A little after ten o’clock in the morning on Saturday 16 April, a group of 20 young pipeliners and their partners sipped at their first glass of Seppeltsfield’s famous fortified tawny ports.

Established in 1851, Seppeltsfield is one of Australia’s earliest wineries, and still carries on the Barossa Valley’s initial traditions of fortified wines. It was an apt starting point for the South Australian YPF Barossa Valley wine tour of 2011, an event made possible due to the generous support of sponsors GPA Engineering and Tyco Flow Control Pacific.

The group was taken on a journey through Seppeltsfield’s history, accompanied by the winery’s fortified old tawny ports, tokays and muscats, including smelling the rich aroma of its flagship 100-year-old Para Tawny. The ancient drop is part of a continuous production dating back to 1878, when Benno Seppelt filled the first French oak barrel and laid it to rest with specific instructions not to touch for a century.

The group continued on to Peter Lehmann’s winery, for tastings of a few dry whites and the well-known Stonewell Shiraz. A much-appreciated lunch platter was provided in a private dining room, comprising some of the delicious local produce of the valley. This provided the group with a perfect way to relax, and a good opportunity to talk about current projects and upcoming YPF events.

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Following a short stop at the Tanunda pub, the young pipeliners continued on to Rockford’s, the boutique family-owned winery near Lyndoch. After inspecting a couple of large barrels full of crushed grapes picked in the recent harvest, the group continued into one of the small stone cottages that collectively make up the winery and cellar door. This intimate tasting featured the very popular rose-style Alicante Bouche, and a few outstanding reds, including Moppa Springs and the much sought-after Basket Press.

Finishing up at Grant Burge for more tastings of excellent wines (including the Holy Trinity, and the Frizzante collection of sparkling wines) the young pipeliners enjoyed the warm afternoon sun with a wander through manicured gardens and decorative red vines below the cellar door. It was the perfect ending to a relaxing day in the Barossa, and a great setting for the networking event.

Due to the success of the inaugural SA YPF wine tour, it may become a regular networking event for the SA YPF community, so keep your eyes peeled for future SA YPF networking tours around the wine regions of South Australia.