B21/AH6 Barossa Trip this weekend

[mjs]

Our loose wine group (Maralinga Wine Society) will have its 21st boys trip to the Barossa in the last 11 years this weekend. Reckon we've visited close to 100 CDs in that time. Usual format, take Friday off, pick up fly-ins, drive there, stay a couple of nights, CDs on Friday and Saturday, eat and drink, talk shit, come back Sunday through Adelaide Hills for a couple more CDs, drive back, drop fly-outs at the airport. What could possibly go wrong?

Program includes a few new venues this time, Expect to visit
Barossa
Alkina
Soul Growers
Otherness
Kaesler
Rosenvale
Heathvale
Adelaide Hills
Lobethal Road
Deviation Road

Will report later

[ticklenow1]

Looking forward to your report.

Almost went to Alkina and kind of regret not going. Otherness was fantastic. Haven't been to Kaesler in years, but they make good wine. All the others I haven't tried, so any information on new experiences is very welcome here.

Cheers
Ian

[mjs]

It was a great weekend, with a few different experiences that we haven't had before, here's a few notes to compliment Ian's slightly earlier trip.

Picked up grb2001 at the airport on Friday morning and three of us headed up the Northern Expressway to meet the other three for coffee at El Estanco in Greenock at 10am before heading to Alkina at 11. Friggin' hot already.

Lot of money spent at Alkina and a quite well appointed cellar door in Greenock. Tasted a Classic Flight with Zoe, with a few other labels tossed in. Thought the Kin Semillon and Rosé (100% Grenache) were good, Night Sky GSM and Alkina Old Quarter GSM good. Striato Single Vineyard Shiraz had some volatility for me. Also tasted Argento Single Vineyard Malbec, an Argentinian wine.

Off to lunch at Tanunda Bakery for a simple meal, then down the road to Soul Growers, on the northern outskirts of Tanunda. Small business that sources fruit from a range of growers, growers are the "soul" of the Barossa. Enjoyable tasting with Sorrell, who has one of the most potty mouthed deliveries, mostly affectation I suspect. Grenache Blanc was interesting. Couple of shiraz including the 2021 Slow Grown Shiraz were best. Tried the Hempel Shiraz which has been rated highly, ok, but not outstanding

Following Ian's lead, we decamped to Otherness in Angaston for a late afternoon tasting, which was excellent. Grant collaborates with a variety of wine makers, eg riesling from Neil Pike in the Clare, and from John Hughes in the Barossa. Fabulous EV and Clare rieslings, so much so it demanded we get the wait staff to shuck some Douglas Bay oysters to accompany the rieslings, delicious! Also tried the 2022 Detroit BV Shiraz cabernet and bought a few. Great conversation with Grant and a great tasting.

Back to the digs at Mt McKenzie, some prime pieces of eye fillet from Dulwich Butchery on the bbq, accompanied by numerous reds. Restless sleep in the 30 deg temperature.

Coffees at D&M Bakery in Angaston to start Saturday and securing some more provisions from Barossa Smokehouse Butchers (ex-Schulz) and the local IGA, then off to a tasting at Kaesler. Reasonably new CD, but really just a long benchfront, no tables. Did the Icon tasting, 2017 Alte Reben Marananga Shiraz was excellent, Old Bastard good as well, but the highlight was the 2018 WOMS Shiraz Cabernet (Weapons of Mass Seduction). Then a late morning beer at Rein Brewery, before lunch at Tanunda Bakery again.

Off to Rosenvale in north Barossa. They sell most of their fruit, but keep some for their own vinification. Did a testing of current and older museum wines. A 2010 Semillon was excellent. There wines were all good, but nothing really stood heads and shoulders above anything. Some good Grenache, Shiraz and Cabernet. 2010 Shiraz Cabernet was good, but had a bit of a medicinal character for me. 2010 Old Vine Shiraz was excellent. Definitely worth a visit.

Last CD for the day, we headed out to Heathvale the other side of Mt McKenzie, in EV really. Didn't know this winery or label, anyway it was one of those gems of an experience. Trevor and Faye March have 20 acres of vines, they took over the property from Trevor's mother in the 80's to raise superfine merino, but found out from descendants of the Heath family that it was originally a winery established by John Heath in the 1860's, so they decided to honour that history and converted to grape growing and wine making. Anyway, we spent 45 mins with Trevor in the vineyard, then another 45 mins in the winery tasting from barrel then another 1 1/2 hours with Trevor and Faye in their living room tasting quite a few bottles.We eventually excused ourselves just before 7pm, having tasted some really interesting stuff, including a Sagrantino Rose and a straight Sagrantino. There were a number of nice Shiraz and cabernet and lots of conversation and food platters to accompany the wine. Lots of history, and no doubt could have been there for another hour if we wanted to, very hospitable hosts.

More beef on the bbq back at Mt McKenzie for dinner and other things.

Packed up on Sunday morning and headed south down the back way for coffee at Mt Pleasant bakery , then tasting and lunch at Lobethal Road at Mt Torrens. A number of whites, including a Roussanne, couple of reds, pretty straightforward Shiraz and their more premium label, the Bacchant Shiraz. Good value wines though, nothing outrageously expensive. Lunch was excellent there. Then headed to Hahndorf for a tasting at La Prova, where they do a number of Mediterranean verities. 2023 Fiano was excellent, also had Sangiovese, Aglianico and Nero. Final CD of the day and the weekend was Deviation Road at Longwood. Did the premium fizz tasting. Standouts were the 2019 Southcote Blanc de Noirs and the 2016 Beltana BdB.

Back down the freeway to drop grb2001 at the airport and others off locally. The end of another very enjoyable wine adventure.

[mjs]

WOTW possibly the Kaesler

2017 Alte Reben Shiraz

Marananga Shiraz, Alte Reben = Old Vines

[Michael McNally]

Great write up thanks mjs

Cheers

Michael