Garden of Eden
The Eden Valley wine region is one of Australia’s most exciting cool-climate regions. Set in the mountain ranges of the Barossa in South Australia, it’s also one of our most tranquil. With its mix of farmland, untouched bushland, Eden Valley is a sanctuary where you can escape and indulge.
Vineyards criss-cross undulating terrain in this green-and-gold landscape, which is studded with ancient eucalyptus trees and moss-covered rocks. Kangaroos quietly graze and there are stunning views at every turn. There’s also a strong sense of history, with the region’s stories told through its heritage homesteads and churches and some of the oldest grapevines in the world. Eden Valley shares a proud German heritage with its neighbour, Barossa Valley, and together these two regions make up the world-famous Barossa zone.
Riesling to revere
Wine is at the heart and soul of this small region, and a visit will almost certainly include sampling wines in boutique cellar doors, chatting to winemakers and soaking up views of rolling vineyards. Located high in the hills, the climate is relatively cool, with crisp nights year-round. These conditions help to produce the wines Eden Valley is famous for elegant, delicious and world-class Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and an array of alternative varieties such as Gewürztraminer and Tempranillo.
But there’s one grape that reigns supreme: pure, aromatic Riesling. This expressive white grape thrives in Eden Valley’s diverse and ancient soils, and the region’s winemakers are known for their citrusy, intensely flavoured Riesling wines. And while you might usually think more of red wines when it comes to ageing, top-quality Eden Valley Rieslings can be cellared for a decade or more, developing complex toasty flavours.
Cool-climate pioneers
Riesling was one of the first grapes planted in the region’s first vineyard, established by Englishman Joseph Gilbert in the mid-1800s. Dubbed Pewsey Vale after his hometown, this was also one of Australia’s first high-altitude, cool-climate vineyards. Joseph produced dazzling wines that won awards worldwide, but when many cool-climate vineyards fell out of use from the late 1800s, Pewsey Vale ground to a halt. In the 1960s, when new owner Geoffrey Angas Parsons realised he was sitting on historic wine land, he restored the vineyard entirely to Riesling. Today Pewsey Vale Riesling is one of the most awarded Rieslings in Australia.
History repeats itself all over the region, including in the famous Orlando, Mountadam and Henschke vineyards. Johann Christian Henschke established his vineyard in 1962 and couldn’t have known it would be the start of a winemaking dynasty that would continue six generations later. Henschke makes some of Australia’s most prestigious and praised wines, and you can sample a few in its cosy, stone-walled cellar door.
Tradition meets innovation
With its winemaking history stretching back to the mid-1800s, Eden Valley is home to some of the world’s oldest Shiraz and Riesling vines. A lot has changed since then, but traditional grape-growing and winemaking continues, with a strong focus on sustainability and authenticity. You’ll find fifth and sixth generations of the region’s founders still working in their family businesses today, but you’ll also discover a new wave of makers helping to keep things fresh.
For Abel Gibson of Ruggabellus winery, it’s a case of everything old is new again. The son of a Penfolds viticulturist, Abel and his wife Emma handcraft small batches of interesting red and white wines using old-school methods. They bring innovation through their choice of grape varieties and skill in blending different varieties to create wines that reflect Eden Valley’s rugged beauty.
“After quite a few years travelling the world … I realised that I missed the things that I had grown up with here,” says Abel. “The colour tones, the eucalyptus, the colour of the grass, the rocks in the summer... It’s something that is unique to here, quite mystical and enduring.”
