Volken Rare Tawny

“Dad’s been asking where all that old Barossa tawny I’ve been stashing away has gone. Truth is, a fair bit’s floated off over the years—into the air, into the clouds. VOLKEN is what’s left. A rare drop, worth the wait.”

Fortified wines run deep in the Barossa. They helped put the region on the map—kept it going when times were tough—and they’ve stuck around for good reason. At Teusner, we’ve always had a soft spot for the old stuff. Tawnies that carry the weight of time and show what patience (and a decent barrel or two) can do.

We’ve called this one Volken—a nod to the old Barossa Deutsch where the v’s and w’s get a bit loose. The German word for cloud is Wolken, but around here, it sounds a lot like Volken. It just felt right. A fair chunk of this wine’s vanished into the air over the years anyway... call it the cost of ageing well.

What’s left is a Rare Tawny with plenty of depth and character. It pours a deep amber in the glass, with a hint of rusty red on the rim. On the nose, you’ll find roasted nuts, orange peel, dried fig and old touches of well-seasoned oak – in fact if someone mentioned Nanna’s famous Christmas cake I wouldn’t be offended in the slightest. The palate’s rich and rolling—sticky to start, but it finishes dry and tidy, with enough grip to keep things interesting. Notes of treacle, spice and mocha come and go. It’s mellow. Honest. Warming.

This is a wine for those who’ve been around long enough to remember when fortifieds ruled the Barossa… and for those just discovering why they still matter.

Best enjoyed slowly, with good company—and maybe a story or two.

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