Don't you love this super-cool lanyard the guys at TeAro Estate made for me the day I visited their winery?  It was so thoughtful and nice!  The team at TeAro put so much care and effort into my visit, and I had The Best Time with them.

TeAro Tasting Room

TeAro Estate Tasting Room
20 Queen St
Williamstown SA 5351
(08) 8524-6860
Website

Jaci and I met TeAro's Todd Rowett at the Tasting room in Williamstown.  He's the business development manager, 'brand ambassador', and all-round nice guy.  (He's also married to the boss' daughter!)  The tasting room is relatively new, and I was really impressed by how lovely it is - it actually felt like a hotel on the inside!  We were only there for a brief moment, however, as there was a busy itinerary to follow!


We drove to the family homestead and vineyard, where I got to have a look at a massive grape harvester.

This huge piece of equipment straddles (for want of a better word) the row of vines and plucks the grapes as it's driven along.

We then drove through the vineyard...


... and pulled over at the bottom of this hill.  Todd said we were climbing up the hill to that little blue tent.  But what was up there?

*Gasp!* A private tasting overlooking the vineyard, set up just for me!

There were so many nice little touches - music playing, flowers in a vase...

... some grapes...

Cheese

We did a vertical tasting of Grenache and Tempranillo, hosted by Todd and 4th generation vigneron Ryan Fromm.

TeAro Estate has been a vineyard since 1919, harvesting their entire crop for the larger wineries in the region.  It was only in 2001 that they started producing their own wine, starting with a tonne of Shiraz (naturally).


...and also makes a nifty telescope! Hehehe.

Captain Ryan

The baumé scale basically measures how much sugar there is in the grapes, and thus how alcoholic the resulting wine will be.


Now, this device is called a Vinturi Aerator, and it aerates the wine if you can't wait for the wine to breathe.  Next week from Tuesday to Thursday, the team are running an event called 'Air-Time at TeAro' as part of the Barossa Vintage Festival, a workshop in which they'll showcase the Aerator.  I'd definitely recommend it if you're in the area at the time - I'm sure it'll be awesome!

Let's check out the gorgeous view. Apparently Todd proposed to his wife Kelly up here - isn't that beautiful?  How incredibly romantic!


We then traveled down to the original family homestead...


...and I got to ride with Trev From (Ryan's dad) on a vintage tractor, which he'd restored himself.

After that we enjoyed a nice, refreshing glass of Grandma Fromm's Fruit Cup, made by Kelly, 4th generation family member, tasting room and event manager, and wife of Todd.  It sure was nice to have a cool drink on a hot day.  (They also thought I might be a little wine-d out by that stage - I told you they were thoughtful!)


This door got burnt in a fire many many years ago.

It was so interesting to walk around the homestead and see how people used to live.

Following the tour, we were taken back to the Tasting Room, where Kelly took us through a TeA Time @ TeAro tea tasting experience.


We enjoyed a Scullery Made wine and roses tea.  It is locally made in the Barossa, and has a beautiful deep red colour, and a floral, fruity, slightly sweet taste.


And as if there hadn't already been enough indulgence that day, we were treated to some Coveiter Cupcakes.  Coveiter is a Barossa-based business, and make the most amazing cupcakes!

Mmm... look at that silky buttercream!

The little grapes were handmade from gumpaste - love the detail on the leaves.

look at the detail!

Grandpa Ron Fromm (who inspired the 'Iron Fist' Grenache) joined us for the tea-tasting, and brought some apples from his garden too.  (He must've thought I was a little strange for taking pics of cakes and apples!)
Here's Kelly and her gorgeous little girl - what a sweetie!  I think the cutest thing I ever saw was when Kelly asked her: "Where's Daddy?", and she replied: "Cellar door!"  Apparently she's started swirling her juice in her cup like her parents do when they drink wine.  Perhaps a future vigneron in the making?