Once the hard work of harvest is finished for another year, the Barossa Valley is set to celebrate its 75th anniversary with the biannual Barossa Vintage Festival in 2023.
With 18 premium wine producers, award-winning restaurants, unique experiences, and fantastic vineyard stays all along Seppeltsfield Road – we will definitely be joining in the excitement!
Dating back to 1947, the Barossa Vintage Festival is Australia’s longest-running wine tourism event. It is a celebration ‘by Barossa for the Barossa’ to which we proudly invite the rest of the world to join.
It is a true community celebration that brings locals and visitors together to indulge in events that showcase the Barossa’s unique food, wine, culture and heritage.
There is also a vast selection of family-friendly fun, making the Barossa the perfect place to get away during the April school holidays. Plus, we have several distinctive events hosted by the makers and artists who call Seppeltsfield Road home.
We look forward to hosting you during the 2023 Barossa Vintage Festival! Here are a few events along our road, plus some festival favourites we don’t want you to miss.
Enjoy a day along Seppeltsfield Road
Why not spend the day exploring our iconic road and its surroundings. A great place to start is at the small neighbouring village of Greenock for a mouth-watering breakfast. Then meander down our road and fall in love with the food, art, craft, homewares and natural beauty products in this part of the world.
With your artisanal products in hand, head to one of the award-winning restaurants and book your afternoon gin or wine tasting while waiting for dessert.
Remember to visit one of many cellar doors in the rolling hills of Seppeltsfield. Finish off the day at the spectacular Sunset at Seppeltsfield Road event before heading to one of Seppeltsfield Road’s accommodation options, from luxury offerings to beautifully restored historic vineyard cottages, cosy bed and breakfasts or family-friendly log cabins.
Taste the rainbow in an intimate tasting experience at Whistler Wines
oin second-generation owners Sam and Kelsey Pfeiffer for an intimate tasting experience. After bubbles and pastries on the lawn, you’ll enter the barrel shed where the real magic happens. Over grazing tables stocked with gourmet produce, we’ll explore our ‘new way’ wines and look back to admire Whistler’s evolution in its 25-year history.
Enjoy comparing the old versus new while nibbling on soft cheeses drizzled in honeycomb. Sam will talk you through the wines and the history of the family business. Founded by his father Martin, Penfold’s vineyard manager, their first plantings in 1994 were the Kalimna 3C clone from the famous Grange vineyard.
As local practice goes, mornings are the best time for tastings, so be ready to examine and enjoy the variety of Whistler’s offerings.
Enjoy a Barossa table harvest lunch with Greenock Creek Wines
Good things take time, as they should. As harvest draws to a close, join us for a lazy day and long lunch. Served with true home-style hospitality, enjoy platters of pickles, smoked meats, harvest pies, and desserts. Taste wines from barrel, get hands-on in the vintage action and take a stroll through one of Australia’s most famous vineyards.
Meander through an exceptional vintage with Hayes Family Wines
Set against the rolling Barossa Ranges, you can taste through an exceptional vintage of the single vineyard shiraz and grenache wines.
Try at least 6 Grenache or Shiraz single vineyard wines from across the Valley. Many of these wines will only be available to the general public during tastings, so these tastings are to be noticed.
Experience a night of celebration and glamour at Seppeltsfield
The much loved Vintage Festival Ball will again be hosted by Seppeltsfield Estate in their historic 1920s Vintage Cellar. Celebrate the very special 75th Platinum Anniversary of the Barossa Vintage Festival in style.
We will start the evening with wines and canapes to announce the Barossa Young Ambassadors for 2023, then move into the ‘Vintage Festival Ball’ for the official proceedings.
Enjoy a three-course dinner, live entertainment and award-winning wines by Seppeltsfield.
Dress code – Black Tie.
Indulge in the Factor Retrospective at Torbreck
The Factor pays homage to the Barossa’s unique point of difference – great old Shiraz vineyards and the growers who painstakingly tend and nurture them each year.
Join Torbreck’s Winemakers for a retrospective tasting of six vintages of The Factor, our most quintessential Barossa Valley Shiraz, drawn from across two decades of vintages
>> Friday 21 April. Tickets $60
Learn new cooking skills at The Farm Eatery
For the cook, the chef, and the inquisitive in all of us. Roll up your sleeves, grab an apron, and join Chef Tim Bourke for one of three cooking classes.
- Friday Cooking Class: Handmade Bread, Cheese & Butter
- Saturday Cooking Class: Market to Table (includes lunch with wine)
- Sunday Cooking Class: Pheasant Farm Classics (includes lunch with wine)
>> Friday 21, Saturday 22, Sunday 23 April. Tickets from $145
Stake out your spot for the iconic Vintage Festival Parade
Come and join the thousands of locals and visitors who line the route for The Festival Parade, which this year will travel from Tanunda to Nuriootpa.
A long-treasured tradition since 1948, this is one of the most iconic events on the Festival calendar.
Spectators have the opportunity to be inspired by community passion and creativity, and watch the exciting procession of floats, handcrafted by schools, businesses and other local groups.
Truly a beautiful and heart-warming community event.
Celebrate the Ziegenmarkt
This quintessential Barossa event is undoubtedly a highlight of the biennial program. Come over to Goat Square in Tanunda and be part of the Festival’s most boisterous and exciting occasion.
Translating to ‘goat market’, the Ziegenmarkt is a fresh produce and livestock market that first appeared in Tanunda during the mid-1800s.
You will get swept up in the bustling atmosphere of the live auction as locals and visitors bid on fresh produce, and buy live stock like pheasants, sheep and pigs. You can also taste the local fare and embrace the sights, sounds, tastes and experiences of a bygone era.
With plenty of family friendly entertainment and plenty of delicious Barossa food and wine on offer – this is one event not to miss!
Experience the thrill and excitement of the Barossa Fine Wine Auction
Whilst enjoying a delicious lunch matched with our region’s finest drops, you have the unique opportunity to bid on an iconic collection from Barossa’s most celebrated winemakers.
Rare vertical collections of museum vintages, large formats, special releases and bespoke experiences hosted by your favourite winemakers are all on offer.
The Barossa Wine Auction has been an integral part of the Barossa Vintage Festival since 1965 and distributes a share of its profits to the festival as well as charities.
In 2015, the Barossa wine community embarked on an exciting evolution of this event, partnering with Langton’s Fine Wine Auction House, and by expanding its reach to wine collectors the world over, they have created a truly hallmark wine event that positions Barossa as Australia’s global wine region.
Locals tip:
When travelling through the Barossa at Festival time, don’t be shocked to see an invasion of vibrant and colourful Scarecrows – some of which look more than a little life-like!
Now synonymous with the festival, the whole community loves to participate in the Barossa Scarecrow Competition – with local businesses, homes, schools, vineyards, cellar doors and churches having fun in their quest for the coveted People’s Choice Award.
Please note:
We’d love to host you for Barossa Vintage Festival.
If you plan to soak up the atmosphere of the 2023 Barossa Vintage Festival, make sure you book early to secure your beautiful accommodation along Seppeltsfield Road.
With a showcase of more than 76 events over 5 days, it’s an incredibly popular time to visit!
Whether you would love to melt away your stresses in a luxurious vineyard stay, opt for a romantic retreat in a secluded location, or you want to bring the family, there is the perfect place to stay on Seppeltsfield Road.
Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram with #seppeltsfieldroad. We love seeing what made your time on Seppeltsfield Road exciting!
