Dateline: Barossa Valley, Tununda, AU
The Barossa Valley is a 1.5 hour car transfer from the airport in Adelaide. By private car around $200 AU. Driving a rental out of the car hire at the Adelaide airport would be cheaper and you would then have the use of the car while staying out in wine country, but Americans and Europeans will need a GPS and possibly a back seat driver to remind them to stay on the left hand side of the road. If you plan to tour around, or stay for some time, a car is a necessity though. We made due with rented bicycles and taxis.
Jacob’s Creek Winery is one of the largest, (in Australia) exporting world wide. They have a very large hotel, but from afar, it looks just like any big-name chain hotel surrounded by the requisite massive parking lot and mondo-sized tour busses.
The Jacob’s Creek Retreat is NOT affiliated with the Jacob’s Creek Winery but instead sits about 6 clicks from the affable little town of Tununda on property that is owned by the Moorooroo Winery. Moorooroo is a tiny boutique vintner that exports (almost) nowhere. Turns out that Jacob’s Creek (a slow moving, almost dry little creek) is an area landmark, hence the name can be utilized by any business owner who can reasonably claim a relationship to the creek itself. Up until several years ago the Moorooroo winery owner (and vintner), who originally and lovingly developed the entire property, ran both businesses, the hotel, what Aussies call the “accommodations”, and also the winery tasting room. They have since turned the operations of the accommodations over to a separate, but co-operative, owner.
In November, (summer time in AU) your intro to the retreat starts off a gravel road amidst vineyards heavy laden with emerald vines. (No discernible fruit yet.) The tasting room for Moorooroo is a delightful reproduction of a French country “cave” where a tasting of five selections can be had for only $5 and nothing at all if you purchase at least one bottle of wine. They are known for their Shiraz and for good reason. Even if you don’t stay on the property, (although I highly recommend that you do) you should pay a visit to Moorooroo and do a tasting. You will thank me.
A quick call from the cellar staff will summon Charles who is the proprietor now of the accommodations. Charles plays the butler in Hollywood’s latest period epic about the British upper class. He will deliver you to your room or suite and give you a quick tour of the grounds. Although the vintage of the buildings is deceptively 18th century French countryside, only one of them is authentic. The rest were constructed in the late 1990s. The remodel completely fooled me. Our suite, The Orlando, reminded me so much of a country house we rented in Sarlat in the Dordogne region of France, (maybe because of the genuine period pieces which furnish the suite), I felt a bit disoriented. (Is this Australia?)
The only thing modern about the lodgings would be the excellent plumbing and electrical. Everything in that realm works and works consistently and well, including the oversized corner Jacuzzi tub and large double plumbed shower heads. (The only thing a Frenchman will find missing in the bathroom is a bidet. Like Americans, and unlike the French, apparently Aussies run around in life with dirty coochies.) Each room boasts a completely silent LG air con unit, separately controlled. There are two “tellies” in the suite and a radio, (no dvd player), a small fridge, a cook top, a microwave and ample space to settle in and cook and enjoy a nice light supper or lunch. The period lamps offer lovely, romantic lighting and some overhead lights can be dimmed for the romantique effect.
A highlight is the king-sized bed, dressed in crisp white bed sheets and a lovely down duvet. (Extremely comfortable!) Morning brekky is served at a very civilized 9:00 a.m. – 10 a.m. and offers a fresh fruit platter, juice, a selection of cereals, good freshly baked bread, scrambled eggs, baked tomatoes, mushrooms, sausages and bacon.
Aside from the staff ministrations, which are superb, (no request is too great), a gorgeous, large, infinity swimming pool, spectacular grounds (think mini Versailles) and the tasting experience at Moorooroo, visitors will love that wifi is available in the lovely Pavillion (where brekky is served) and (at least in Orlando), an espresso machine with ample coffee gives access to coffee around the clock.
Jacob’s Creek Retreat gets my highest rating for both “accommodations” and a splendid intimate wine tasting. (You’ll be lucky if Rachel is pouring. She’s a gem and they don’t pay her enough whatever they are paying her.)
We rented bikes from the Barossa Bike Hire (see trip notes) and they were delivered and picked up at a reasonable rate. Not to sound like a snob, but the biking around the wine country is equivalent to California’s minor wine districts, Temecula in San Diego County and up in Santa Barbara, with a nice long bike path winding through vineyards and little towns for miles. It isn’t bike heaven like it is up Napa/Sonoma way, or in Everywhere, France. They are definitely coming along though, as they are in wine production. There’s a pretty big grocery store on the main drag of Tanunda but the town needs a gourmet deli and cheese shop badly. That said, the young ladies who work in the market will go out of their way to equip you for a basic picnic.
In conclusion, if your singular goal in life is to visit all the great wine districts of the world, then, by all means, you MUST go to the Barossa Valley. Also, if life takes you somehow to Adelaide, go ahead, go out there for an extended weekend. On the other hand, if you are in search ONLY of the penultimate wine country experiences, and time or money are limited…eh…there are better. Just, imho. But, either way, if you do go, definitely bring me back a bottle of that Moorooroo Shiraz in your checked luggage. I’ll pay you back. I promise.