Enjoy bold reds and cinematic sunsets in SA's Barossa Valley

A Barossa winery makes a comeback with a new cellar door.

Enjoy bold reds and cinematic sunsets in SA's Barossa Valley

By Akash Arora

Updated August 12, 2025, first published May 9, 2023

A Barossa winery makes a comeback with a new cellar door.

The Barossa is putting on quite a show. I arrive in the valley - one hour north of Adelaide - on a crisp autumn morning, with not even a speck of a cloud on the shameless blue sky. But it's in the evening, when the wine region - the sacred turf of Australian shiraz - truly comes into its own. As the setting sun glows up its hills and shimmers down its creeks, Barossa begins to imitate a van Gogh masterpiece (The Red Vineyard comes to mind).

Krondorf winemaker Nick Badrice. Picture: Akash Arora

But despite the cinematic sunset, tonight all eyes are on an ironstone building - dating back to 1848 - in the laid-back town of Tanunda. More importantly, they're on winemaker Nick Badrice, standing behind a gleaming terrazzo benchtop inside the 175-year-old building, with exposed beams, pitched corrugated-iron roof and walls lined with Krondorf wines.

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If you've never heard of Krondorf before, there's a reason for it. The "boutique brand" - as Badrice refers to it - reached the pinnacle of its success in 1980, when its 1979 cab sav won the coveted Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, before drifting into obscurity.

Krondorf cellar door and restaurant.

The launch of its new cellar door (where we stand today) in 2020 was meant to pump life back into the brand. But then we all know what happened in 2020.

Krondorf's moment, however, has finally arrived. Not only is the stunning cellar door now open to the public, Badrice has just taken the lid off the brand's 2023 collection, featuring five exquisite drops from its 2021 and 2019 vintages.

"These were very special years for Barossa - these are amazing vintages with youthful, vibrant and varietal definition," says Badrice, "so I'm glad we're energising the brand with this collection."

Krondorf cellar door and restaurant.

Now, I have to confess, I'm not a big fan of red wines, let alone Barossa shiraz. Can a slow, immersive tasting of five reds - in the company of the winemaker himself - change that? Let's find out.

The session starts with the Old Salem Shiraz full of chocolatey tannins, before a heavy, brooding cab sav takes centrestage. Next up is Krondorf's Stone Altar Grenache. Replete with musky plums and strawberry aromatics, the light perfumed wine is a welcome respite from the first two full-bodied reds, before the next one, Stone Altar Shiraz, takes you back to what Barossa does best.

Krondorf winemaker Nick Badrice.

The star of the show, however, is the King's Mantle Shiraz. "It has all the hallmarks of a truly iconic Barossa shiraz - in the right cellaring conditions, it'll stand the test of time," says Badrice.

But there's a but. "At $160, it's expensive," says wine auctioneer Andrew Caillard, also present at the preview tasting. "You can buy a pair of Asics for that. The difference is: the sneakers will go down in value, while this wine will go up."

Good point, but Caillard forgot to add the wine will only go up in value if you don't drink it. No such luck for the King's Mantle Shiraz I lugged back home, which is destined to be polished off in the not-too-distant-future. Am I finally a fan of Barossa shiraz? You bet, and not just when it's as exy as a pair of Asics.

SNAPSHOT

Sample the winery's latest drops as part of the 90-minute 2023 Krondorf Annual Release Collection Masterclass Tasting, which costs $55 per person and includes a tasting platter. There's a restaurant on site, too, where you can chow down on casual fare - from pork and pistachio terrine to wood-fired pizzas all day. See krondorfwines.com.au

The writer was a guest of Krondorf Wines.

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Words byAkash Arora

Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.

My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.

Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.

My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.