Introduction
Known as the “Garden of Grapes and Gums”(7), Eden Valley is a fruitful wine producing region located in the state of South Australia, within the Barossa zone. (9)
Located directly to the east of the incredibly renowned Barossa Valley, Eden Valley is often overlooked located within ljkdfhasdfh. But it is because of baroossa popularity that eden valley was given chance and was actually good/
Located directly to the east of the incredibly renowned Barossa Valley, Eden Valley is often overlooked located within ljkdfhasdfh. But it is because of , it actually is higher elevation which makes it unique taste and sutability
On August 15th, 1997, it was officially recognized by the Geographical Indications Committee. (9)
History and Development of the Region to present day
While Australia’s wine history might seem short when compared to the wine producing countries of the Old World, it is in no way lesser producing wines that are ________. (or this in no way can speak on the quality) With the arrival of the British colonizers in 1788, vines collected from Rio de Janiero and the Cape of Good Hope were planted in the area that is now known as Sydney (1 and 2). Although these initial plantings failed, the next 30 years were marked with more successful viticulture as settlers moved to the areas both north and west of Sydney.
South Australia
The early development of South Australia occurred in the beginning of the 1830s in the areas surrounding Adelaide, with the authorization of the South Australian Colonization Act of 1834. Two years later, upon the arrival of the first settlers, South Australia was proclaimed a colony of the United Kingdom. (3) The colonization of South Australia was unlike other Australian settlements in that it was not created as a penal colony, but instead a self-sufficient free colony that encouraged opportunity and religious freedom. (10;11) As part of the South Australian Colonization Act, 35,000 pounds of land had to be sold before colonization was permitted, and for this reason wealthy British citizens and gentry were among the names that bought a substantial amount (4,12). Of these influential colonizers were Joseph Gilbert, George Fife Angas, and Samuel Smith who were the founders of Pewsey Vale, Yalumba, and Angaston, respectively. Along with these big names, a small group of Silesian Lutheran migrants fleeing religious persecution settled in the Barossa Zone, hence the strong German heritage in the region. (1,4,11)
Eden Valley’s wine history begins in 1847 with the planting of vines by Captain Joseph Gilbert in his Pewsey Vale vineyard. (4,5,6) These vines originated from Macarthur’s Vineyard at Camden Park along with vines from the Horticultural Society of England. It is said that these vines can be traced back to James Busby’s collection, vine cuttings catalogued from vines from influential European wine regions, that he brought to Australia in 1832, making them some of Australia’s oldest vinous genetic material (5,17). Two years later, in 1849, Gilbert received his licensure to distil spirits commencing his winemaking career, and within 10 years he was operating a well-established vineyard (6). At this time, his six and a half hectare (sixteen acres) vineyard was composed of fruitful vines of the Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz varieties. (4) The vineyard continued to thrive until the 1920s and 1930s when the Great Depression brought on economic troubles. It was not until 1961, when Geoffrey Angas Parsons rediscovered that Pewsey Vale was re-established and revitalized. (5) To this day, the Pewsey Vale Vineyards are creating some of Eden Valley’s most desirable Rieslings along with sakdhflifdh. (17)
Wine production in the Eden Valley was further advanced when Johann Christian Henschke, from Silesia, purchased land in the Keyneton district in 1862. (14) The Henschke family’s vineyard first commercial vintage was produced in 1868, composing of mainly Riesling and Shiraz. (13) Paul Gotthard Henschke, Johann Christian’s son, increased the vineyard’s wine production by planting more vines when he inherited the land. (14) Following his death, the vineyard was passed down to Paul Alfred, his son and the vineyard’s third-generation winemaker. (14) Paul Alfred was married to Selma Stanitzki who was the granddaughter of the man, Nicolaus Stanitzki, who is recognized for planting the first Shiraz vines in the Eden Valley. (14) Paul Alfred continued to expand and develop the vineyard with the purchase of land, which later became the Hill of Grace Vineyard. (13) Similarly to Pewsey Vale, the Great Depression led to the deteoiration of the Henschke Vineyard, but fortunately was re-established by the well-known and accomplished fourth-generation Henschke winemaker, Cyril Henschke. (4,14) This “winemaking dynasty” continues to produce some of Eden Valley’s finest and most distinguished
The oldest family-owned vineyard in all of Australia is the Yalumba Vineyard (15,14). Although it has its origins in the neighbouring Barossa Valley region, the vineyard’s location allowed them to make an extremely significant move in 1961 and the years following. Being located right on the border between the Barossa and Eden Valleys, allowed the winemakers to move their highly regarded Riesling vines from their area in Barossa to a higher altitude area of the Eden Valley. (4) This move allowed them extreme success.
Prior to 1969, fortified wine made up the bulk of the Australian market
History and Development of viticulture and wine production in the area
The climate, soils and topography of the region
(with special reference to viticulture and the types of grapes grown and wines produced in the region, as well as any other factors which may influence viticultural practices.)
Topography
The Eden Valley has a relatively varied topography, due to its landscape of rolling hills. (16,4) Located directly to the east of the Barossa Valley, its higher elevation distinctly separates it from its more famous neighbouring region. The elevation of the Eden Valley ranges from 380 to 550 m. (4, 16). The valley in the region serves as a convergent point for surface water to meet and combine with the North Para River and the Rhine River, flowing towards the Barossa in the west and Murray in the east, respectively. (16)
Climate
The increase in elevation from the Barossa Valley floor to the hills of the Eden Valley greatly alters the climate. The overall climate is described of having a dominating winter with high evaporation and average rainfall. (16) According to Wine Australia (?), the region receives on average 280 mm of rainfall in a growing season. (18, 19) This moderate amount of rainfall is accompanied by 950 mm growing season evaporation. These factors account for placing a great amount of water stress on the vines that are grown in the region. (16) The changes in elevation throughout the area account for temperature variations, leaving the northern lower altitude land, at a warmer temperature than the more elevated southern area. (4,16) This altitude change also results in rainfall differences, which result in the southern Eden Valley receiving noticeably more rainfall than the lower altitude land. (16) The region has a mean January temperature of 19.4 °C and a mean annual range temperature that is estimated to be 11.5 °C. (4,16) These values indicate that the temperatures in the spring and autumn are low, which means the vine will be slower to develop and the fruit is subjected to lower temperatures when it is undergoing ripening. (16)
Soil
The varying topography of the Eden Valley is home to many different soil types. These include category 3, category 4, category 6, category 7, and category 9 soils. (16) Category 3 soil is characterized as being very shallow soil that is covering underlying rock. This soil is common in hilly terrains, but has a limited presence in the Eden Valley. A more common soil type is
While this soil is present in the Eden Valley, it is limited, only occurring
4.1, 4.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 9.1
The main varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot (4)
Shiraz, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay (16)
Elevation 380 m- 550 m
SA phollexera
Elevation
Eden Valley is located directly to the east of the more famous Barossa Valley, but is incredibly different from Barossa in that its higher elevation changes many elements that make Eden Valley unique. (16) The elevation of the Eden Valley ranges from 380 to 550 m. (4, 16)
Water
The Eden Valley area is a natural drainage basin for the Rhine River and the North Para River, which flow east and west respectively. (16)
Soil
Industry statistics on production of grapes and wine in the region.
Key companies involved in wine production in the region and types and styles of wine produced.
Any other wine or viticultural related information that sets the region apart from other regions in the surrounding Zone or state.
References
1. Allen, M., Atkin T., Cooper, M., Neill, R., Platter, J., St. Pierre, B. (1997). New world of wine. London: Mitchell Beazley.
2. Iland, P., Gago, P. (2002). Australian Wine : Styles and Tastes. Campbelltown, SA.: Patrick Iland Wine Promotions.
3. South Australia. (2016). In The Columbia Encyclopedia online. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.bond.edu.au/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/columency/south_australia/
4. Halliday, J. (2008). James Halliday’s wine atlas of Australia. Prahran, Vic.: Hardie Grant Books.
5. Pewsey Vale. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pewseyvale.com/vineyard
6. Gilbert, Joseph (1800–1881). (n.d.) In Australian Dictionary of Biography online, Retrieved from http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/gilbert-joseph-3610/text5605
7. Eden Valley – Our Heritage. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.edenvalley.org.au/heritage.html
8. GI indication https://www.wineaustralia.com/au/labelling/register-of-protected-gis-and-other-terms/geographical-indications
9. GI indication https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-eden-valley
10. Moss, J. (1985). Sound of Trumpets: History of the Labour Movement in South Australia. Netley, SA.: Wakefield Press.
11. ‘Angas, George Fife (1789–1879)’, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/angas-george-fife-1707/text1855, published first in hardcopy 1966, accessed online 11 March 2017.This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, (MUP), 1966
12. http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1483
13. http://www.henschke.com.au/henschke-family/heritage/
14. Lofts, G. (2010). Heart & Soul : Australia’s First Families of Wine. Milton, Qld.: John Wiley & Sons Australia.
15. https://www.yalumba.com/heritage
16. Dry, P., & Coombe, B. (2004). Viticulture (2nd ed.). Adelaide: Winetitles.
17. https://www.wineaustralia.com/au/what-s-happening/stories-of-australian-wine/march-2017/eden-valley-home-to-australian-wine-royalty
18. https://www.wineaustralia.com/au/discover-australian-wine/south-australia-wines/eden-valley
19. https://ilearn.bond.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-741319-dt-content-rid-4553584_1/courses/HRTM11-100_171/Eden-Valley_2016.pdf