Overview
Home to the oldest vines in Australia, the Barossa Valley is renowned worldwide for its bold and beautiful wines. In particular, it's the rich jammy reds with complexity, texture and tannin structure that have contributed heavily to this reputation. It's in this region that Krondorf Wines lives, the estate making shapes to become the next go-to premium wine producer — a fact exemplified deliciously with the release of its 2023 five-bottle collection.
The Krondorf story actually begins in 1847. The hamlet was founded by a collection of people from Silesia — what is now Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic — and among them notable wine families that regularly show up on standout wine lists and bottle shop shelves across the world: Henschke, Lehmann and Nitschke. The intrepid group named their newfound home Krondorf, meaning 'crown village' in German.
Today the custodians of the Krondorf legacy, under the watchful eye of chief winemaker Nick Badrice, are realising the potential of their vines with consistently award-winning drops. The ripe bottles here showcase the best of the Barossa style, perfectly illustrated in the five-strong 2023 collection. Crafted with the traditional minimalistic approach, the 2023 release includes an ultra-expressive grenache, an intense but structured cab sav and a rich and robust shiraz. The standout of the collection is the winery's newest Icon wine: the aptly named King's Mantle Shiraz. It's described as having a luscious palate, evocative of juicy black forest fruits and plums, with an earthy liquorice undertone and velvety tannins — you're going to pay a pretty penny to taste it at $150 a bottle.
If you're in the area, carve out some time to visit the cellar door and wine bar. With pouring beginning in 2021, the spot's housed inside a converted heritage-listed flour mill from the 1800s. You can taste your way through the whole range — including the 2023 collection — with a bespoke wine flight or set tasting that can be happily tailored to personal taste. For those that like nibbles with their tipples, the cellar door slings artisan pizzas as well as cheese and charcuterie boards (with the option to add on Maggie Beer's premium nosh and other local produce, too).
Krondorf Winery's 2023 collection is a true celebration of the winery's history and dedication to producing wines that speak to the wonders of the locale. If you're heading to this bucolic South Australian region, the cellar door is a must-visit. But if you can't make it, we suggest you peruse the 2023 collection online, choose your libation and have it sent direct — truly stellar sipping guaranteed.
Concrete Playground travelled to the Barossa Valley as a guest of Krondorf Wines.
Book your Krondorf cellar door tasting experience here. The cellar door is open Monday – Saturday, 12–7pm and Sunday from 12–5pm.