Wine 101: Understanding South Australia

Explore the New World and biodynamic wine

Photo: d'Arenberg experience (Source: https://www.darenberg.com.au)

Even without any expertise in wine, you’ve probably heard of “Old World” and “New World” phraseology. The former refers to areas with a thousand years of winemaking history, namely European countries like Italy, France, Spain, Greece and so on. The latter refers to countries that have only started winemaking in the past 100 years, such as the United States, Chile, Australia and New Zealand to list just a few.

The difference between the old world and new world wines

Objectively speaking, neither is more superior than the other. The Old World emphasises tradition and “Terroir” – a French term for the environmental factors that affect a crop’s phenotype – and follows strict rules for winemaking. Old World wines are known to have a more elegant palate, with low alcohol levels. The New World, on the other hand, marries traditional skills and modern technology to control quality and cost, resulting in more consumer-friendly prices, a more modern range of flavours with a touch more fruitiness, and higher alcohol content.

Australia is one of the most prolific exporters in the New World, with South Australia accounting for more than half of the total local wine production. South Australian vineyards have earned a world-famous reputation for it's wines. As the region is surrounded by other territories, with one side facing the sea, its diverse topography, rich soil and variable climate create favourable conditions to grow all kinds of grapes, from sweet Riesling to full-bodied Shiraz. One of the seven major wine regions in South Australia is Barossa zone, the biggest of them and home to the Barossa Valley – the oldest wine region in Australia. The hot and dry climate of the Barossa Valley is what makes it ideal for growing Shiraz. It is about an hour’s drive from Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, and houses roughly 150 wineries to date.

Taste Your Birth Year at Seppeltsfield

Wineries evoke visions of spectacular views of open blue skies, rows upon rows of verdant vines, and roads lushly lined with forests. Without exaggeration, that exact magnificence can be found in scenery everywhere in South Australia. The Barossa Valley in particular boasts a unique five-kilometre-long avenue of palm trees, planted by Seppeltsfield Winery during the Great Depression. Today, more than 2,000 tall trees make up one of the most beautiful roads in Australia.

Seppeltsfield’s most famous wine is their Centennial Collection: an Australian Tawny that blends the richness of Shiraz and the softness of Grenache, and adds a little Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Mataro and more to bring a one-of-a-kind flavour to your tongue. Visitors can taste the Tawny of their birth year directly from the barrel under the guidance of a sommelier, or take one home as a souvenir.

Photo: Your birth year vintage tawny (Source: https://www.delicious.com.au/travel/australia/gallery/seppeltsfield-winery-barossa-valley-offers-birth-year-wine-tasting/zkmsx8w1?page=2)

The winery’s restaurant, FINO, crafts dishes out of fresh local ingredients that are specially paired with selections from the wine cellar, to be enjoyed on the balcony looking out over gorgeous garden views. It’s no wonder that Australian food critic John Lethlean describes FINO as “the most suitable restaurant for a leisurely lunch” – a description that has drawn many enthusiastic visitors.

Photo: Seppeltsfield & Fino Restaurant (Source: https://fino.net.au)

D’Arenberg - first certified organic wine with Biodynamic approach

Not far from here is the town of McLaren Vale, where D’Arenberg – another century-old winery – resides. McLaren Valley is where South Australia’s wine industry originated and has the oldest vineyard in the world. A cube-shaped building that sits in the middle of the vineyard greets arrivals immediately on sight: d'Arenberg Cube. At first blush, it resembles an alien shelter that would be right at home in a science fiction film. The fourth generation of the winery, Chester Osborn, was inspired to build the structure by the complexities and puzzles of winemaking. The exterior of the five-story work of architecture is made up of floor-to-ceiling glass, decorated with geometric patterns. Each level is carefully designed to entice and excite the senses, including features such as a wine sensory room, a virtual fermenter, a 360-degree video room, and many other tactile experiences. Visitors can visit the Alternate Realities Museum located on the ground floor to enjoy indoor installations and exhibitions with various themes, as well as the natural scenery outside the window. Their in-house restaurant provides seasonal and innovative dishes, combining fine wine, fine art, a stunning view, and delicious cuisine under one roof. This is the place to take things at a leisurely pace; a splendid day can be had here.

Photo: d'Arenberg Cube (Source: https://www.darenberg.com.au)

Notably, D’Arenberg is the largest biodynamic grape grower in Australia today. The biodynamic approach is presently known as one of the world’s most natural winemaking methods. Biodynamic farming is organic, uses no pesticides or additives, and takes actions based on the season, astrology, and the moon cycle. One practice of biodynamic farming is to bury cow horns filled with cow dung under the soil when the winter sets in, which are then dug up to use as fertiliser the following spring, and due to the strength of gravity which changes according to the distance between the moon and the earth, different seeds are sown, responding to the energy of the land at that time, planting crops more efficiently, and reducing the burden on the earth.

Photo: biodynamic approach (Source: https://localfoodbritain.com/articles/cow-horns-fertility-rituals-and-award-winning-wines-biodynamic-viticulture-at-albury-vineyard/)

Although some people are skeptical about this winemaking method, it is indeed in line with the general trend of sustainable development and physical and spiritual development; Gemtree Wines, Angove Family Wine, Battle of Bosworth and other McLaren Valley wineries have produced Biodynamic, you may wish to pay attention to it when you visit the winery in Australia next time.