WineNZ Summer 2019-20

Adelaide Throws a Party | Feature
Locally made spirits are almost as popular as accompaniments for glorious food as wine in Adelaide.
Our Kangaroo Island interlude
allowed us the realization that the
best of times and the best of food
are often to be found at remote
locations.
Welcome to McLaren Vale. A
forty-minute leisurely drive south
of Adelaide suburbia submits to a
low swell of undulating vineyards
dotted with the odd quaint
cottage and rolling expanses of
vines.
The gorges, flats and climate
remind us of the winelands of
Southern France. Warm sunny
days and gentle sea breezes off
the Gulf of St Vincent to temper
the high temperatures of summer.
First stop overlooking Encounter
Bay is Victor Harbour. A heady
combination of pine and sea
spray this once whaling town is
a popular little seaside village
boasting sun, surf, clear turquoise
waters and stunning views.
After a picnic lunch we visit
Gemtree Winery for wine tasting
with a platter to match. Then
off to The Cube at D’Areberg
Winery for another wine tasting
and a guided visit through the
museum. Often referred to as
Willy Wonker’s Factory or the Mad
Hatters House, the Cube is more
than a tasting room but rather
a place that cements McLaren
Vale’s reputation as not just a wine
destination.
Barossa Valley with its 200
wineries and 800 growers has
been so well defined as Australia’s
premier wine-producing region
it’s tempting to think that’s all it
has to offer. That may be enough
for some, but in fact there’s
much more to this 30-kilometre
valley that never fails to surprise,
driven by its soil, climate, people,
seasons and of course the
grape vines. When one thinks
shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and
grenache all the big names are
here, Jacob’s Creek, Penfolds, St
Hallett, Seppeltfield, Wolf Blass and
Yalumba are a few that come to
mind.
Today we are touring the
Barossa with John Baldwin, a most
hospitable, sometimes hilarious
and charming guide and owner
of Barossa Daimler Tours. John
immediately understood why we
wanted as much as we could
get from this region so visits to
Seppeltfield Gin Distillery and
an unforgettable lunch at Vino
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