Eden Valley
Postcode: 5235
Eden Valley is a small South Australian town in the Barossa Ranges. It was named by the surveyors of the area after they found the word “Eden” carved into a tree. Eden Valley has an elevation of 460 metres and an average annual rainfall of 716.2mm.
Eden Valley gives its name to a wine growing region that shares its western boundary with the Barossa Valley. The region is of similar size to the Barossa Valley, and is well known for producing high quality riesling and shiraz wines. Englishman Joseph Gilbert planted the first Eden Valley vineyard, Pewsey Vale, in 1847. Within the Eden Valley region there is a sub-region called High Eden which is located higher in the Barossa Ranges, giving cooler temperatures. Eden Valley is in the Barossa Council local government area, the state electoral district of Schubert and the federal Division of Wakefield.
The Eden Valley is a region of rugged beauty. The cool climate provides ideal conditions for the production of high quality Riesling, Chardonnay and elegant red wine.
The Eden Valley is a cool climate region nestled between 400 and 600 metres in the Barossa Range, part of the Mount Lofty Range. It is actually not a valley but takes its name from the township of Eden Valley. The region has one sub-region, High Eden in the south. The main towns are Moculta, Keyneton, Eden Valley and Springton. It is rough, rocky country that belies its ability to produce wines of great delicacy and finesse. The star performer is Riesling with great attention also given to the production of Chardonnay and Shiraz.
The history of the region parallels that of the Barossa Valley which shares its eastern boundary with Eden Valley. Yalumba has substantial vineyard holdings, and a winery at Angaston, the site of the first vines planted by founder Samuel Smith in 1849. Henschke, well known for red and white table wines was another pioneer estate established at Keyneton in the late 1860s by Johann Christian Henschke. Those in the region who were able to follow consumer trends have emerged as the significant producers today. The return to table wines in the 1950s fostered a steady expansion in the region through the 80s and 90s.