If you only visit one cellar door in the Barossa, make it Langmeil. It’s just outside Tanunda, it has a courtyard of old stone buildings under a vine-covered verandah, and it’s home to the Freedom 1843, believed to be the oldest surviving Shiraz vineyard in the world. We stopped in one morning before driving on, for a little tasting just before lunch: a few of the white wines, and they were great. It’s a very chilled, calm spot to start the day.
What we like
- Great white wines
- The world’s oldest Shiraz vines
- Calm courtyard under a vine verandah
- Plenty of parking under the trees
What we don’t
- Tastings are booked online
About Langmeil WineryAbout
Langmeil goes back to 1842, when German settlers built a village here and called it Langmeil. A year later, Christian Auricht, who had left Prussia, planted a block of Shiraz that’s still growing today: the Freedom 1843. Langmeil believes it’s the oldest surviving Shiraz vineyard in the world, and its wine carries the same name. It’s a family winery, and besides the famous Shiraz it makes a range of whites and reds.
Quick facts
- AddressCorner Langmeil Road and Para Road, Tanunda SA 5352, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
- FacilitiesCellar DoorCourtyard TablesParking
- Good to know1843 Shiraz vinesBook tastings onlineJust out of Tanunda
- FeesTastings booked online
- 9.0/10Overall rated
Getting There
Langmeil is on the edge of Tanunda, a couple of minutes from the main street. You turn in off the road past a row of big red gums and the Langmeil sign, and park on the gravel under the trees, where there’s plenty of room for a 4WD with a rooftop tent.
The Cellar Door
From the car park you walk through to a brick courtyard between the old stone buildings, with a grapevine growing over the verandah. The tastings come as a list on a clipboard, so you can pick what you want to try. We kept it small, a few of the whites just before lunch, and they were great. It’s a very calm, chilled setting, and on a warm day the tables out in the courtyard are the place to sit. Book your tasting online before you go, especially over the holidays.
Things to Do NearbyThings to do
Tanunda’s main street, with the arch, Tabor Lutheran Church and the Barossa Museum, is a couple of minutes away, and Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop is a short drive north near Nuriootpa. The rest of the valley, and where to camp, is in our Barossa Valley guide.
Summary
Langmeil is the Barossa cellar door not to miss: the world’s oldest surviving Shiraz vines, a courtyard of old stone buildings under a vine verandah, easy parking and great wines, just outside Tanunda. Book a tasting and take your time.
Don’t miss Langmeil.
Its Freedom 1843 vines are believed to be the oldest surviving Shiraz vineyard in the world, the cellar door sits in a courtyard of old stone buildings under a vine-covered verandah, and the white wines we tasted were great.
- Couples
- Travellers
Yes. It’s just outside Tanunda, the history and the courtyard cost nothing, and the wines are worth the tasting.
Recommended Gear for a Barossa Day
A good camping fridge keeps a bottle or two cold for the drive to camp, and a camp table and a couple of camping chairs turn a roadside stop among the vines into lunch. Carry plenty of drinking water in good water containers too, as the Barossa gets hot in summer.
