Once upon a time it was fashionable to declare that the Barossa Valley had lost its way. Vineyard plantings were dwindling, old shiraz vines were regarded as a liability, grenache and mourvedre were fit only for fortified wine, itself in sharp decline, and only one winemaker appeared willing to stand up and be heard to defend the faith. Even Riesling, South Australia's favourite daughter, was about to be supplanted by Chardonnay.
Australian Wine
Introduction
Soil
Viticulture
Climate
Climatic Change and The Greenhouse Effect
Australian wine regions
Regional Best (WA)
Regional Best (NSW)
Orlando Wyndham
BRL Hardy is the largest of Australia's wine companies remaining as a single publicly traded entity. For years, it appeared to grow despite an apparent lack of strong brands, but recently has re-invented itself by focusing on its historic regional strengths, especially in McLaren Vale and Western Australia, and more recently in Clare, Padthaway and Coonawarra.
Mildara Blass
Rosemount Estate could be judged by its premier wines, the Roxburgh Chardonnay, Balmoral Syrah, Mountain Blue Shiraz Cabernet, or its Show Reserve series, but the Oatley family, who owns the company, and its head winemaker Philip Shaw prefer as a yardstick the Diamond Series wines, especially the Chardonnay and Shiraz, and its very affordable early-drinking reds like the Shiraz/ Cabernet and Shiraz/Grenache.
McWilliam's
Southcorp Wines
