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State Winner South Australia: Appellation, Barossa Valley

Writing a wine list in Australia’s best-known wine region brings with it certain expectations. “We’d be doing the Barossa a great disservice if we didn’t delve as deep into the region as we could and show the great diversity of wines this place can produce,” says Appellation’s Ruby Stobart.

Showcasing the Barossa’s bounty has been the philosophy behind Appellation’s food and wine from the day it first opened.

“We want to tell the Barossa’s story through its wine and food,” Stobart adds. “Everything we do reflects where we are.”

She says the dynamic and thoughtful list is a team effort, with input from chef Mark McNamara and wine manager Alice Trinder.

It is a list that any wine region would envy. Its pages put the Barossa in context with examples from the immediate vicinity – Greenock, Seppeltsfield, Marananga – listed first, followed by the broader Barossa and then beyond.

A section called Barossa Icons is superb, with each year since 1990 represented by the best big names and accompanied by a summary of that year’s vintage.

The list is an excellent representation of the Barossa for interstate and international visitors, but there’s plenty to entice the local winemaking community too.

Champagne is, unsurprisingly, a strong point, and a good selection of Rhône wines provides valuable context. An extensive listing of Bordeaux might indicate that the locals are keener on a bit of cabernet-style discipline than they want to let on.

Appellation skilfully treads the fine line between regional focus and a greater world view and has set the benchmark by which all other wine region lists can be judged.   

Appellation, Seppeltsfield Rd, Barossa Valley, SA, (08) 8562 4144, www.appellation.com.au.

TEXT NICK RYAN

This article appeared in the August/September 2008 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.