Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/597666
72 / the tasting panel / november 2015 COVER STORY varietals. This microscopic jerk of an aphid has taken a substantial toll all over the world, and there's no cure other than to graft a Vitis vinifera vine onto the American-sourced rootstocks, hybrids from the Vitis rupestris, Vitis riparia, Vitis berlandieri and Vitis champini species. This affects how the wine tastes, which is what makes the phylloxera-free vine clones of the Barossa Valley so rare. These are vines up to 150 years old, ungrafted and growing in an ancient soil made up mostly of friable red clay loam that has developed a unique Barossa Valley character that is virtually impossible to reproduce anywhere in the world. "The friable nature of the soils cou- pled to our climate brings a full, yet fine textural component to the wine," says General Manager of Viticulture and Winemaking at Barossa Valley Estate, Ryan Waples. "[These crumbly] red clay soils and a warm climate produce small berries with remark- able fruit concentration." Speaking of warm climate, the Barossa Valley receives longer hours of sunshine and less humidity than somewhere like Bordeaux. Of course, this dry, warm temperature varies across the region, but common is the wide diurnal swing. The lack of humidity can be attributed to the region's relative distance from a large body of water, being some distance inland, however the Southern Ocean still exerts a posi- tive influence, driving cooling gully winds in the evening. Depending on the direction of the wind, Ryan adds, ". . .the effect can be dramatic. Over 30 degrees [Celsius] during the day can become 15 degrees by early evening," which means a range of around 86 degrees Fahrenheit to 59 degrees. Barossa Valley''s Signature Brand Waples, born and bred in this little pocket surrounded by the Mount Lofty Ranges, tells us proudly, "The Barossa Valley is one of the world's most cel- ebrated wine regions. Although there are many wineries in the region, many are boutique, and the larger wineries At Rosebud Prime in Chicago, Yvonne Contreras, Director of Beverage of Rosebud Restaurants, and Monique Simpson, Account Manager at Delegat USA. A tasting event for Barossa Valley Estate in Park City, Utah. PHOTO: REBECCA PEPLINSKI PHOTO: CHAD KIRKLAND