Barossa Valley (wine) Barossa Valley is most commonly associated with its signature grape variety of Shiraz, the region does grow a number of grape varieties. Among these other varieties are Riesling, Semillon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon. The popularity of Syrah has sparked interest in the development of other Rhone varieties, with increase production of Grenache and Mourvedre (also known as Mataro in Australia) for both blending and varietal bottlings. Many of these vines are remnants of the Barossa's fortified wine history and such have substantial age themselves. Despite its reputation as a red wine region, the Barossa Valley does produce a
International Value Wine Awards 97% of wine purchases by volume in Canada. In its first year, the IVWA judged nearly 1,000 wines from 17 countries. Awards were organized by grape variety or style and by country of origin. The highest rated red wine was Château Sainte-Eulalie 2003 La Cantilène, from the Minervois appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in Languedoc, France. La Cantilène is a blend of 55% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 15% Carignan. It was awarded a score of 91 points. The highest rated white was Goundrey 2005 Homestead Unwooded Chardonnay from Western Australia; it scored 90 points. In 2007 the awards returned to Calgary