Barossa Valley here we come. Stayed at the Greenock Footy/Cricket Oval. Greenock has reached Historical Town status. Some buildings are still the same store, bakery or grocery shop but some buildings such as the the Telegraph Office are now B&Bs. Most of the shops have significantly changed from there original purpose, but still have that early 1800's charm.
Seppelt wines are one of the oldest surviving wineries in the Barossa and was started by tobacco and liquor merchant Joseph Earnest Seppelt when he moved his family in 1851 from Prussia (now Poland) to Australia due to religious persecution. He bought 158 acres of land in the Barossa Valley for one pound an acre and called the property Seppeltfield. Joseph did not see the completion of his winery when he died in 1868. His son Oscar Benno being the eldest took over the running of the vineyard. Oscar bought out his two siblings of the share of the winery as it held no interest for them. Later Oscar and his siblings commissioned a mausoleum to be built on a hill over looking Seppeltfield in 1927. It is quite a steep climb to the top of the hill but the view is amazing, the mausoleum currently has 28 family members interned there.
The Barossa is only a 10 minute drive from Greenock and since our last visit some 12 years ago it seems to have gotten bigger with more wineries than we could remember. Some are still there and still looks the same such as Chateau Dorrian, it was a good winery then and still is, reasonably priced and has a small but good selection starting with whites and finishing with desert wines and honey meads. We bought a bottle of white and a spicy honey mead for the colder times of the year.
On Thursday we just had to go to Maggie Beer's Farm Shop. After seeing her on years of Master Chef it was a must do thing. As you enter the property you eyes are drawn to the grape vines, fruit trees, peacocks, the vastness and diversity of the place is mind boggling. We entered the store a started wandering around and was drawn to the windows that open on to a deck that over looks a lagoon with turtles and fish. The fun started when we realized we could taste almost all the chutneys, preserves, oils, pates and wines. With the thought we may never get back here again we indulge ourselves and bought a bottle of white wine, a jar of marmalade and a jar of raspberry and pomegranate jam.
After visiting Maggie's shop we took the scenic drive which does a loop of all the small towns and lookouts that make up the Barossa Valley.
Got back to camp and a very nice couple from Mission Beach Queensland came over for a chat. Dean and Geraldine left a little over 2 hours later. We may never catch up again but having a chinwag with people from other parts of Oz or other countries is what makes this trip special.
Seppelt wines are one of the oldest surviving wineries in the Barossa and was started by tobacco and liquor merchant Joseph Earnest Seppelt when he moved his family in 1851 from Prussia (now Poland) to Australia due to religious persecution. He bought 158 acres of land in the Barossa Valley for one pound an acre and called the property Seppeltfield. Joseph did not see the completion of his winery when he died in 1868. His son Oscar Benno being the eldest took over the running of the vineyard. Oscar bought out his two siblings of the share of the winery as it held no interest for them. Later Oscar and his siblings commissioned a mausoleum to be built on a hill over looking Seppeltfield in 1927. It is quite a steep climb to the top of the hill but the view is amazing, the mausoleum currently has 28 family members interned there.
The Barossa is only a 10 minute drive from Greenock and since our last visit some 12 years ago it seems to have gotten bigger with more wineries than we could remember. Some are still there and still looks the same such as Chateau Dorrian, it was a good winery then and still is, reasonably priced and has a small but good selection starting with whites and finishing with desert wines and honey meads. We bought a bottle of white and a spicy honey mead for the colder times of the year.
On Thursday we just had to go to Maggie Beer's Farm Shop. After seeing her on years of Master Chef it was a must do thing. As you enter the property you eyes are drawn to the grape vines, fruit trees, peacocks, the vastness and diversity of the place is mind boggling. We entered the store a started wandering around and was drawn to the windows that open on to a deck that over looks a lagoon with turtles and fish. The fun started when we realized we could taste almost all the chutneys, preserves, oils, pates and wines. With the thought we may never get back here again we indulge ourselves and bought a bottle of white wine, a jar of marmalade and a jar of raspberry and pomegranate jam.
After visiting Maggie's shop we took the scenic drive which does a loop of all the small towns and lookouts that make up the Barossa Valley.
Got back to camp and a very nice couple from Mission Beach Queensland came over for a chat. Dean and Geraldine left a little over 2 hours later. We may never catch up again but having a chinwag with people from other parts of Oz or other countries is what makes this trip special.
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