Barossa Valley is home to some of the oldest continuously producing vines on earth — a handful of Shiraz blocks pre-date 1850, having escaped the phylloxera louse that devastated European vineyards. The valley floor's heat and ancient, mineral-poor soils produce deeply concentrated, powerful Shiraz, often blended with Grenache and Mataro in the same GSM tradition as the Southern Rhône. The cooler Eden Valley, in the surrounding hills, is treated as a related but distinct sub-region for its Riesling and more elegant reds.

Key grapes: Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro (Mourvèdre), Cabernet Sauvignon