Barossa Valley

 29th July 2025

It is bitterly cold this morning when we wake up, but is around 9 C at 10.15 am when we set out with our first planned stop at Maggie Beer’s Farm shop, only a short drive from here.


Once inside the shop, our first priority was to get a warm cup of coffee.


The fireplace came a close second

Now warmed up it was time to look around the shop, which also includes the 
Kitchen used to film the TV series “The Cook and the Chef”. 


A staff member was keen to take our photo in the kitchen

As expected, there were lots of delectable items for sale and we walked out with a couple of jars of relishes.

Outside the complex is quite expansive, with a separate building dedicated to a restaurant and cooking school, overlooking a pond.




Initially started out as a pheasant farm, the property has an impressive aviary, with many exotic game birds and peacocks on display.

This peacock was desperately trying to impress a couple of very disinterested pea heads.



A few healthy looking Guinea fowl


Golden Pheasant




Overall we had spent around an hour looking around Maggie Beers Farm, and it was now time to go wine tasting. Our first port of Calais the nearby Barossa Valley Estate, once famous for its Ebeneezer Shiraz, which now appears to have disappeared from the market.

Arrival at BVE is a bit of a surprise, as a lot of capital has been poured into the buildings, infrastructure and landscaping.



The tasting room was vacant when we arrived so we had the undivided attention of the host.



Tasting Room

Our first query was what had happened to Ebeneezer Shiraz, and were told that BVE had been acquired by  Oyster Bay wines. They have poured a lot of capital into upgrading the winery and the only wine that appears to have survived from the old line up is the E & E Blackpepper Shiraz, which at $120 a bottle is a bit out of our price range.

It is lunchtime and we are keen to try the wine tasting they have on offer, so sign up for a tasting and a food platter.


Brian assessing the tasting selection


The food platter was great 


Whilst we were enjoying our tasting and platter, an Italian couple arrived and were seated near us. We started ai conversation with them, only to discover they were restauranteurs, and were having a day off from their Italian restaurant in Lyndoch. After finding out about their restaurant we told them we may see them for lunch tomorrow. They also recommended a family winery not far from where we are called Tscharke Wines, told us they hand just come from there and thought their wines were excellent.

So, having purchased some Shiraz from BVE, we moved on to Tscharke Wines.


It is a small, family owned winery, that does make some very nice wines. We bought a few bottles, and moved on, as we had a bit more to see.

Our next stop was the Barossa Valley Chocolate Company, which seemed very popular, we made a small purchase and waited an interminably long time for a cup of coffee as the place was seriously understaffed.


Entrance to the Chocolate Factory 


Your could observe the production through a glass window in the shop


Enough entertainment for one day, we head back to the caravan park and pick up some meat for dinner on the way. Roast pork on the BBQ is the plan and having not done this before on this BBQ the expectations of good crackling are not high.

The pork was cooked nicely, but the crackling was not a great success. Next time I am sure will be better.




 

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