After sipping on the big earthy shirazes of Australia’s Barossa Valley, you might feel a little closer to God. But the wines aren’t the only heavenly aspect of a South Australian stay.
The area is also home to The Kirche, a former Lutheran church now restored for weary travelers at Charles Melton Wines.
The Kirche can comfortably sleep four with one queens-sized bedroom by the entrance and a king-sized one above it. Each has luxury 1000 thread count linens to ensure that perfect night’s sleep.
The old church pews are gone, replaced with comfortable sofas. With winter weather upon us, sinking down in one of these plush chairs as you glory in the big wood fire is an enticing prospect.
It's just one of the luxuries afforded here. The lounge also has a big screen television, a DVD player, and high-speed internet. The high-tech bathroom has a shower and luxurious full size bath which overlooks the vineyards. It's also heated underneath the floor, so you need never worry about freezing your toes on a chilly morning.
[caption id="attachment_3860" align="alignright" width="150" caption="A Barossa Valley vineyard"][/caption]
While the Barossa has more than its fair share of fine restaurants, the gourmet kitchen makes staying in a tempting proposition. It's got a coffee machine, a massive oven with hot plates, a double fridge with ice dispensers, and an enormous breakfast bar for enjoying your home-cooked tucker. The kitchen is also well-stocked, with local bacons, breads, jams, and yoghurts for your morning meal and a bottle of Charles Melton wine and a platter of cheese to enjoy on your arrival.
But the church's heritage hasn't been lost entirely. Its colorful stained glassed windows are a quaint reminder that this was formerly a place of worship.
At $395 for one couple, and $515 for two, a night at The Kirche isn't cheap. But this luxurious and quirky accommodation makes an excellent base for travelers who want to experience all the beautiful Barossa has to offer.
Australians are wine pioneers, inventing the wine cask or wine-in-a-box and the innovative screw-cap lid. While the land Down Under has many wine regions to explore, few have the allure of South Australia’s Barossa Valley. The Barossa is located around 60 kilometers northeast of the South Australian capital of Adelaide.
A vineyard in the Barossa Valley, South Australia
The region is famous for shiraz, or syrah as it’s called in many parts of Europe and The United States. Here the red wine is bold and earthy, full of flavor yet surprisingly elegant and complex. Wine buffs may come for the shiraz, but they shouldn’t dismiss the region’s other wines. The area also produces excellent grenache and cabernet sauvignon, white varieties including riesling and semillon, and even some fortified dessert wines.
The Barossa Valley is home to around 50 wineries, so it’s ambitious for tourists to see them all.
Big names like Jacob’s Creek, Penfolds, Wolf Blass, and Yalumba entice tourists, but the smaller boutiques are often more enticing. They’re less crowded, so guests generally enjoy a more personalized wine tasting experience. While they often have a smaller range of wines to taste, these wines tend to be perfected by the winemakers. Jenke Vineyards, Rockford, Vine Crest, and Rosenvale Wines have some of the area’s best.
Most Barossa Valley wineries encourage travelers to stop by and sample wines at their cellar door. Complimentary wine tastings are conducted by vineyard staff or the wine makers themselves who are eager to share their knowledge of the wine varieties. Feel free to ask any questions you have to make the most of your wine tasting experience.
The best way to see the Barossa Valley’s wineries is to join an organized wine tour. Groups including Groovy Grape Getaways, For Wine or Reason (call: 0438 388 883), and Alfie’s Wine Tours will take care of the transport, leaving you to enjoy the day’s tasting. Many tours will collect you from your accommodation and return you to your hotel at the end of the day. Wine tours typically include stops at four or five of the region’s wineries, some of the area’s other attractions, and a restaurant or winery for lunch.
If you do hope to take a self-guided tour, ensure you are mindful of Australian drink driving laws. It is illegal for drivers to have a blood alcohol level above 0.05, which is equivalent to two standard alcohol drinks. You may be fined and have your license revoked if you exceed this limit. For that reason, it’s smart to leave the car at home if you hope to enjoy some of Barossa Valley’s finest wines.
For wine lovers there is nothing better than combining your love of wine with your love for travel. It’s the perfect reason to see the world and indulge in one of your favorite hobbies. Imagine sitting back after a day beachside with a bottle of wine it would cost hundreds to obtain in the states.
Or you could be viewing the beautiful countryside of Australia, Chile or Argentina while touring some of the most famous wine countries in the world. FrugalMonkey understands that an interest in wine fuels travel plans, so check out some of these wine specific areas that are perfect for vacationing.
Australia Wine Tours
Adelaide, Australia, located in Southern Australia is one of the most famous wine regions in the country. Tours of this beautiful countryside include tasting a variety of Adelaide wines, meeting winery owners and even making some of your own wines. While Australia is known for its geographic beauty and being a popular travel location, wine lovers are flocking to this popular travel location to indulge in wines not found anywhere else in the world. Check out FrugalMonkey’s entire section on Australia travel. It is fully equipped with not only wine information but travel in and around this spectacular country.
South America Wine Tours
South America has been a favorite tourist location and has lately been making quite a name for itself in terms of wine production. Chile and Argentina are some of the two largest exporters of wine in the world so it makes sense that wine and travel lovers alike are flocking to these two neighboring countries to see some of the world’s most geographically diverse countries and to sip some of the greatest wines being produced worldwide. Argentina specifically has a very travel friendly wine country, with Mendoza offering hundreds of miles of wineries available for tasting along with a wine fair that takes place each year in March. Check out FrugalMonkey’s section on Mendoza wine for details!
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While the Barossa has more than its fair share of fine restaurants, the gourmet kitchen makes staying in a tempting proposition. It's got a coffee machine, a massive oven with hot plates, a double fridge with ice dispensers, and an enormous breakfast bar for enjoying your home-cooked tucker. The kitchen is also well-stocked, with local bacons, breads, jams, and yoghurts for your morning meal and a bottle of Charles Melton wine and a platter of cheese to enjoy on your arrival.
But the church's heritage hasn't been lost entirely. Its colorful stained glassed windows are a quaint reminder that this was formerly a place of worship.
At $395 for one couple, and $515 for two, a night at The Kirche isn't cheap. But this luxurious and quirky accommodation makes an excellent base for travelers who want to experience all the beautiful Barossa has to offer.
