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
Syrah University of California, Davis used DNA typing and extensive grape reference material from the viticultural research station in Montpellier, France to conclude that Syrah was the offspring of the grape varieties Dureza (father) and Mondeuse blanche (mother). Dureza, a dark-skinned grape variety from the Ardèche region in France, has all but disappeared from the vineyards, and the preservation of such varieties is a speciality of Montpellier. Mondeuse blanche is a white grape variety cultivated in the Savoy region, and is still found in small amounts in that region's vineyards today. Both varieties are somewhat obscure today, and have never achieved