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Glory to barossa!
Our Barons are celebrating their 50th Anniversary
This year marks a significant milestone for the Barons of Barossa wine fraternity with many celebrations planned to mark their 50h Anniversary.
The Barons are a not-for-profit philanthropic group who you may only see once a year at Declaration of Vintage, wearing colourful regalia, but the Barons work of contributing to our region is non-stop.
So how do individuals become part of this group? Every year since the fraternity was founded in 1975, a new group of people are invited to become part of the Barons.
The process begins with a call for nominations from the current Barons membership, requesting members to consider those who have made exceptional contributions to our region, whether in wine, viticulture, gastronomy, arts, heritage or community.
When all nominations have been received, the Barons Grand Council (Board of Directors) considers the merit of each nominee and selects those who are outstanding in their fields and who are able to contribute to the work of the Barons into the future.
“This is a dream come true for Barossa winemakers and something any great wine region strives for. There is nothing like this in anywhere in the world.”
- Louisa Rose, Grand Master of Barons of Barossa
The Barons’ motto continues to be the same as in 1975 - “Glory to Barossa!”
Over the past 50 years, the Barons have funded many noteworthy projects to benefit the community but its most ambitious and significant project to date is The Barossa Cellar.
Overlooking the Valley floor, straddling Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, it is a collaborative hub for wine and viticulture.
It houses a curated collection of more than 3,000 bottles of Barossa and Eden Valley wine in a beautifully designed and perfectly air-conditioned Vault, donated by more than 100 winemakers, to be aged and opened at their peak for the promotion of the region.
Louisa Rose, Grand Master of Barons of Barossa, spearheaded the original launch of the concept in 2011 and continues her passionate promotion of it.
“This is a dream come true for Barossa winemakers and something any great wine region strives for. There is nothing like this in anywhere in the world.”
As custodians of The Barossa Cellar, the Barons contributed over $1.2 million to begin the project, launched a massive fundraising campaign in the community and beyond, and are now continuing their efforts to pay off the debt in full.
Barossa Australia is the building’s sole tenant and co-ordinates the day-to-day operations including rental of the space for wine related events and industry meetings.
Become a vine donor of the Barossa Cellar Heritage Vineyard
After an extensive search for an appropriate site for The Barossa Cellar, the Barons of Barossa purchased a parcel of land in Vine Vale from Leo and Beverly Pech, contributing $1 million seed funding for the project.
A huge community fundraising effort followed, with numerous individuals and companies sharing the dream and donating funds to ensure this ambitious project got off the ground.
Built by the Ahrens Group, designed by JBG Architects, this striking site includes a vineyard unlike any other on earth.
The Barossa Vine Improvement group helped to source cuttings from 35 of the oldest, most iconic Shiraz vineyards in Barossa and Eden Valley which were planted in July, 2020, each source vineyard in its own row.
These 2,000 vines, in 35 rows, carry the precious genetics of old vine Barossa Shiraz and are hand tended by Barons of Barossa, led by Louisa Rose and Adrian Hoffmann.
To be able to continue the Barons philanthropic works, fundraising continues.
The Barossa Cellar offers our community and visitors the chance to become a Vine Donor.
All contributions are acknowledged with a certificate, stating the row and number of the vine.
Many Barossa families, individuals and companies have supported this initiative but there are still some vines available.
With a one-off donation of $1,000, each donor becomes a lifetime sponsor of The Barossa Cellar, giving them special access to events including the annual picking day, the Declaration of Vintage Long Lunch and the monthly Friday Lunch Club, and Vine Donors have exclusive access to purchase wines from this remarkable vineyard (the first vintage, 2023, released this year).
The Barossa Cellar and its Vineyard represents our region’s sense of community, generational thinking, generosity and resilience. Becoming a Vine Donor adds your name to the history books.
