On Tuesday Adelaide Food Central made a trip up to the Barossa to meet Janelle and her awesome team at Z Wines, a cellar door producing regional food and wine. After the hour drive we were more than ready for some Barossa Valley delicacies and of course some wine. Greeted with smiles from the happy team, it was certainly an afternoon to remember. The cellar door provides a range of different wine, platters, desserts, coffee and even cute little alternatives for the kids.

Janelle and her sister Kristen Zerk are true Barrossans, and are the only sister act in the Barossa who not only own and operate their business, but produce wine as well. The cellar door showcases all types of blends including Riesling, GSM, Shiraz, Topaque, Grenache and more. My favourite wine was the Eden Valley Riesling with predometley flavours and aromas of lemon, lime and mineral slate. This light white wine paired well with the stunning smoked salmon which was nessled on one of the platters.

Paired with the wine was some of the largest and packed full platters we have ever seen, providing the most beautiful and fresh ingredients from local producers. Barossa Valley is surrounded by the best of the best, so there is no excuse not to use this on your menu.

A stand out for me was the crispy lavosh that is specially made for Z Wines by Teagan at Vintage Chef Co. As soon as I bit into the soft cracker it straight away melted in my mouth. I would just make a trip up there for this alone. Another stand out was the salmon on crisp apex, consisting of smoked salmon, vache curd, capers and Japanese mustard dressing. The combination of flavours worked incredibly well and to top it off the apex was crispy and extremely pleasant to eat. I thoroughly enjoyed and you certainly can’t go wrong, with the famous Maggie Beer pheasant farm pate, smother this on a lavosh and you are set.

To end the big day of food and wine, Kristen presented us with one of the best brownies I have ever set my eyes on. The thick brown piece of cake not only made me salivate by looking at it, but I died a little when I had my first bite. It was so decadent and rich and I just wanted to keep eating more and more. Paired with this rich brownie was a glass of the stunning fortified Topaque. The deep orange coloured wine displayed notes of burnt toffee, dried fig with a caramel nose, we couldn’t leave without taking a bottle of this home to share with the family.

Thank you so much to Janelle and the team at Z Wine. You were so incredibly accommodating, and it is very refreshing to see the passion that you have for the industry. We can’t wait to come and visit you again, and to bask in the glory of what you have created at your cellar door.

Words by Tomika Salerno

WHERE: Shop 3, 109-111 Murray St, Tanunda