ANYONE who has been to the Barossa will be only too aware of the endless palm trees lining many of the streets, seemingly out of place yet so much a part of the district.

One story about how they got there suggests that the Seppelt family had workers plant them during the Great Depression, rather than leave them without jobs.

Seppeltsfield is undoubtedly the iconic winery of the Barossa. A few years ago, then owners Fosters put it on the market, and the entire Australian wine industry was riveted by rumour, gossip and speculation. These concerned not only the fate of the wonderful winery, but also James Godfrey. Godfrey is the keeper of the fortified flame in this country and without him, a considerable part of a style of wine so integral to our vinous history would have been lost. Eventually, and happily, it fell to the partners behind the Clare winery, Kilikanoon. Nathan Waks is now the face of Seppeltsfield and Godfrey is on board, though his services are shared with Fosters at the moment.

I've not tried the '09 but the 1908 is available and it is a stupendous wine. It ranks with the world's greatest by any standards. It is an incredibly intense and powerful style, almost like dense treacle, hard to swirl it in a glass. ...

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25535388-5004581,00.html