Australia's Barossa Valley is a wine region famous for Shiraz. So what does Cadiz, Spain have to do with origin of its name? The Drinks Business reminds us of a batttle fought 203 years ago today in that Spanish city between combined Spanish and English forces versus the French The former gained a "surprise tactical victory" at a hill known as Barrosa Ridge
A veteran of the winning side of that battle, Colonel William Light, ended up becoming South Australia's Governer a couple decades later. He happened upon an unnamed valley and decide to call it "Barrosa". Due to an error in transcription, the name was recorded as "Barossa". No word on whether the Colonel was upset by this mistake, nor if his anger was assuaged by red wine.
Painting: The Battle of Chiclana, 5th March 1811 by Louis-François Lejeune (1824)
