.

"That's what the Barossa Vintage Festival represents."

A signpost at Jacobs Creek. Picture: Supplied

BEST FOR MARKETS

Where there's a wine region, there's always a ripper country market or two. None pack a punch for quality fresh local produce heftier than the legendary Barossa Food Markets in Angaston where the free-range lamb, pork, poultry, vegetables, chutneys, sauces and pastries are flying off the shelves in a hive of morning activity every Saturday.

"We're proud of the farmers markets, and visitors love coming here to buy their goods and head back to their B&Bs to cook up an amazing meal," says Jan Angas of Hutton Vale farm, famous for its lamb, wine, vegetables and artisan chutneys. "It's important to talk to the stall holders and discuss their produce, ask them what's in season, how to prepare it and how to cook it, and they will help you make the best dish you've possibly ever tasted. "

And Jan and her husband, John Angas, should know, as their Hutton Vale mixed farming business has been in the Angas family - and Angaston (note the name) - since 1843. Their philosophy of a sustainable farming program is an example of the heart and soul each and every Barossa farmer puts on the tables, tubs and wheelbarrows at these markets - and in the kitchens of local families, the region's restaurants and visitors staying at B&Bs or cabins.

BEST FOR LUXURY

While the Barossa Valley community as a whole prides itself on being down to earth, sometimes such an earthy, charming country setting calls for something heavenly and exclusive - say hello to The Louise in Marananga and Kingsford Homestead on the edge of the Barossa in Kingsford, two very different small luxury accommodation offerings hitting many top 100 lists.

The Louise luxury getaway. Picture: Supplied

The Louise is a world-renowned luxury private getaway with sweeping vistas in a vineyard setting that goes hand in hand with acclaimed restaurant Appellation, a fine-dining star on the world stage.

Entrepreneurial American owner Jim Carreker always set out to make the food the focus, despite the immaculate facilities and small touches in his sublime accommodation offering that include keyless entry and classical music gently emerging from a hi-tech sound system upon arrival, gorgeous art and glassware, king beds, crisp linens, spa with TV and private outdoor shower.

"Appellation is the primary destination along with our carefully hand-picked wine list," Carreker says. "The luxurious accommodation and the setting is supportive. We take a lot of pride in what we offer guests here. It's unique."

Over at Kingsford Homestead the 1856 two-storey sandstone Georgian house has been extensively renovated with seven luxury suites. The property is world-famous and better known as "Drover's Run", the setting for long-running TV series McLeod's Daughters.

Original features within include a Gothic style cedar staircase, the slate flagged entrance hall and rustic old-world stone cellars where guests can also dine.

"The cellars were used to store produce delivered through a chute and said to have once held bushrangers who'd bunkered down in the homestead," owner Stefan Ahrens says.

BEST FOR FOODIES

While Appellation takes the cake for fine dining, the Barossa offers the full gamut of foodie experiences all over: modern South-East Asian cuisine at FermentAsian, a bit of everything including modern Australian at the stone villa known as 1918, scrumptious snacks at cool cafes like Nosh in Tanunda, and, of course, the fresh takeaways on offer at the Barossa Farmers Markets.

But a food lover's visit to the Barossa can't go without a trip to celebrity TV cook Maggie Beer's Farm Shop in Nuriootpa for more sauces, fruits, jams, chutneys and verjuices than you can poke a wooden spoon at, as well as all sorts of goodies at the cafe from which you can enjoy a freshly baked pastry or home-cooked meal in a setting that overlooks Maggie's beautiful lake.

There's also the opportunity to enjoy a cooking demonstration in the adjoining function centre from Maggie's daughter, Saskia Beer, a celebrity cook and producer in her own right.

"Yes, I was brought up with good farming and honest cooking," Saskia says after a cooking demo that includes simple ways to prepare feasts inspired by the region using chicken, pheasants, Berkshire pork, the Black Pig smallgoods and seasonal vegetables.''

BEST FOR FESTIVALS

Things get a little spooky for the uninitiated when you lob in the Barossa in autumn when strange brainless beings can be seen on rooftops, by the roadside, at shop fronts and in vineyards. But it's all OK - they're only the resident scarecrows who surface to mark the start of the Barossa Vintage Festival, a one-week event held throughout the Valley in March biennially to celebrate wine, food, art, music and culture.

Running since 1946 as Australia's oldest wine festival, traditionally it has also signalled the end of grape harvest and "no one throws a bigger or better party than the Barossa", says Chris Whistler of Whistler Wines in Marananga, a generations-old family winery that hosts a day of family fun and great food.

Other Barossa Vintage Festival events include Carnival at Seppetsfield Winery, comedy in the vines, special dinners, parades, live music, and various winery events.

Another popular festival is the Barossa Gourmet Weekend held in August, offering visitors food and wine experiences, family fun days, markets, music recitals, long lunches, cooking classes and wine masterclasses.

The writer was a guest of South Australian Tourism Commission.

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Getting there

Virgin Australia operates more than 320 flights a week to and from Adelaide to seven domestic destinations and one international destination. These include Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Perth, Sydney and Denpasar (Bali).

3 WAYS TO DO BAROSSA

1. Budget

See: Check out the Herbig Family Tree in Springton, a large hollow red gum that was actually once a home for a European settler called Friedrich Herbig in 1855. The tree is reportedly 500 years old.

Sleep: Tanunda Caravan and Tourist Park is one with the lot for caravanners and campers, with cabins and ample powered sites for vans and tents. Sites start from about $30 up to slick new cabins from $120-$150.

Eat: Nosh Barossa in Tanunda, a quirky cafe with all manner of decor adorning tables and the walls including bicycles, books and old-fashioned bibs and bobs. Great food at great prices - the "La Marche" flatbread with mushies, spinach, egg, bechamel and cracked pepper for $12 is a winner.

Do: For an adventure, jump on a bike and head up the challenging hill to Menglers Hill Lookout and Sculpture Park.

2. Mid-range

See: The Greenock Aviation Museum on Old Kapunda Rd has a private collection of preserved aircraft, replica aircraft, restoration projects, scale model aircraft, and general aviation memorabilia.

Sleep: Novotel Barossa Valley Resort in Rowland Flat. Cool pool, great rooms, a dining area with a beautiful lookout and golf course.

Eat: FermentAsian has carved out a big reputation in just two years operating in Tanunda for its amazing South-East Asian and Vietnamese food.

Do: A wine tour must be at the top of your list in this neck of the woods, quite obviously. Try Taste The Barossa for tours.

3. Luxury

See: There aren't too many better ways to experience the Barossa than with a bird's-eye view from a balloon, sipping champagne. Try Barossa Valley Ballooning for $300 an adult.

Sleep: If it's not The Louise or Kingsford Homestead, try Stonewell Cottages for sheer cosy bliss.

Eat: Hentley Farm's The Restaurant. Go hard with a Discovery menu for $210 that includes paired wines.

Do: Learn to cook great Italian food using local produce. It's all about food, wine and culture.

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Barossa Farmers markets. Picture: Supplied