Discover the ultimate cellar door experience at over 50 boutique and iconic wineries in South Australia’s famous wine regions, including Adelaide and Adelaide Hills, Barossa, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Currency Creek, Langhorne Creek, Coonawarra and the Mount Benson wine regions.
Inclusions:
* Cellar Door Pass
* Wine Discovery CD
* A South Australia Cellar Door directory
* GST (Goods and Services Tax)
* Conducted in English
With the Cellar Door Pass you will receive:
* Premium wine tastings, winery tours and other special offers for up to two people
* A Cellar Door Pass wine carton to hold up to 12 standard bottles of wine
* Home delivery of your 12 bottle wine carton to any address in Australia
* Transit insurance up to AUD $240.00
* AUD $20 reward voucher for each additional 6 bottles of wine you purchase
* Wine Discovery CD featuring tips, facts and winemaker interviews
* A South Australia Cellar Door directory to guide you through your journey
* A smart card to help you access all your benefits
The Cellar Door Pass is valid for 12 months. Note: The Winery Tours and Wine Tastings included are for up to two people. Only required to purchase one pass to take advantage of these offers that are valid for 2 people.
Itinerary:
Once you have purchased your Cellar Door Pass, you can experience the special offers and collect your 6 Bottles of wine from 6 different Cellar Doors listed below.
Fleurieu Peninsula
* Rosemont Estate
* Foggo Wines – plus 2 ‘hands on’ winery tour
* Shingleback Wines
* Parri Estate
* Hugo Wines
* D’Arenberg Wines
* Wira Wira Vineyard
* Chapel Hill
* Currency Creek Estate Wines
* Ballast Stone Estate
* Bleasdale Vineyards
* Bremerton Wines
* Angas Plains Wines/Clegget Wines/Oddfellows Wines/Rayden Estate Wines
* Currency Creek Estate Restaurant – redeem AUD $20.00 voucher for credit towards bill
* Blessed Cheese – redeem AUD $20.00 voucher for credit towards bill
Please Note: Inclusions may change without notice
Monday 21 December 2009
Stars to visit South Australia in 2010
The South Australia Tourism Commission has revealed that 'a host of stars' will be visiting the state in 2010, giving travellers more reasons to visit the 'diverse, surprising and beautiful' region.
There will be plenty to interest music fans, with Ronan Keating set to be one of the headline acts at the McLaren Vale Festival.
Leconfield Winery on the Fleurieu peninsula will provide the venue for this event, which will take place on 30 January.
There will be plenty to interest music fans, with Ronan Keating set to be one of the headline acts at the McLaren Vale Festival.
Leconfield Winery on the Fleurieu peninsula will provide the venue for this event, which will take place on 30 January.
Thursday 10 December 2009
Putting South Australia back in focus
DIRECTOR Scott Hicks's new movie The Boys are Back will prove especially evocative for expat South Aussies as the screen fills with summer, hot and dry; with long beaches where sand merges with a glistening horizon and with quiet coves cuffed by flaxen hills.
But this is no Australia epic, rather an intimate and very charming ensemble piece that just happens to make a star of South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula.
Stretching from the rolling vineyards of the McLaren Vale south to Cape Jervis, taking in a sweep of beautiful beaches and at times a dramatic and inaccessible coastline, the Fleurieu also reaches east across verdant farming country to the historic river port of Goolwa.
It is South Australia's summer playground, crammed with McShacks in parts, but in many ways calling to mind a more old-fashioned style of holiday when white-bread sandwiches, slapping on the zero factor tanning oil and cooling off under the sprinkler were all OK. At Aldinga you can still drive on to the beach (an issue of some contention at the moment) and, on searing hot summer afternoons, bathers await the late dusk to deliver a sea breeze, erecting striped tents, dinner tables and cricket wickets around their cars, like some sort of zinc-daubed nomadic tribe.
Across the peninsula at Goolwa, hub of a small wooden-boat industry, a 19th-century paddle steamer is docked at the river wharf where the Steam Exchange microbrewery, located in the old railway goods shed, crafts a canny selection of brews, including the rather good India Pale Ale. From this dock, suitably fortified, visitors can explore the Coorong and Lower Lakes.
This is a part of the world Hicks knows well. He began his career here as a runner on Storm Boy, which was filmed in the Coorong, and he and his wife, producer Kerry Heysen, have a beach house overlooking the Southern Ocean and a vineyard not too far away in the Adelaide Hills.
"The Boys are Back was an opportunity for me to set a story I love into a landscape I love and understand and feel a part of," Hicks says.
"I've always been fascinated by the hills near Willunga. My first feature film, Freedom, had its climax set in those hills ... it is something to do with their rounded shape, the way that the light falls on them late in the day; they are sculptural and seductive."
Cinematographer Greig Fraser's camera certainly loves them, lingering on the golden, wind-whipped grass and the voluptuous fall of the dry land to the movie's quaint homestead set or tiny Myponga Beach.
A summer holiday on the Fleurieu can be many things, from the fashionable enclaves of Port Elliot and Middleton (where fish and chips, served in paper cones, washed down with a chilled McLaren Vale ros aac on the beach in front of The Flying Fish Cafe are mandatory), to mucking about in boats on the river near Goolwa, surfing the sometimes big swells near Victor Harbor, or dropping out in the quieter towns of Normanville and Myponga.
Add to this a lively food and wine culture - the Willunga Farmers Market is one of the best in the country - and it's easy to understand the allure of a region where vine meets sea.
Accommodation ranges the gamut but the new digs of choice are at the Australasian, a circa 1858 pub in downtown Goolwa where proprietors Juliet Michell and Deborah Smalley have effected a stunning makeover to provide a boutique hotel that operates more like a private club.
The Australasian boasts an outstanding DVD library (Smalley is a self-confessed movie addict) specialising in Australian, New Zealand, Asian and cult classics. (Hicks would be pleased to see Shine heading the large catalogue.) With just five guestrooms and a private dining room (open to the public Saturday nights), The Australasian makes the perfect Fleurieu bolthole, providing buckets of style but with an emphasis on comfort.
During an exhaustive six-year renovation the hotel was all but rebuilt within its historic shell. The tiny, 19th-century cell-like bedrooms were knocked together to offer individually decorated suites, all with a contemporary Asian sensibility: deep tubs set on raised platforms, Chinese armoires concealing high-definition televisions, mirrored mini-bars stocked with South Aussie wines and, in some rooms, open fires fitted with eco-smart burners.
Throughout the light and airy hotel (two decks give town and river views), the walls are hung with beautiful Japanese kimono and obi, part of Michell's private collection, and her passion for Japanese culture is reflected throughout, from the neatly folded yukata on the bed and Japanese beer in the minibar to the copper rain chains decorating the building's honey-stoned exterior. There's even a small Japanese-themed garden planted with the spiny sedge that's used by the region's Ngarrindjeri women for weaving.
While the hotel was being renovated, Michell used what little spare time she had to train as a chef and her food is very good, served in a groovy, ground-floor dining room and bar that would not look out of place on Shanghai's Bund.
Not surprisingly the Mod Oz table d'hote menus are Asian themed. On the evening that I visit, Japanese soup with steamed prawn balls is followed by a tender orange and miso-marinated duck (served with edamame, black beans and garlic stems) and green tea pannacotta.
The South Australian wine list is well considered; Rockfords Frugal Farmer, somewhere between a ros aac and a red, served chilled, is an excellent addition.
Breakfast is delivered on an old-fashioned trolley (the poached eggs snug under proper silver domes) and popped in the room without intrusion. The Australasian is located downtown with a bottle shop next door, the quaint cottages of Little Scotland across the road and the pretty Goolwa wharf a five-minute walk away. It's a good base from which to explore nearby Port Elliot and Victor Harbor (where one of the world's last horse-drawn trams operates across to Granite Island) or forage among the Fleurieu's many excellent restaurants. Vine-side try Fino in Willunga, The Kitchen Door at Pennys Hill winery and d'Arrys Verandah, perched hilltop in the d'Arenberg cellar door. Waterfront, look no further than a fish pasty or bowl of cockles at the bustling Aquacaf, spilling out of an old kiosk on Goolwa's Barrage Road.
Port Elliot's Flying Fish has a smart beachfront dining room as well as a take-out cafe while the jaunty Star of Greece, perched above the cliff-cuffed sands of beautiful Port Willunga, doles out wiggling fresh squid caught on the beach below.
Restaurants and tourists thin out as you head south to Myponga Beach, on to Carrickalinga (offering great views of the South Coast) and the very charming Normanville. Top to bottom, the Peninsula is crisscrossed by narrow country roads; old farmhouses are set among rambling roses, deep gullies are planted with elm and poplar and hillsides dotted with dairy herds. And then there are the vines sweeping to the sea.
Two of the characters in The Boys are Back own a vineyard, a deliberate Hicks conceit. "To give them [the characters Barbara and Tom] an occupation I understood, running a vineyard, was great," Hicks says.
The vineyard concerned, DogRidge, has a seven-day cellar door operation on Bagshaws Road, McLaren Flat. Together with his beachhouse, Hicks's vineyard, Yacca Paddock, serves as a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the international film business.
"Coming back here is very important to the creative process," he says. "Travelling so much can be disintegrating; you have to feel centred somewhere."
Raised in Africa and England, arriving in South Australia when he was 14, Hicks has found that centre on the Fleurieu.
Christine McCabe was a guest of the South Australian Tourism Commission
But this is no Australia epic, rather an intimate and very charming ensemble piece that just happens to make a star of South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula.
Stretching from the rolling vineyards of the McLaren Vale south to Cape Jervis, taking in a sweep of beautiful beaches and at times a dramatic and inaccessible coastline, the Fleurieu also reaches east across verdant farming country to the historic river port of Goolwa.
It is South Australia's summer playground, crammed with McShacks in parts, but in many ways calling to mind a more old-fashioned style of holiday when white-bread sandwiches, slapping on the zero factor tanning oil and cooling off under the sprinkler were all OK. At Aldinga you can still drive on to the beach (an issue of some contention at the moment) and, on searing hot summer afternoons, bathers await the late dusk to deliver a sea breeze, erecting striped tents, dinner tables and cricket wickets around their cars, like some sort of zinc-daubed nomadic tribe.
Across the peninsula at Goolwa, hub of a small wooden-boat industry, a 19th-century paddle steamer is docked at the river wharf where the Steam Exchange microbrewery, located in the old railway goods shed, crafts a canny selection of brews, including the rather good India Pale Ale. From this dock, suitably fortified, visitors can explore the Coorong and Lower Lakes.
This is a part of the world Hicks knows well. He began his career here as a runner on Storm Boy, which was filmed in the Coorong, and he and his wife, producer Kerry Heysen, have a beach house overlooking the Southern Ocean and a vineyard not too far away in the Adelaide Hills.
"The Boys are Back was an opportunity for me to set a story I love into a landscape I love and understand and feel a part of," Hicks says.
"I've always been fascinated by the hills near Willunga. My first feature film, Freedom, had its climax set in those hills ... it is something to do with their rounded shape, the way that the light falls on them late in the day; they are sculptural and seductive."
Cinematographer Greig Fraser's camera certainly loves them, lingering on the golden, wind-whipped grass and the voluptuous fall of the dry land to the movie's quaint homestead set or tiny Myponga Beach.
A summer holiday on the Fleurieu can be many things, from the fashionable enclaves of Port Elliot and Middleton (where fish and chips, served in paper cones, washed down with a chilled McLaren Vale ros aac on the beach in front of The Flying Fish Cafe are mandatory), to mucking about in boats on the river near Goolwa, surfing the sometimes big swells near Victor Harbor, or dropping out in the quieter towns of Normanville and Myponga.
Add to this a lively food and wine culture - the Willunga Farmers Market is one of the best in the country - and it's easy to understand the allure of a region where vine meets sea.
Accommodation ranges the gamut but the new digs of choice are at the Australasian, a circa 1858 pub in downtown Goolwa where proprietors Juliet Michell and Deborah Smalley have effected a stunning makeover to provide a boutique hotel that operates more like a private club.
The Australasian boasts an outstanding DVD library (Smalley is a self-confessed movie addict) specialising in Australian, New Zealand, Asian and cult classics. (Hicks would be pleased to see Shine heading the large catalogue.) With just five guestrooms and a private dining room (open to the public Saturday nights), The Australasian makes the perfect Fleurieu bolthole, providing buckets of style but with an emphasis on comfort.
During an exhaustive six-year renovation the hotel was all but rebuilt within its historic shell. The tiny, 19th-century cell-like bedrooms were knocked together to offer individually decorated suites, all with a contemporary Asian sensibility: deep tubs set on raised platforms, Chinese armoires concealing high-definition televisions, mirrored mini-bars stocked with South Aussie wines and, in some rooms, open fires fitted with eco-smart burners.
Throughout the light and airy hotel (two decks give town and river views), the walls are hung with beautiful Japanese kimono and obi, part of Michell's private collection, and her passion for Japanese culture is reflected throughout, from the neatly folded yukata on the bed and Japanese beer in the minibar to the copper rain chains decorating the building's honey-stoned exterior. There's even a small Japanese-themed garden planted with the spiny sedge that's used by the region's Ngarrindjeri women for weaving.
While the hotel was being renovated, Michell used what little spare time she had to train as a chef and her food is very good, served in a groovy, ground-floor dining room and bar that would not look out of place on Shanghai's Bund.
Not surprisingly the Mod Oz table d'hote menus are Asian themed. On the evening that I visit, Japanese soup with steamed prawn balls is followed by a tender orange and miso-marinated duck (served with edamame, black beans and garlic stems) and green tea pannacotta.
The South Australian wine list is well considered; Rockfords Frugal Farmer, somewhere between a ros aac and a red, served chilled, is an excellent addition.
Breakfast is delivered on an old-fashioned trolley (the poached eggs snug under proper silver domes) and popped in the room without intrusion. The Australasian is located downtown with a bottle shop next door, the quaint cottages of Little Scotland across the road and the pretty Goolwa wharf a five-minute walk away. It's a good base from which to explore nearby Port Elliot and Victor Harbor (where one of the world's last horse-drawn trams operates across to Granite Island) or forage among the Fleurieu's many excellent restaurants. Vine-side try Fino in Willunga, The Kitchen Door at Pennys Hill winery and d'Arrys Verandah, perched hilltop in the d'Arenberg cellar door. Waterfront, look no further than a fish pasty or bowl of cockles at the bustling Aquacaf, spilling out of an old kiosk on Goolwa's Barrage Road.
Port Elliot's Flying Fish has a smart beachfront dining room as well as a take-out cafe while the jaunty Star of Greece, perched above the cliff-cuffed sands of beautiful Port Willunga, doles out wiggling fresh squid caught on the beach below.
Restaurants and tourists thin out as you head south to Myponga Beach, on to Carrickalinga (offering great views of the South Coast) and the very charming Normanville. Top to bottom, the Peninsula is crisscrossed by narrow country roads; old farmhouses are set among rambling roses, deep gullies are planted with elm and poplar and hillsides dotted with dairy herds. And then there are the vines sweeping to the sea.
Two of the characters in The Boys are Back own a vineyard, a deliberate Hicks conceit. "To give them [the characters Barbara and Tom] an occupation I understood, running a vineyard, was great," Hicks says.
The vineyard concerned, DogRidge, has a seven-day cellar door operation on Bagshaws Road, McLaren Flat. Together with his beachhouse, Hicks's vineyard, Yacca Paddock, serves as a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the international film business.
"Coming back here is very important to the creative process," he says. "Travelling so much can be disintegrating; you have to feel centred somewhere."
Raised in Africa and England, arriving in South Australia when he was 14, Hicks has found that centre on the Fleurieu.
Christine McCabe was a guest of the South Australian Tourism Commission
'Kami no Shizuku' hails Aussie winery
MCLAREN VALE, Australia — The hugely popular comic book series "Kami no Shizuku" ("Drops of God") that follows the international adventures of two brothers in pursuit of the perfect wine was largely unknown in Australia.
That was until one of the country's oldest wineries got a mention.
The "manga," approaching its fifth year of publication, is penned by the brother and sister team Shin and Yuko Kibayashi, who write under the pseudonym Tadashi Agi.
It appears weekly in Morning magazine, and the story line reads like a wine enthusiasts' ultimate fantasy. Acclaimed wine critic Yutaka Kanzaki dies, leaving a ¥2 billion collection that will be inherited by the son who fulfills his cryptic quest to find the world's best wines.
The plot sees our hero, Shizuku Kanzaki, pitted against his adopted brother, Issei Toomine, as they battle it out to locate 13 of the finest wines ever produced.
In his will, Kanzaki states that the brothers must first find 12 wines known as the "12 Apostles" and finally uncover the greatest wine on Earth, dubbed the "Drops of God."
As the adventure unfolds, the pair travel to the world's esteemed wine regions, particularly in France. But recently they paid a visit to the lush hills of McLaren Vale, in South Australia, an area renowned for its reds.
Here Kanzaki tries a wine called Laughing Magpie, 2006 Shiraz Viognier, which is produced by d'Arenberg Wines, located 40 km south of Adelaide.
Established in 1912, d'Arenberg is a 450-hectare family-owned winery that combines time-honored European traditions with Aussie ingenuity.
Kanzaki describes the Laughing Magpie 2006 as "very good. I didn't expect much from a wine under a screw cap . . . it's spicy and overflowing with energetic life . . . it's both exotic and made for normal people at the same time."
Chester Osborn, chief winemaker and great-grandson of founder Joseph Osborn, agrees wholeheartedly with Kanzaki's description.
While Japan still prefers old world, European wines sealed with cork, the vast majority of wines in Australia are now sealed with screw caps.
Osborn's father, D'Arry, managing director of d'Arenberg Wines, strongly advocates their use.
"Screw caps are a much better closure for our types of wine because they keep the freshness and the wines mature beautifully," the gentle elder Osborn said.
Chester Osborn said he knew the 2006 vintage of Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier was going to be special because of ideal conditions that year.
The experienced winemaker said a wet winter, spring and further rain in summer encouraged the grass to flourish between the vines.
This grass acts as competition for the vines and leads to a better balance of nutrients and more refined color and flavor.
With an average yield of 3.8 tons per hectare, Osburn said d'Arenberg Wines rivals the finest Grand Cru of Burgundy and Bordeaux in terms of low-yield, high-quality vines.
Chester, 47, and his father, 82, admit they'd never heard of manga before "Kami no Shizuku" but were proud to be featured in it.
Chester believes the comic book style enables more "personality" to be injected into a wine.
"It adds more fun, of course it's not just a technical review, it's not just a wine columnist's opinion, instead it's someone from the real world wanting to do it in a very humorous way," Osburn said at his McLaren Vale winery.
A good review in this manga series sends its 360,000 weekly readers into a frenzy and sparks a mad rush to snap up bottles of the featured wine.
Also published in South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and France, a mere mention in "Kami no Shizuku" can provide a substantial boost to a company's wine sales.
Even before the "Kami no Shizuku" installment hit the stands, all bottles of the Laughing Magpie 2006 Shiraz Viognier were sold out in Japan.
Kyobashi Wine Liquor Shop, an online wine seller, snapped up the last 120 bottles after it learned the wine was included in "Kami no Shizuku."
The online shop has a page dedicated to wines featured in the manga.
Wataru Takeno, who manages the Australian wine category for the online store, said the manga has definitely raised interest in Laughing Magpie 2006, which falls into the higher end price category.
"The 120 bottles sold in a month is a very good result for wine (in the) ¥3,000 price (range) and for Australian wine," Takeno said.
Richard Cohen, 59, d'Arenberg's Japanese importer, believes the manga is so popular in Japan because of the lack of Japanese-language wine reviews.
"There's so much wine from all over the world in Japan and there's not much press in Japanese, most of it is in English," Cohen said.
He said "Kami no Shizuku" has a unique way of informing people which wines are worth trying.
Now published in four languages, the manga continues to educate and entertain wine drinkers across the globe.
Its publisher, Kodansha, said it has been inundated with inquiries about an English-language version.
The company said it hopes to put one out in the near future.
By KEDE LAWSON
Kyodo News
That was until one of the country's oldest wineries got a mention.
The "manga," approaching its fifth year of publication, is penned by the brother and sister team Shin and Yuko Kibayashi, who write under the pseudonym Tadashi Agi.
It appears weekly in Morning magazine, and the story line reads like a wine enthusiasts' ultimate fantasy. Acclaimed wine critic Yutaka Kanzaki dies, leaving a ¥2 billion collection that will be inherited by the son who fulfills his cryptic quest to find the world's best wines.
The plot sees our hero, Shizuku Kanzaki, pitted against his adopted brother, Issei Toomine, as they battle it out to locate 13 of the finest wines ever produced.
In his will, Kanzaki states that the brothers must first find 12 wines known as the "12 Apostles" and finally uncover the greatest wine on Earth, dubbed the "Drops of God."
As the adventure unfolds, the pair travel to the world's esteemed wine regions, particularly in France. But recently they paid a visit to the lush hills of McLaren Vale, in South Australia, an area renowned for its reds.
Here Kanzaki tries a wine called Laughing Magpie, 2006 Shiraz Viognier, which is produced by d'Arenberg Wines, located 40 km south of Adelaide.
Established in 1912, d'Arenberg is a 450-hectare family-owned winery that combines time-honored European traditions with Aussie ingenuity.
Kanzaki describes the Laughing Magpie 2006 as "very good. I didn't expect much from a wine under a screw cap . . . it's spicy and overflowing with energetic life . . . it's both exotic and made for normal people at the same time."
Chester Osborn, chief winemaker and great-grandson of founder Joseph Osborn, agrees wholeheartedly with Kanzaki's description.
While Japan still prefers old world, European wines sealed with cork, the vast majority of wines in Australia are now sealed with screw caps.
Osborn's father, D'Arry, managing director of d'Arenberg Wines, strongly advocates their use.
"Screw caps are a much better closure for our types of wine because they keep the freshness and the wines mature beautifully," the gentle elder Osborn said.
Chester Osborn said he knew the 2006 vintage of Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier was going to be special because of ideal conditions that year.
The experienced winemaker said a wet winter, spring and further rain in summer encouraged the grass to flourish between the vines.
This grass acts as competition for the vines and leads to a better balance of nutrients and more refined color and flavor.
With an average yield of 3.8 tons per hectare, Osburn said d'Arenberg Wines rivals the finest Grand Cru of Burgundy and Bordeaux in terms of low-yield, high-quality vines.
Chester, 47, and his father, 82, admit they'd never heard of manga before "Kami no Shizuku" but were proud to be featured in it.
Chester believes the comic book style enables more "personality" to be injected into a wine.
"It adds more fun, of course it's not just a technical review, it's not just a wine columnist's opinion, instead it's someone from the real world wanting to do it in a very humorous way," Osburn said at his McLaren Vale winery.
A good review in this manga series sends its 360,000 weekly readers into a frenzy and sparks a mad rush to snap up bottles of the featured wine.
Also published in South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and France, a mere mention in "Kami no Shizuku" can provide a substantial boost to a company's wine sales.
Even before the "Kami no Shizuku" installment hit the stands, all bottles of the Laughing Magpie 2006 Shiraz Viognier were sold out in Japan.
Kyobashi Wine Liquor Shop, an online wine seller, snapped up the last 120 bottles after it learned the wine was included in "Kami no Shizuku."
The online shop has a page dedicated to wines featured in the manga.
Wataru Takeno, who manages the Australian wine category for the online store, said the manga has definitely raised interest in Laughing Magpie 2006, which falls into the higher end price category.
"The 120 bottles sold in a month is a very good result for wine (in the) ¥3,000 price (range) and for Australian wine," Takeno said.
Richard Cohen, 59, d'Arenberg's Japanese importer, believes the manga is so popular in Japan because of the lack of Japanese-language wine reviews.
"There's so much wine from all over the world in Japan and there's not much press in Japanese, most of it is in English," Cohen said.
He said "Kami no Shizuku" has a unique way of informing people which wines are worth trying.
Now published in four languages, the manga continues to educate and entertain wine drinkers across the globe.
Its publisher, Kodansha, said it has been inundated with inquiries about an English-language version.
The company said it hopes to put one out in the near future.
By KEDE LAWSON
Kyodo News
McLaren Vale winery named as the producer of Australia's top export wine for 2009.
Sabella Vineyard, a small McLaren Vale winery, has been named as the producer of Australia's top export wine for 2009.
Sabella's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon beat 16,716 other wines to win the George Mackey Memorial Trophy and be judged the best of all wines submitted in 2009 for quality assessment and export approval by AWBC expert assessors.
Winemaker Michael Petrucci has given credit for the win to advice from the late Greg Trott, Wirra Wirra founder and one of McLaren Vale's and Australia's most notable winemakers.
'[He] once told me that any fool can make wine but it's the amount of passion and heart and soul you pour into your winemaking and what you do when you're making the wine and how you do it is what gives the results,' Petrucci said today when accepting the George Mackey Trophy at the annual general meeting of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation.
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Sabella Vineyards was founded in 1975 by Joe and Rosa Petrucci on 40 acres next to Wirra Wirra. Joe and Greg Trott became best friends.
The Petrucci's now own 110 adjoining acres and their son, Michael, has been making wine since 1999, producing up to 4,000 cases a year, 40% of which is exported to Asia.
Wirra Wirra won the George Mackey Trophy in 2003 with its 2001 RSW MacLaren Vale Shiraz.
Sabella's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon beat 16,716 other wines to win the George Mackey Memorial Trophy and be judged the best of all wines submitted in 2009 for quality assessment and export approval by AWBC expert assessors.
Winemaker Michael Petrucci has given credit for the win to advice from the late Greg Trott, Wirra Wirra founder and one of McLaren Vale's and Australia's most notable winemakers.
'[He] once told me that any fool can make wine but it's the amount of passion and heart and soul you pour into your winemaking and what you do when you're making the wine and how you do it is what gives the results,' Petrucci said today when accepting the George Mackey Trophy at the annual general meeting of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation.
AdTech Ad
Sabella Vineyards was founded in 1975 by Joe and Rosa Petrucci on 40 acres next to Wirra Wirra. Joe and Greg Trott became best friends.
The Petrucci's now own 110 adjoining acres and their son, Michael, has been making wine since 1999, producing up to 4,000 cases a year, 40% of which is exported to Asia.
Wirra Wirra won the George Mackey Trophy in 2003 with its 2001 RSW MacLaren Vale Shiraz.
Tuesday 20 October 2009
McLaren Vale in review - by The Sun-Herald
Less than an hour from Adelaide lies a smorgasbord of wine, food, art and nature, writes Caroline Gladstone.
Location
Situated 39 kilometres or a 45-minute drive south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is one of the most accessible wine regions in the country. The best way to get there is by car, taking the Main South Road from Adelaide. There's also a daily bus service to McLaren Vale town with Premier Stateliner Coaches.
What to expect
McLaren Vale is both a town (population 5070) and a wine region, located on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The locals call it a boutique village and while the town is small, it is jam-packed with restaurants, cafes, boutiques and galleries. Its long main street, which runs for eight kilometres to the village of Willunga, is dotted with 19th-century ironstone buildings, while many rustic wineries are heritage listed.
As one of Australia's oldest wine regions, the rolling hills of McLaren Vale are covered in vineyards, many of which have sweeping views over St Vincent's Gulf and the magnificent Mount Lofty Ranges. Named after David McLaren, the colonial manager of the South Australian Company, the region's first vines were planted in 1838 by Englishman John Reynell. Farming and viticulture have dominated McLaren Vale since the 1840s and today's growers produce almonds, olives, quinces, pears and a bounty of fruit and vegetables. The Seaview winery was established in 1850, then in 1873, Thomas Hardy, patriarch of the renowned winemaking dynasty, bought Tintara winery, which his descendants still run.
The region's fantastic coastal location is celebrated each June at the two-day Sea and Vines Festival, where great seafood and wines are on the menu at 20 wineries.
Where to eat
McLaren Vale is a smorgasbord for foodies, with 40 cafes and restaurants, many set among the vines. Restaurateurs shop at farmers' markets and buy fish straight from the trawlers.
Salopian Inn is housed in an 1851 stone and slate cottage. This landmark restaurant serves Mediterranean fare in a relaxed country setting. A Salopian, by the way, is a resident of Shropshire. See salopianinn.com.au.
At Russell's Pizza restaurant, you'll eat fantastic pizzas and be warmed in winter by two huge wood-fired ovens (indoors and in the outside courtyard) in this ramshackle 19th-century blacksmith's cottage. Open weekends only. 13 High Street, Willunga. Phone (08) 8556 2571.
The Star of Greece sits pretty on a cliff above Port Willunga beach. The former 1950s kiosk has a stunning view – and seafood to match. Snaffle the fried whitebait and Kangaroo Island haloumi if it's on. 1 The Esplanade, Port Willunga. Phone (08) 8557 7420.
D'Arry's on the Verandah combines views across the vines to the sea and is blissful in summer. This award-winning restaurant is part of d'Arenberg winery. The coq au vin with breaded dumplings is the specialty. See darrysverandah.com.au.
For gourmet goods, shop on Main Road at Blessed Cheese, The Chocolate Box, The Almond Train and the Tin Shed.
Wineries
Where do you start when there are 110 wineries and 70 cellar doors to explore? Take your pick from small family wineries, big names like Hardys Tintara and Rosemount Estate and some emerging legends. These are our picks ...
Chapel Hill Winery This is one of the quaintest cellar doors in the region, housed in an 1865 ironstone chapel. Chapel Hill's early claim to fame was its reds, especially the award-winning The Vicar Shiraz. Nowadays, the unwooded chardonnay and the pinot grigio and bush vine grenache are big sellers.
Samuel's Gorge The secret is out on this one-man winery operated by Justin McNamee, formerly of Tatachilla. Taste some wonderful shiraz, grenache and tempranillo at the cellar door, which was a 19th-century blacksmith's shop, near the stunning Onkaparinga Gorge.
Coriole Vineyards It's hard to beat the hilltop setting of Coriole, with its sweeping views of vines and ocean. The flagship is the shiraz, featured in James Halliday's Classic Wines of Australia, but lately, the Italian varietals, including sangiovese, have been making a name. Stop by for olive tastings and a casual lunch under the vine-covered pergola.
Mollydooker Winery A mollydooker is slang for a left-hander and the husband and wife winemaking team of Sparky and Sarah Marquis are just that. Their four-hour winery tour, complete with tastings and lunch, is a must.
Markets
The Willunga Farmers' Market, held on Saturdays from 8am-12.30pm, is a great morning out. Winemakers sell their bottles from the car boot, 70 produce stalls offer everything from cheese to bread and herbs, while chefs demonstrate their skills. See willungafarmersmarket.com.
Other markets include Willunga Quarry Market (second Saturday of the month); Meadows Country Market (second Sunday) and Strathalbyn Country Markets (first Sunday).
Galleries
Red Poles combines art exhibitions with a dash of cabaret and a glass of cabernet. It's a gallery cum cafe/wine bar that stages wonderful performances from jazz to flamenco.
The Singing Gallery is a folk and blues music venue that also runs a Sunday market featuring local arts and crafts. See singinggallery.com.au.
Off the Slate Gallery is a co-operative in Willunga where 22 artists exhibit their works, ranging from pastels to sculpture, pottery and jewellery. See offtheslategallery.com.
Natural attractions
Bushwalkers and climbers have several parks to explore; swimmers and surfers have six beaches to choose from. Onkaparinga River National Park, north of McLaren Vale town, has 50-metre cliffs, gorges dotted with rock pools and a river perfect for kayaking and canoeing. Aldinga Scrub, 12 kilometres south of McLaren Vale near Aldinga Beach, is 300 hectares of amazing sand dunes, red-gum forests and heathland, while Aldinga Beach is well loved by locals, who are permitted to drive their cars along the long, sandy strip.
Secrets
Bella Cosa This newcomer is a microcosm of McLaren Vale under one roof – a winery, cafe, gallery and sculpture garden. An artist-in-residence assists budding sculptors, while painting classes are also on offer. See bellacosa.com.au.
Alternatively, take a walk or ride a bike along the eight-kilometre Shiraz Trail – the old railway line from McLaren Vale to Willunga – visiting wineries along the way. Onya Bike Tours has four-hour picnic and biking packages ($38) and bike rentals.
Maslin Beach wears the proud moniker of Australia's first nudist beach, courtesy of a proclamation from former South Australian premier Don Dunstan in 1975. The three-kilometre beach has spectacular cliffs, with "clad" and "unclad" sections.
Just down the road
Strathalbyn, a 30-minute drive south-east of McLaren Vale, is a 19th-century town brimming with 30 historic buildings and antique and curio shops to delight everyone from the casual browser to the avid collector. Goolwa, less than an hour down the road, is also worth a visit as it was the first town in Australia to be classified as a "Cittaslow" town – or slow food town.
Goolwa boasts a range of galleries, wineries and the Steam Exchange Brewery. It is also the gateway to Coorong National Park, one of the state's best eco-experience locations.
More information
Source: The Sun-Herald
Dont forget to visit our website for more information: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
Location
Situated 39 kilometres or a 45-minute drive south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is one of the most accessible wine regions in the country. The best way to get there is by car, taking the Main South Road from Adelaide. There's also a daily bus service to McLaren Vale town with Premier Stateliner Coaches.
What to expect
McLaren Vale is both a town (population 5070) and a wine region, located on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The locals call it a boutique village and while the town is small, it is jam-packed with restaurants, cafes, boutiques and galleries. Its long main street, which runs for eight kilometres to the village of Willunga, is dotted with 19th-century ironstone buildings, while many rustic wineries are heritage listed.
As one of Australia's oldest wine regions, the rolling hills of McLaren Vale are covered in vineyards, many of which have sweeping views over St Vincent's Gulf and the magnificent Mount Lofty Ranges. Named after David McLaren, the colonial manager of the South Australian Company, the region's first vines were planted in 1838 by Englishman John Reynell. Farming and viticulture have dominated McLaren Vale since the 1840s and today's growers produce almonds, olives, quinces, pears and a bounty of fruit and vegetables. The Seaview winery was established in 1850, then in 1873, Thomas Hardy, patriarch of the renowned winemaking dynasty, bought Tintara winery, which his descendants still run.
The region's fantastic coastal location is celebrated each June at the two-day Sea and Vines Festival, where great seafood and wines are on the menu at 20 wineries.
Where to eat
McLaren Vale is a smorgasbord for foodies, with 40 cafes and restaurants, many set among the vines. Restaurateurs shop at farmers' markets and buy fish straight from the trawlers.
Salopian Inn is housed in an 1851 stone and slate cottage. This landmark restaurant serves Mediterranean fare in a relaxed country setting. A Salopian, by the way, is a resident of Shropshire. See salopianinn.com.au.
At Russell's Pizza restaurant, you'll eat fantastic pizzas and be warmed in winter by two huge wood-fired ovens (indoors and in the outside courtyard) in this ramshackle 19th-century blacksmith's cottage. Open weekends only. 13 High Street, Willunga. Phone (08) 8556 2571.
The Star of Greece sits pretty on a cliff above Port Willunga beach. The former 1950s kiosk has a stunning view – and seafood to match. Snaffle the fried whitebait and Kangaroo Island haloumi if it's on. 1 The Esplanade, Port Willunga. Phone (08) 8557 7420.
D'Arry's on the Verandah combines views across the vines to the sea and is blissful in summer. This award-winning restaurant is part of d'Arenberg winery. The coq au vin with breaded dumplings is the specialty. See darrysverandah.com.au.
For gourmet goods, shop on Main Road at Blessed Cheese, The Chocolate Box, The Almond Train and the Tin Shed.
Wineries
Where do you start when there are 110 wineries and 70 cellar doors to explore? Take your pick from small family wineries, big names like Hardys Tintara and Rosemount Estate and some emerging legends. These are our picks ...
Chapel Hill Winery This is one of the quaintest cellar doors in the region, housed in an 1865 ironstone chapel. Chapel Hill's early claim to fame was its reds, especially the award-winning The Vicar Shiraz. Nowadays, the unwooded chardonnay and the pinot grigio and bush vine grenache are big sellers.
Samuel's Gorge The secret is out on this one-man winery operated by Justin McNamee, formerly of Tatachilla. Taste some wonderful shiraz, grenache and tempranillo at the cellar door, which was a 19th-century blacksmith's shop, near the stunning Onkaparinga Gorge.
Coriole Vineyards It's hard to beat the hilltop setting of Coriole, with its sweeping views of vines and ocean. The flagship is the shiraz, featured in James Halliday's Classic Wines of Australia, but lately, the Italian varietals, including sangiovese, have been making a name. Stop by for olive tastings and a casual lunch under the vine-covered pergola.
Mollydooker Winery A mollydooker is slang for a left-hander and the husband and wife winemaking team of Sparky and Sarah Marquis are just that. Their four-hour winery tour, complete with tastings and lunch, is a must.
Markets
The Willunga Farmers' Market, held on Saturdays from 8am-12.30pm, is a great morning out. Winemakers sell their bottles from the car boot, 70 produce stalls offer everything from cheese to bread and herbs, while chefs demonstrate their skills. See willungafarmersmarket.com.
Other markets include Willunga Quarry Market (second Saturday of the month); Meadows Country Market (second Sunday) and Strathalbyn Country Markets (first Sunday).
Galleries
Red Poles combines art exhibitions with a dash of cabaret and a glass of cabernet. It's a gallery cum cafe/wine bar that stages wonderful performances from jazz to flamenco.
The Singing Gallery is a folk and blues music venue that also runs a Sunday market featuring local arts and crafts. See singinggallery.com.au.
Off the Slate Gallery is a co-operative in Willunga where 22 artists exhibit their works, ranging from pastels to sculpture, pottery and jewellery. See offtheslategallery.com.
Natural attractions
Bushwalkers and climbers have several parks to explore; swimmers and surfers have six beaches to choose from. Onkaparinga River National Park, north of McLaren Vale town, has 50-metre cliffs, gorges dotted with rock pools and a river perfect for kayaking and canoeing. Aldinga Scrub, 12 kilometres south of McLaren Vale near Aldinga Beach, is 300 hectares of amazing sand dunes, red-gum forests and heathland, while Aldinga Beach is well loved by locals, who are permitted to drive their cars along the long, sandy strip.
Secrets
Bella Cosa This newcomer is a microcosm of McLaren Vale under one roof – a winery, cafe, gallery and sculpture garden. An artist-in-residence assists budding sculptors, while painting classes are also on offer. See bellacosa.com.au.
Alternatively, take a walk or ride a bike along the eight-kilometre Shiraz Trail – the old railway line from McLaren Vale to Willunga – visiting wineries along the way. Onya Bike Tours has four-hour picnic and biking packages ($38) and bike rentals.
Maslin Beach wears the proud moniker of Australia's first nudist beach, courtesy of a proclamation from former South Australian premier Don Dunstan in 1975. The three-kilometre beach has spectacular cliffs, with "clad" and "unclad" sections.
Just down the road
Strathalbyn, a 30-minute drive south-east of McLaren Vale, is a 19th-century town brimming with 30 historic buildings and antique and curio shops to delight everyone from the casual browser to the avid collector. Goolwa, less than an hour down the road, is also worth a visit as it was the first town in Australia to be classified as a "Cittaslow" town – or slow food town.
Goolwa boasts a range of galleries, wineries and the Steam Exchange Brewery. It is also the gateway to Coorong National Park, one of the state's best eco-experience locations.
More information
Source: The Sun-Herald
Dont forget to visit our website for more information: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
Saturday 5 September 2009
Tour Down Under
Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong has revealed that he will launch his new Radio Shack team at the Tour Down Under next January.
Armstrong made his comeback to professional cycling at this year's Tour in South Australia before going on to ride the European road season, where he finished third in the Tour de France.
News that the seven-time Tour de France winner was returning to South Australia was welcomed by South Australian Premier Mike Rann.
"Getting Lance Armstrong to Adelaide makes economic sense," he said.
"It also means all around the world, people are getting fantastic vision of some tourism icons like the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, the city itself, and of course for the first time next year, the Clare Valley."
The SA Government has confirmed it will pay Armstrong for appearing.
This year's race visit attracted huge crowds and media exposure for the race.
Mr Rann says paying the Tour de France winner is worth it, but he will not divulge the sum involved.
"We don't discuss that because every single cyclist that comes gets fees and things and you don't want to get into some kind of a bidding war," he said.
"It's a huge bang-for-buck and I guess, as I'm saying, hundreds of millions of people watching fantastic scenes of South Australia."
Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur says the new team Radio Shack will be one to beat in next year's event.
Turtur says it will include a number of Armstrong's current Astana team-mates and other high-profile riders.
"I think he'll take the greater majority from Astana," he said.
"It's already been reported that several riders are going with him. George Hincapie is leaving Columbia and we suspect that he's going to Radio Shack, so he's going to have a very strong team built around being ready for the Tour de France."
Oil and gas producer Santos has signed to be naming rights sponsor until 2013, but says its support had not hinged on confirmation that Armstrong would return to Adelaide.
Don't forget to visit our website: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
Armstrong made his comeback to professional cycling at this year's Tour in South Australia before going on to ride the European road season, where he finished third in the Tour de France.
News that the seven-time Tour de France winner was returning to South Australia was welcomed by South Australian Premier Mike Rann.
"Getting Lance Armstrong to Adelaide makes economic sense," he said.
"It also means all around the world, people are getting fantastic vision of some tourism icons like the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, the city itself, and of course for the first time next year, the Clare Valley."
The SA Government has confirmed it will pay Armstrong for appearing.
This year's race visit attracted huge crowds and media exposure for the race.
Mr Rann says paying the Tour de France winner is worth it, but he will not divulge the sum involved.
"We don't discuss that because every single cyclist that comes gets fees and things and you don't want to get into some kind of a bidding war," he said.
"It's a huge bang-for-buck and I guess, as I'm saying, hundreds of millions of people watching fantastic scenes of South Australia."
Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur says the new team Radio Shack will be one to beat in next year's event.
Turtur says it will include a number of Armstrong's current Astana team-mates and other high-profile riders.
"I think he'll take the greater majority from Astana," he said.
"It's already been reported that several riders are going with him. George Hincapie is leaving Columbia and we suspect that he's going to Radio Shack, so he's going to have a very strong team built around being ready for the Tour de France."
Oil and gas producer Santos has signed to be naming rights sponsor until 2013, but says its support had not hinged on confirmation that Armstrong would return to Adelaide.
Don't forget to visit our website: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
Pink
SHE played in Adelaide for the last time this week as part of her months-long Aussie tour, but Pink managed a bit of a fling with a special local before she left.
The rocker wrote of her new love on online networking site Twitter this week, warning husband Carey Hart that he had some serious competition.
"I am in love. then he grabbed me and climbed me and ate my hat," she wrote.
"I miss him and I am afraid I always will. Must call Carey and confess."
But things are not quite as pervy as they sound.
"Met a kangaroo named Dusty today at Woodstock Vineyards in McLaren Vale," she added.
"We made out. I swear he licked my face after I fed him a bottle."
Pink made her visit to the winery in style, travelling in a brand new Jaguar from Solitaire Motors, after having lunch earlier in the day at Maxwell Wines.
Woodstock owner Scott Collett said the singer, who visited the winery with her mum, was "really bubbly and down-to-earth".
Pink isn't the first A-lister to visit the winery. ZZ Top, the Hilltop Hoods, Neil Young, and Rod Stewart's entourage have also dropped by.
The rocker wrote of her new love on online networking site Twitter this week, warning husband Carey Hart that he had some serious competition.
"I am in love. then he grabbed me and climbed me and ate my hat," she wrote.
"I miss him and I am afraid I always will. Must call Carey and confess."
But things are not quite as pervy as they sound.
"Met a kangaroo named Dusty today at Woodstock Vineyards in McLaren Vale," she added.
"We made out. I swear he licked my face after I fed him a bottle."
Pink made her visit to the winery in style, travelling in a brand new Jaguar from Solitaire Motors, after having lunch earlier in the day at Maxwell Wines.
Woodstock owner Scott Collett said the singer, who visited the winery with her mum, was "really bubbly and down-to-earth".
Pink isn't the first A-lister to visit the winery. ZZ Top, the Hilltop Hoods, Neil Young, and Rod Stewart's entourage have also dropped by.
Friday 12 June 2009
A walk through McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale might not be known for delicate varieties like albarino or viognier but it's certainly giving them its best shot, and more besides.
Australian winemaker Mike Brown, from Gemtree in McLaren Vale, staged a press tasting in Dublin recently, to show the diversity of wines now being produced by himself and his neighbours in this famous region.
McLaren Vale can be a warm dry place, where water shortage is a real problem, but there are hill sites where cooler wine styles can be produced. Also, the region is not far from the sea and many vineyards benefit from moderating ocean breezes. To prove this point, Brown offered a crisp white made from albarino, an aromatic Spanish grape not noted for prospering in very hot situations.
“A bit experimental,” he explained, the grapes having been head grafted onto some poorly performing cabernet vines, but not bad. Not perhaps as robustly aromatic as a Spanish version but tasty, with a firm citrus kick. According to Brown, the wine is one of a range of new styles that we can expect from McLaren Vale over the next few years.
“We are known for shiraz and that won’t really change,” he said, “but we have a variety of microclimates and we can do a lot of different things, which is why we have started growing things like sangiovese and tempranillo and experimenting more with southern French varieties, including whites.”
Viognier is the most prized white variety of the French Rhone Valley but McLaren Vale’s D’Arenberg estate (Taserra) can give those pricey Condrieu wines a run for their money. Its Hermit Crab Viognier 2007 is a €15 bottling which has lush aromas of yellow flowers and fruit which carry onto the palate, where the ripe tropical fruit is nicely balanced by a fresh acidity. Another surprise was Mitolo Jester Sangiovese Rose 2008 (Liberty); zesty raspberry and strawberry fruit gave it some Italian style but at just over €17 it may just find the market for this category a little competitive. Well made stuff, though.
Despite the experiments, when it comes to McLaren, it’s hard to turn away from the rich, classic reds which are a byword for the region. However, tasting through the line of bottles, we quickly became aware that cooler, more elegant styles sit happily beside the brawnier shiraz bottlings. One of these was Wirra Wirra Church Block 2006 (Straffan), which had a noticeable green streak beneath its nicely integrated plum and blackcurrant fruits. A blend of cabernet with shiraz and merlot, this is very good value at €20.
A special treat is Geoff Merrill Reserve Shiraz 2002 (Comans) which is drinking beautifully now, with vanilla coated plummy aromas and a spicy, berry flavoured palate. Despite the spice, there’s good balancing acidity and though the wine is at peak now, it will hold for several years. Also with a bit of hold-ability is Gemtree Obsidian Shiraz 2005, with its lovely leathery elements appearing on nose and palate.
Both the Merrill and Gemtree shiraz are over €30 but if you want a simpler, good value bottling for a weekend dinner, you could do a lot worse than Hardys Oomoo Shiraz 2006; this clean, juicy wine, with its plum and berry flavours, would be perfect with Sunday roast or meat pies.
Don't forget to visit our website: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
Australian winemaker Mike Brown, from Gemtree in McLaren Vale, staged a press tasting in Dublin recently, to show the diversity of wines now being produced by himself and his neighbours in this famous region.
McLaren Vale can be a warm dry place, where water shortage is a real problem, but there are hill sites where cooler wine styles can be produced. Also, the region is not far from the sea and many vineyards benefit from moderating ocean breezes. To prove this point, Brown offered a crisp white made from albarino, an aromatic Spanish grape not noted for prospering in very hot situations.
“A bit experimental,” he explained, the grapes having been head grafted onto some poorly performing cabernet vines, but not bad. Not perhaps as robustly aromatic as a Spanish version but tasty, with a firm citrus kick. According to Brown, the wine is one of a range of new styles that we can expect from McLaren Vale over the next few years.
“We are known for shiraz and that won’t really change,” he said, “but we have a variety of microclimates and we can do a lot of different things, which is why we have started growing things like sangiovese and tempranillo and experimenting more with southern French varieties, including whites.”
Viognier is the most prized white variety of the French Rhone Valley but McLaren Vale’s D’Arenberg estate (Taserra) can give those pricey Condrieu wines a run for their money. Its Hermit Crab Viognier 2007 is a €15 bottling which has lush aromas of yellow flowers and fruit which carry onto the palate, where the ripe tropical fruit is nicely balanced by a fresh acidity. Another surprise was Mitolo Jester Sangiovese Rose 2008 (Liberty); zesty raspberry and strawberry fruit gave it some Italian style but at just over €17 it may just find the market for this category a little competitive. Well made stuff, though.
Despite the experiments, when it comes to McLaren, it’s hard to turn away from the rich, classic reds which are a byword for the region. However, tasting through the line of bottles, we quickly became aware that cooler, more elegant styles sit happily beside the brawnier shiraz bottlings. One of these was Wirra Wirra Church Block 2006 (Straffan), which had a noticeable green streak beneath its nicely integrated plum and blackcurrant fruits. A blend of cabernet with shiraz and merlot, this is very good value at €20.
A special treat is Geoff Merrill Reserve Shiraz 2002 (Comans) which is drinking beautifully now, with vanilla coated plummy aromas and a spicy, berry flavoured palate. Despite the spice, there’s good balancing acidity and though the wine is at peak now, it will hold for several years. Also with a bit of hold-ability is Gemtree Obsidian Shiraz 2005, with its lovely leathery elements appearing on nose and palate.
Both the Merrill and Gemtree shiraz are over €30 but if you want a simpler, good value bottling for a weekend dinner, you could do a lot worse than Hardys Oomoo Shiraz 2006; this clean, juicy wine, with its plum and berry flavours, would be perfect with Sunday roast or meat pies.
Don't forget to visit our website: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
Wine: The Vale of plenty
The warm spicy wines of Austrailia's McLaren Vale are ideal with Mediterranean-style food
The important thing to fix in your mind about the wines from Australia’s McLaren Vale is their reputation for delivering the middle palate.
That’s not as wine geeky as it may sound; mid-palate is, as the terms suggests, that highly anticipated moment, after the initial taste sensation, when the wine hits the spot, or not. It comes after about 10 seconds, when a decent wine should be starting to show its wares.
If your lips spell satisfaction, the mid-palate is happy. That’s the way wine should be, you say. But remember the ones that are, as they say, “hollow,” when you are left wandering for a hit that doesn’t really land, or is thin, and you swallow in disappointment.
You may not always remember whether a wine had a long finish — although that is the sweetest thing of all — but you rarely forget that it made an impression at mid-palate. So, there is a certain reliability about McLaren Vale wines. Lying in South Australia, it is similar to the Mediterranean, a coast-hugging amphitheatre, producing warm and spicy wines, in the mode of the south of France, Italy and Spain.
Since the early days of winemaking in Oz, McLaren Vale wines have been used to beef up more dilute offerings, so the juice may feature in bottles with more generic labels such as South Australia.
When wine-making started down here in the 19th century, theMcLaren Vale wines had a reputation for being ferruginous or iron-rich, and it is said that doctors in England presecribed them as a tonic.
McLaren is a land of other rich flavours; it groans with almonds, and olive trees and is the sort of place where you can buy a cheese hamper and picnic your wayaround the local wineries, tasting as you go. It’s also the home of dukkah, a nut-and-spice mix into which you dunk olive-oil-dipped crusty bread and sit back and smack your lips. Its food sits perfectly with its wines, which are predominantly red.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are tops here, the sunny clime assuring a lush, ripe style of dark berry fruit. You may detect some luscious dark chocolate on the palate, although the nearby Barossa Valley is better known for that while McLaren Vale majors heavily on dark berry fruit flavours.
Other red grapes, such as Grenache and Mourvedre, also feature, and Grenache is doing some wonderful things here.The GSM you see on some Australian labels translates as Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, the mainstay of the red wines of southern France such as Côtes du Rhone.
There are whites, including Viognier and Chardonnay. Many of its wines, like D'Arenbeg, have been household fixtures for years. It is the origin of Rosemount and Hardys, which may also appear as the more generic South East Australia brand.
These are wines to savour with a barbecued steak in the evening — and perhaps best avoided outdoors in the midday sun because of their high alcohol content.
Pick up the Aussie wines’ mintiness with new season lamb or simply say G’day to a glass of McLaren Vale with any Medstyle cooking.
Don't forget to visit our website: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
The important thing to fix in your mind about the wines from Australia’s McLaren Vale is their reputation for delivering the middle palate.
That’s not as wine geeky as it may sound; mid-palate is, as the terms suggests, that highly anticipated moment, after the initial taste sensation, when the wine hits the spot, or not. It comes after about 10 seconds, when a decent wine should be starting to show its wares.
If your lips spell satisfaction, the mid-palate is happy. That’s the way wine should be, you say. But remember the ones that are, as they say, “hollow,” when you are left wandering for a hit that doesn’t really land, or is thin, and you swallow in disappointment.
You may not always remember whether a wine had a long finish — although that is the sweetest thing of all — but you rarely forget that it made an impression at mid-palate. So, there is a certain reliability about McLaren Vale wines. Lying in South Australia, it is similar to the Mediterranean, a coast-hugging amphitheatre, producing warm and spicy wines, in the mode of the south of France, Italy and Spain.
Since the early days of winemaking in Oz, McLaren Vale wines have been used to beef up more dilute offerings, so the juice may feature in bottles with more generic labels such as South Australia.
When wine-making started down here in the 19th century, theMcLaren Vale wines had a reputation for being ferruginous or iron-rich, and it is said that doctors in England presecribed them as a tonic.
McLaren is a land of other rich flavours; it groans with almonds, and olive trees and is the sort of place where you can buy a cheese hamper and picnic your wayaround the local wineries, tasting as you go. It’s also the home of dukkah, a nut-and-spice mix into which you dunk olive-oil-dipped crusty bread and sit back and smack your lips. Its food sits perfectly with its wines, which are predominantly red.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are tops here, the sunny clime assuring a lush, ripe style of dark berry fruit. You may detect some luscious dark chocolate on the palate, although the nearby Barossa Valley is better known for that while McLaren Vale majors heavily on dark berry fruit flavours.
Other red grapes, such as Grenache and Mourvedre, also feature, and Grenache is doing some wonderful things here.The GSM you see on some Australian labels translates as Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, the mainstay of the red wines of southern France such as Côtes du Rhone.
There are whites, including Viognier and Chardonnay. Many of its wines, like D'Arenbeg, have been household fixtures for years. It is the origin of Rosemount and Hardys, which may also appear as the more generic South East Australia brand.
These are wines to savour with a barbecued steak in the evening — and perhaps best avoided outdoors in the midday sun because of their high alcohol content.
Pick up the Aussie wines’ mintiness with new season lamb or simply say G’day to a glass of McLaren Vale with any Medstyle cooking.
Don't forget to visit our website: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
Wednesday 3 June 2009
South Australia's Oldest Vineyard May Be Bulldozed for Housing
Constellation sells McLaren Vale's Stony Hill, first planted in 1838; says it's too expensive to maintain.
South Australia's oldest commercial vineyard site has been sold to developers to be subdivided into a housing development. The Stony Hill vineyard at Old Reynella in McLaren Vale was first planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1838 by the district's first settler, John Reynell. The announcement of the plan to develop the historic site has angered locals and wine lovers across the country.
"We'd like to see it preserved as vineyards, as a tribute to our early history," said Kris Hanna, the local parliament member and chairman of the Reynell Business and Tourism Association. McLaren Vale is under increasing pressure from the sprawling southern suburbs of Adelaide, despite assurances from politicians that vineyard sites will not be rezoned to residential land.
Nonetheless, the vineyard was sold by Constellation Wines to Pioneer Homes, which has lodged a council application for 41 high-density homes to be built on the site.
Constellation Wines Australia public relations manager Sheralee Davies said that the vineyard, just 0.8 acres in size, was identified a number of years ago as unviable. "Water access is a challenge and the small vineyard has become increasingly expensive to maintain," she said. The site is currently planted to 19- and 25-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, which would be removed under Pioneer Homes' development plan.
Davies explained that the company is focusing its resources on its Hardy's Old Reynella headquarters and its public areas, located directly opposite the Stony Hill vineyard. "We have had to make some tough calls across the board and this is one of them," she said.
While acknowledging that the site has historical significance as the original location of John Reynell's vineyard, she said, "We're trying to run a business here and we need to be responsible in the way that we maintain it."
Some in the industry have suggested that the vineyard was the original source of the Reynella clone of Cabernet Sauvignon, which has since been planted across Australia. It's more likely that the clone originated from the nearby Reynella vineyard, planted by Reynell shortly after Stony Hill. Constellation has declared that it plans to continue to maintain the Reynella vineyard
Tyson Stelzer
South Australia's oldest commercial vineyard site has been sold to developers to be subdivided into a housing development. The Stony Hill vineyard at Old Reynella in McLaren Vale was first planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1838 by the district's first settler, John Reynell. The announcement of the plan to develop the historic site has angered locals and wine lovers across the country.
"We'd like to see it preserved as vineyards, as a tribute to our early history," said Kris Hanna, the local parliament member and chairman of the Reynell Business and Tourism Association. McLaren Vale is under increasing pressure from the sprawling southern suburbs of Adelaide, despite assurances from politicians that vineyard sites will not be rezoned to residential land.
Nonetheless, the vineyard was sold by Constellation Wines to Pioneer Homes, which has lodged a council application for 41 high-density homes to be built on the site.
Constellation Wines Australia public relations manager Sheralee Davies said that the vineyard, just 0.8 acres in size, was identified a number of years ago as unviable. "Water access is a challenge and the small vineyard has become increasingly expensive to maintain," she said. The site is currently planted to 19- and 25-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, which would be removed under Pioneer Homes' development plan.
Davies explained that the company is focusing its resources on its Hardy's Old Reynella headquarters and its public areas, located directly opposite the Stony Hill vineyard. "We have had to make some tough calls across the board and this is one of them," she said.
While acknowledging that the site has historical significance as the original location of John Reynell's vineyard, she said, "We're trying to run a business here and we need to be responsible in the way that we maintain it."
Some in the industry have suggested that the vineyard was the original source of the Reynella clone of Cabernet Sauvignon, which has since been planted across Australia. It's more likely that the clone originated from the nearby Reynella vineyard, planted by Reynell shortly after Stony Hill. Constellation has declared that it plans to continue to maintain the Reynella vineyard
Tyson Stelzer
Cheers to Sea and Vines festival at McLaren Vale
AS the economic recession reaches our home soil, the BankSA Sea and Vines festival will help to buck the trend by celebrating local wine and produce from McLaren Vale.
Now an Adelaide institution, the annual event promotes wine, seafood and other local produce and encourages people to spend in their own backyard.
This long-weekend, June 7-8, the festival will celebrate 17 years by hosting cellar door tastings, lunches, live music and entertainment.
More than 25,000 people are expected to flood McLaren Vale armed with glasses and ready to drink up one of Australia's most renowned wine regions.
This year 23 wineries will offer special lunches from their restaurants or team up with local caterers and set up marquees on their properties to welcome visitors to match their wines to delicious seafood delights.
Sea and Vines committee member Luke Tyler says the event is a good excuse for people to check out South Australia's fine produce.
"For a lot of people it is hard to find the time to come out to the wineries and the BankSA Sea and Vines festival is a good opportunity to get round to few different places and enjoy a really fun and laid-back atmosphere," Mr Tyler said.
"There is such a huge array of really good food and a massive variety from wood fired pizzas to lobster medallions."
Originally starting as an oyster festival, the event has evolved to promote wines, world class restaurants and olive oil.
Mr Tyler said BankSA's support was the glue that held the event together.
"BankSA makes a significant financial contribution and it is the reason the event goes ahead.
"It's not a money making exercise – and they have been great in allowing the region to showcase its finest produce."
This year BankSA customers can pick up a complimentary tasting glass during the festival from Chalk Hill Wines, d'Arenberg, Maxwell Wines, Rosemount, Scarpantoni Estate, Wirra Wirra Vineyards and the Bocce Club.
All customers need to do is flash their ATM card at the cellar door for their free souvenir.
Those who have landed the role of designated driver can stop by the McLaren Vale Visitor Information Centre, to receive a wristband, which will allow them to receive free discounts and offers such as coffees and entrees at selected wineries.
There are a number of ticketed events such as cooking classes at Chapel Hill Winery with The Retreat executive chef Peter Hogg, who will demonstrate dishes made with sensationally fresh seafood matched with wines from the award winning winemaker, Michael Fragos.
D'Arenberg winery will feature food from d'Arry's Verandah Restaurant and spoil visitors with the talents of Adam Page and The Mood Brewers on the Monday.
The degustation menu is set to tantalise the tastebuds of every wine connoisseur, featuring freshly shucked Streaky Bay Oysters accompanied by a finger lime dressing crab tartlet with grapefruit and pomelo salad.
Visitors who head to The Bocce Club will have the chance to taste the wines of six boutique wineries who have joined forces for the weekend to share their produce with food by Deep Blue Café.
Red Poles will host Leconfield Wines and they are inviting visitors to book for a "long brekky," on a warm verandah with vines and bubbles.
Afternoon treats include seared scallop skewers on a sesame and lime noodle salad or locally made gourmet sausage in an organic crusty roll with Spanish onion jam and local rocket.
* Extract from a full BankSA page in Stock Journal, May 21 issue.
Don't forget to visit our website: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
Now an Adelaide institution, the annual event promotes wine, seafood and other local produce and encourages people to spend in their own backyard.
This long-weekend, June 7-8, the festival will celebrate 17 years by hosting cellar door tastings, lunches, live music and entertainment.
More than 25,000 people are expected to flood McLaren Vale armed with glasses and ready to drink up one of Australia's most renowned wine regions.
This year 23 wineries will offer special lunches from their restaurants or team up with local caterers and set up marquees on their properties to welcome visitors to match their wines to delicious seafood delights.
Sea and Vines committee member Luke Tyler says the event is a good excuse for people to check out South Australia's fine produce.
"For a lot of people it is hard to find the time to come out to the wineries and the BankSA Sea and Vines festival is a good opportunity to get round to few different places and enjoy a really fun and laid-back atmosphere," Mr Tyler said.
"There is such a huge array of really good food and a massive variety from wood fired pizzas to lobster medallions."
Originally starting as an oyster festival, the event has evolved to promote wines, world class restaurants and olive oil.
Mr Tyler said BankSA's support was the glue that held the event together.
"BankSA makes a significant financial contribution and it is the reason the event goes ahead.
"It's not a money making exercise – and they have been great in allowing the region to showcase its finest produce."
This year BankSA customers can pick up a complimentary tasting glass during the festival from Chalk Hill Wines, d'Arenberg, Maxwell Wines, Rosemount, Scarpantoni Estate, Wirra Wirra Vineyards and the Bocce Club.
All customers need to do is flash their ATM card at the cellar door for their free souvenir.
Those who have landed the role of designated driver can stop by the McLaren Vale Visitor Information Centre, to receive a wristband, which will allow them to receive free discounts and offers such as coffees and entrees at selected wineries.
There are a number of ticketed events such as cooking classes at Chapel Hill Winery with The Retreat executive chef Peter Hogg, who will demonstrate dishes made with sensationally fresh seafood matched with wines from the award winning winemaker, Michael Fragos.
D'Arenberg winery will feature food from d'Arry's Verandah Restaurant and spoil visitors with the talents of Adam Page and The Mood Brewers on the Monday.
The degustation menu is set to tantalise the tastebuds of every wine connoisseur, featuring freshly shucked Streaky Bay Oysters accompanied by a finger lime dressing crab tartlet with grapefruit and pomelo salad.
Visitors who head to The Bocce Club will have the chance to taste the wines of six boutique wineries who have joined forces for the weekend to share their produce with food by Deep Blue Café.
Red Poles will host Leconfield Wines and they are inviting visitors to book for a "long brekky," on a warm verandah with vines and bubbles.
Afternoon treats include seared scallop skewers on a sesame and lime noodle salad or locally made gourmet sausage in an organic crusty roll with Spanish onion jam and local rocket.
* Extract from a full BankSA page in Stock Journal, May 21 issue.
Don't forget to visit our website: www.bellevuebnb.com.au
McLaren Vale: The bold and the beautiful
Humble beginnings birth beautiful things. Obama. The Simpsons. Angelina Jolie. And McLaren Vale, a tiny town in South Australia with soft yet powerful wines.
Tireless pioneer Thomas Hardy planted grapes in McLaren Vale around 1840 and winemaking in the region thrived, until the turn of the century when exports dried up and the demand for bulk port swelled. Around the 1960s, wine tourism revived the area, stimulating renewed interest in table wines, especially the full-bodied, rich reds made from the Vale's 100-year-old shiraz, grenache and cabernet sauvignon vines. Now, its comeback complete, McClaren's wines have burrowed into my spirit.
McLaren Vale's graceful, feminine wines are known for soft tannins, intense berry ripeness, and fruity, perfumey aromatics. According to Nick James Martin, assistant winemaker from d'Arenberg Winery in the heart of McClaren Vale, they achieve this finesse with good draining, sandy soils, cool nights and a consistent climate. In addition, most wineries farm the land sustainably, shunning fertilizers and tilling under, although they don't promote these practices on the label. "It just makes sense for the soil ... helping us make the best wines we can," says Martin. Yangarra Estate, in northern McLaren Vale, takes their land responsibility one step further by using biodynamic techniques, bringing a holistic viewpoint to the vineyards.
Maybe the tender treatment of the soil and old-vine fruit is why McLaren Vale wines rock. Their shiraz and cabernet sauvignon are drinkable upon release, but are also capable of napping for 10 years. The grenache -- which D'Arenberg's Martin calls "the most interesting varietal to work with" -- drinks pretty tasty too. He and several other wineries participate in the "Cadenzia" project -- similar to the Meritage program in California, except using predominantly grenache and 100 percent McLaren Vale fruit. Each vintage, winemakers' efforts are blind-tasted by a professional panel, kinda like Italy and France do for their government wine certifications. A winery can label a bottle Cadenzia if the sample reflects the "typicity" of McLaren Vale grenache. D'Arenberg and Yangarra both make one, and gush vehemently about its potential. So far, I agree.
Perhaps another reason why McLaren Vale wines remain on my radar is their dogged use of screwcaps instead of cork. Some wineries, like D'Arenberg, were reluctant to import screwcapped wine into the United States due to our misinformed prejudice, but as of the 2007 vintage they are cork-free. And Kevin O'Brien, from family-owned Kangarilla Road Winery, uses screwcaps exclusively, no matter what the price point or grape variety. After numerous taste tests, he's convinced they help wines retain freshness and avoid the 10 percent failure rate of corks -- which results in that musty, wet dog taste. Eww.
With passionate stewards and forward-thinking practices like these, I doubt McClaren Vale will ever again descend into the horror of bulk-wine production.
By Taylor Eason
Tireless pioneer Thomas Hardy planted grapes in McLaren Vale around 1840 and winemaking in the region thrived, until the turn of the century when exports dried up and the demand for bulk port swelled. Around the 1960s, wine tourism revived the area, stimulating renewed interest in table wines, especially the full-bodied, rich reds made from the Vale's 100-year-old shiraz, grenache and cabernet sauvignon vines. Now, its comeback complete, McClaren's wines have burrowed into my spirit.
McLaren Vale's graceful, feminine wines are known for soft tannins, intense berry ripeness, and fruity, perfumey aromatics. According to Nick James Martin, assistant winemaker from d'Arenberg Winery in the heart of McClaren Vale, they achieve this finesse with good draining, sandy soils, cool nights and a consistent climate. In addition, most wineries farm the land sustainably, shunning fertilizers and tilling under, although they don't promote these practices on the label. "It just makes sense for the soil ... helping us make the best wines we can," says Martin. Yangarra Estate, in northern McLaren Vale, takes their land responsibility one step further by using biodynamic techniques, bringing a holistic viewpoint to the vineyards.
Maybe the tender treatment of the soil and old-vine fruit is why McLaren Vale wines rock. Their shiraz and cabernet sauvignon are drinkable upon release, but are also capable of napping for 10 years. The grenache -- which D'Arenberg's Martin calls "the most interesting varietal to work with" -- drinks pretty tasty too. He and several other wineries participate in the "Cadenzia" project -- similar to the Meritage program in California, except using predominantly grenache and 100 percent McLaren Vale fruit. Each vintage, winemakers' efforts are blind-tasted by a professional panel, kinda like Italy and France do for their government wine certifications. A winery can label a bottle Cadenzia if the sample reflects the "typicity" of McLaren Vale grenache. D'Arenberg and Yangarra both make one, and gush vehemently about its potential. So far, I agree.
Perhaps another reason why McLaren Vale wines remain on my radar is their dogged use of screwcaps instead of cork. Some wineries, like D'Arenberg, were reluctant to import screwcapped wine into the United States due to our misinformed prejudice, but as of the 2007 vintage they are cork-free. And Kevin O'Brien, from family-owned Kangarilla Road Winery, uses screwcaps exclusively, no matter what the price point or grape variety. After numerous taste tests, he's convinced they help wines retain freshness and avoid the 10 percent failure rate of corks -- which results in that musty, wet dog taste. Eww.
With passionate stewards and forward-thinking practices like these, I doubt McClaren Vale will ever again descend into the horror of bulk-wine production.
By Taylor Eason
Thursday 9 April 2009
Discover the Fleurieu Way
A brand new GPS system has been introduced to help travellers explore South Australia’s Fleurieu Way.
The first of its kind in Australia, it’s providing self-drive travellers with ‘virtual tour guides’ to help them discover the stunning 235 kms route. It is expected that this system will transform Australian self-drive holidays, providing travellers with an interactive experience that is both entertaining and fun.
Accompanied by a brochure, the GPS package plugs into a car’s cigarette lighter and can be hired from selected visitor information centres. The GPS system offers 20 great reasons to travel the Fleurieu Way, points out places of interest and provides insider tips from locals like Ian Johnson the Cockle Train driver (a steam train that runs along the beach front on the oldest steel-railed railway in Australia); Rebecca Wilson from Bremerton Wines (an award winning winery awarded the accolade of having “Australia’s Best Red”); and Adrian Cox from the horse-drawn tram to Granite Island which has been running for over 100 years.
Highlighted activities include antique-hunting in Strathalbyn, cruising to the mouth of the Murray River or the bird rich wilderness of Coorong National Park, riding the coastal Cockle Train and whale watching along the Encounter Bay coastline.
Discover the Fleurieu Way by Leaonne Hall
The first of its kind in Australia, it’s providing self-drive travellers with ‘virtual tour guides’ to help them discover the stunning 235 kms route. It is expected that this system will transform Australian self-drive holidays, providing travellers with an interactive experience that is both entertaining and fun.
Accompanied by a brochure, the GPS package plugs into a car’s cigarette lighter and can be hired from selected visitor information centres. The GPS system offers 20 great reasons to travel the Fleurieu Way, points out places of interest and provides insider tips from locals like Ian Johnson the Cockle Train driver (a steam train that runs along the beach front on the oldest steel-railed railway in Australia); Rebecca Wilson from Bremerton Wines (an award winning winery awarded the accolade of having “Australia’s Best Red”); and Adrian Cox from the horse-drawn tram to Granite Island which has been running for over 100 years.
Highlighted activities include antique-hunting in Strathalbyn, cruising to the mouth of the Murray River or the bird rich wilderness of Coorong National Park, riding the coastal Cockle Train and whale watching along the Encounter Bay coastline.
Discover the Fleurieu Way by Leaonne Hall
SA vines wither as water rushes out to sea
Derek Cameron does everything he can to protect his 30 acres of grapes in McLaren Vale.
Reliant on mains water, he has invested in a highly efficient irrigation system, but when the heat hits the vines begin to wither. Yet while his and other irrigators’ crops go thirsty, the water that could save them flows out to sea.
The State and Federal Governments have funded a 700 Ml dam for treated waste water storage as a part of the “Waterproofing the South” project.
The dam will be able to supply water to more than 50 per cent of the irrigators in McLaren Vale, helping people like Mr Cameron. This will reduce demand for mains water from the Murray River and help to reduce damage such as the estimated $30 million of crops and subsequent $120 million in wine sales, lost in the February heatwave.
The State Government said the dam should be completed by September this year. However, McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association acting chairman Jock Harvey is demanding the September deadline in writing from the Government.
He said the State Government had previously suggested the dam would be completed by February this year and was gravely concerned that the process was taking too long and jeopardising crops. He said the 700 Ml reclaimed water storage project would protect crops, growers and farmers, reduce polluted outflow to the ocean and increase drinking water to the SA Water network.
“We have water that can save growers and vineyards that is being pumped out to sea,” Mr Harvey said. “There are plenty of people who will seriously struggle without the access to this water.”
The dam will be filled with reclaimed water from the Christies Beach waste water treatment plant.
Mr Harvey said that without confirmation, irrigators still reliant on Murray water and likely to face further water restrictions would be forced to make tough business decisions before next season.
“This year will be even more critical because these growers are quite desperate to find out whether they’ll be able to move across to the treated water,” Mr Harvey said.
“The region is the biggest employer south of Adelaide and the investment in this dam would have significant savings for its whole economy.”
SA Water chief operating officer John Ringham said a contract was awarded last week with preliminary site works starting three days later
MELISSA MACK
Independent Weekly
Reliant on mains water, he has invested in a highly efficient irrigation system, but when the heat hits the vines begin to wither. Yet while his and other irrigators’ crops go thirsty, the water that could save them flows out to sea.
The State and Federal Governments have funded a 700 Ml dam for treated waste water storage as a part of the “Waterproofing the South” project.
The dam will be able to supply water to more than 50 per cent of the irrigators in McLaren Vale, helping people like Mr Cameron. This will reduce demand for mains water from the Murray River and help to reduce damage such as the estimated $30 million of crops and subsequent $120 million in wine sales, lost in the February heatwave.
The State Government said the dam should be completed by September this year. However, McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association acting chairman Jock Harvey is demanding the September deadline in writing from the Government.
He said the State Government had previously suggested the dam would be completed by February this year and was gravely concerned that the process was taking too long and jeopardising crops. He said the 700 Ml reclaimed water storage project would protect crops, growers and farmers, reduce polluted outflow to the ocean and increase drinking water to the SA Water network.
“We have water that can save growers and vineyards that is being pumped out to sea,” Mr Harvey said. “There are plenty of people who will seriously struggle without the access to this water.”
The dam will be filled with reclaimed water from the Christies Beach waste water treatment plant.
Mr Harvey said that without confirmation, irrigators still reliant on Murray water and likely to face further water restrictions would be forced to make tough business decisions before next season.
“This year will be even more critical because these growers are quite desperate to find out whether they’ll be able to move across to the treated water,” Mr Harvey said.
“The region is the biggest employer south of Adelaide and the investment in this dam would have significant savings for its whole economy.”
SA Water chief operating officer John Ringham said a contract was awarded last week with preliminary site works starting three days later
MELISSA MACK
Independent Weekly
Wineries slam SA water authority
SA WATER has been slammed by the drought-gripped McLaren Vale wine industry over a 12-month delay in building the region a promised dam.
The South Australian water authority has been accused of mishandling the project to build a 700-megalitre storage site, which was promised to McLaren Vale in the 2007 federal election and funded by state and federal governments, the Adelaide Advertiser reports.
Former chairman of the McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association Jock Harvey said: "With further water restrictions likely, we're heading from disaster to catastrophe because we're not viewed as important enough to spend $6 million on a dam that can save losses of $120 million annually."
Labor member for Mawson Leon Bignell said SA Water's handling of the project was a "disaster".
"It should have been finished now. South Australians have the right to know what SA Water is doing and if it is capable of running projects," he said.
Mr Harvey said that without vital water security, hundreds of wine industry jobs were placed at risk and many of the region's growers faced the prospect of abandoning their properties.
The region already is reeling from an estimated $30 million in lost fruit that could translate to about $120 million in lost wine sales as a result of February's heatwave.
The dam was promised to store reclaimed water as part of the the "Waterproofing the South" project, and would provide water to 50 per cent of the area's irrigators.
Mr Harvey said many of them have had their mains water allocation cut by 38 per cent and faced further cuts.
"We are gravely concerned (the dam) won't be built by September," he said. "It will affect dozens of growers and hundreds of jobs, possibly thousands."
Growers maintain the dam project should have been finished in February - at the very least before the start of the November irrigation season.
Mr Harvey said South Australian Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald indicated in a meeting in February, 2008, the project would take 12 months. But a spokeswoman for Ms Maywald denied this, saying it would be completed "on time" by the 2009/10 irrigation season.
Mr Harvey said the dam would reduce pollution to Gulf St Vincent, protect the grape and wine industries and return mains drinking water to the SA Water network.
Mr Bignell said he had been lobbying for 18 months to have the dam built and had written to Ms Maywald and Premier Mike Rann seeking answers.
The growers' association has been mobilising its members to lobby for assurances the dam will be filled by November. It says in a letter: "We are gravely concerned that the State Government and SA Water's current timeline for building the 700ML reclaimed water storage at Aldinga poses a grave risk to our livelihoods and the economy of the McLaren Vale region over the next 12 months."
SA Water said it had followed the same process undertaken with all major construction projects.
Chief operating officer John Ringham said in an email that a tender for the dam project was awarded last week and work started three days later.
The South Australian water authority has been accused of mishandling the project to build a 700-megalitre storage site, which was promised to McLaren Vale in the 2007 federal election and funded by state and federal governments, the Adelaide Advertiser reports.
Former chairman of the McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association Jock Harvey said: "With further water restrictions likely, we're heading from disaster to catastrophe because we're not viewed as important enough to spend $6 million on a dam that can save losses of $120 million annually."
Labor member for Mawson Leon Bignell said SA Water's handling of the project was a "disaster".
"It should have been finished now. South Australians have the right to know what SA Water is doing and if it is capable of running projects," he said.
Mr Harvey said that without vital water security, hundreds of wine industry jobs were placed at risk and many of the region's growers faced the prospect of abandoning their properties.
The region already is reeling from an estimated $30 million in lost fruit that could translate to about $120 million in lost wine sales as a result of February's heatwave.
The dam was promised to store reclaimed water as part of the the "Waterproofing the South" project, and would provide water to 50 per cent of the area's irrigators.
Mr Harvey said many of them have had their mains water allocation cut by 38 per cent and faced further cuts.
"We are gravely concerned (the dam) won't be built by September," he said. "It will affect dozens of growers and hundreds of jobs, possibly thousands."
Growers maintain the dam project should have been finished in February - at the very least before the start of the November irrigation season.
Mr Harvey said South Australian Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald indicated in a meeting in February, 2008, the project would take 12 months. But a spokeswoman for Ms Maywald denied this, saying it would be completed "on time" by the 2009/10 irrigation season.
Mr Harvey said the dam would reduce pollution to Gulf St Vincent, protect the grape and wine industries and return mains drinking water to the SA Water network.
Mr Bignell said he had been lobbying for 18 months to have the dam built and had written to Ms Maywald and Premier Mike Rann seeking answers.
The growers' association has been mobilising its members to lobby for assurances the dam will be filled by November. It says in a letter: "We are gravely concerned that the State Government and SA Water's current timeline for building the 700ML reclaimed water storage at Aldinga poses a grave risk to our livelihoods and the economy of the McLaren Vale region over the next 12 months."
SA Water said it had followed the same process undertaken with all major construction projects.
Chief operating officer John Ringham said in an email that a tender for the dam project was awarded last week and work started three days later.
McLaren Vale - Places to See
Hardy's Tintara Winery
In a way this is the emotional centre of the district. Located on the Main Road at the western end of town it is a large complex centred around the old McLaren Vale Flour Mill which dates from 1878.
People wanting to do the rounds of the McLaren Vale wineries could do worse than purchase a copy of 'Wineries of McLaren Vale' which is available at the Hardy Winery in McLaren Vale and which lists, with maps, every one of the wineries in the local area and gives specific details of how to get there, what grapes are grown there, and a history of the owners and the winery.
The Barn
Located in Ellen Street and built in 1870 this building was, for a long time, the main coaching stop in the town.
McLaren Vale Hotel
Located on the Main Road, the McLaren Vale Hotel was built in 1857 and subsequently bought by Thomas Hardy who insisted that, regardless of demands on accommodation, there was always a room available for him.
Congregational Church and Salopian Inn (1854)
The Old Chapel in Willunga Road, McLaren Vale is now used by a range of small cottage industries. The plaque on the outside says 'To honour the memory of the pioneers of McLaren Vale who with dauntless faith held the first church service in the open air in 1840, built the first chapel in 1844, and built this, the first church, in 1861'. It¹s the McLaren Vale Congregational Church and is now occupied by the Art Gallery and L.J. Hooker.
Chapel Hill Winery
Located on the Chapel Hill Road north of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1979 and specialises in dry red and white table wines and dessert ports derived from cabernet, chardonnay, Verdelho and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8429.
Coriole Vineyards
Located on the Chaffeys Road north of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1969 and specialises in dry red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, chenin blanc, sangiovese and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8305.
Kay's Amery Vineyards
Located on Kay's Road, north of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1890 and specialises in full bodied dry reds, white table wines and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, mataro, pinot noir, Merlot, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8211.
d'Arenberg Wines
Located on Osborn Road just north of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1912 and specialises in red and white table wines, sparkling red wine and fortified wine derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, viognier, petit verdot, chardonnay, marsanne, rousanne, sauvignon blanc, grenache, mourvedre, chambourcin and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8206.
Marienberg Wines
Located at 2 Chalk Hill Road just north of McLaren Vale this winery was established in 1966 and specialises in red and white table wines and sparkling and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, semillon, pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 9666.
Hardy's Tintara
Located on the Main Road in McLaren Vale this large and historic winery was established in 1838 and specialises in premium red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Merlot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 9185.
Maxwell Wines
Located on Olivers Road in McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1979 and specialises in red and white table wines and mead (honey wine) derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, merlot, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8200.
Dennis of McLaren Vale
Located on Kangarilla Road in McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1971 and specialises in premium red and white table wines, port and mead derived from cabernet sauvignon, muscat, chardonnay, Merlot, sauvignon blanc, grenache and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8665.
Wirra Wirra Vineyards
Located on McMurtrie Road east of McLaren Vale this historic winery was established in 1894 and specialises in premium red and white table wines, fortified and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, semillon, pinot noir, chardonnay, Merlot, grenache, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8414.
Middlebrook Winery and Restaurant
Located on Sand Road east of McLaren Vale this delightful winery was established in 1947 and specialises in red and white table wines, ports and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, chardonnay, Merlot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0004.
Tinlins Winery
Located on Kangarilla Road east of McLaren Vale this winery was established in 1976 and specialises in red and white table wines, fortified and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, grenache, pedro ximenes, palomino, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8649.
Scarpantoni Estate Wine
Located on Scarpantoni Drive east of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1979 and specialises in premium red and white table wines, fortified and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, gamay, muscat, chardonnay, Merlot, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0186.
Shottesbrooke Vineyards
Located at 1 Bagshaws Road east of McLaren Vale this award winning winery was established in 1984 and specialises in premium dry red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Merlot, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0002.
Kangarilla Road Vineyard & Winery
Located on Kangarilla Road east of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1975 and specialises in red and white table wines and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, chardonnay, Malbec, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc, zinfandel and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0533.
Hugo Wines
Located on Elliot Road at McLaren Flat this small family winery was established in 1982 and specialises in red and white table wines and port derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, grenache, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0098.
Woodstock Winery
Located on Douglas Gully Road at McLaren Flat this family winery was established in 1973 and specialises in premium red and white table wines and port derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, grenache, chardonnay, riesling, Merlot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0156.
Pirramimma Wines
Located on Johnston Road just south of McLaren Vale this well known winery was established in 1892 and specialises in red and white table wines and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, semillon, pinot noir, chardonnay, Merlot, grenache, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8205.
Fox Creek Wines
Located on Malpas Road south of McLaren Vale this boutique winery was established in 1996 and specialises in red and white table wines and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, verdelho, chenin blanc, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8556 2403.
In a way this is the emotional centre of the district. Located on the Main Road at the western end of town it is a large complex centred around the old McLaren Vale Flour Mill which dates from 1878.
People wanting to do the rounds of the McLaren Vale wineries could do worse than purchase a copy of 'Wineries of McLaren Vale' which is available at the Hardy Winery in McLaren Vale and which lists, with maps, every one of the wineries in the local area and gives specific details of how to get there, what grapes are grown there, and a history of the owners and the winery.
The Barn
Located in Ellen Street and built in 1870 this building was, for a long time, the main coaching stop in the town.
McLaren Vale Hotel
Located on the Main Road, the McLaren Vale Hotel was built in 1857 and subsequently bought by Thomas Hardy who insisted that, regardless of demands on accommodation, there was always a room available for him.
Congregational Church and Salopian Inn (1854)
The Old Chapel in Willunga Road, McLaren Vale is now used by a range of small cottage industries. The plaque on the outside says 'To honour the memory of the pioneers of McLaren Vale who with dauntless faith held the first church service in the open air in 1840, built the first chapel in 1844, and built this, the first church, in 1861'. It¹s the McLaren Vale Congregational Church and is now occupied by the Art Gallery and L.J. Hooker.
Chapel Hill Winery
Located on the Chapel Hill Road north of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1979 and specialises in dry red and white table wines and dessert ports derived from cabernet, chardonnay, Verdelho and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8429.
Coriole Vineyards
Located on the Chaffeys Road north of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1969 and specialises in dry red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, chenin blanc, sangiovese and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8305.
Kay's Amery Vineyards
Located on Kay's Road, north of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1890 and specialises in full bodied dry reds, white table wines and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, mataro, pinot noir, Merlot, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8211.
d'Arenberg Wines
Located on Osborn Road just north of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1912 and specialises in red and white table wines, sparkling red wine and fortified wine derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, viognier, petit verdot, chardonnay, marsanne, rousanne, sauvignon blanc, grenache, mourvedre, chambourcin and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8206.
Marienberg Wines
Located at 2 Chalk Hill Road just north of McLaren Vale this winery was established in 1966 and specialises in red and white table wines and sparkling and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, semillon, pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 9666.
Hardy's Tintara
Located on the Main Road in McLaren Vale this large and historic winery was established in 1838 and specialises in premium red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Merlot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 9185.
Maxwell Wines
Located on Olivers Road in McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1979 and specialises in red and white table wines and mead (honey wine) derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, merlot, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8200.
Dennis of McLaren Vale
Located on Kangarilla Road in McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1971 and specialises in premium red and white table wines, port and mead derived from cabernet sauvignon, muscat, chardonnay, Merlot, sauvignon blanc, grenache and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8665.
Wirra Wirra Vineyards
Located on McMurtrie Road east of McLaren Vale this historic winery was established in 1894 and specialises in premium red and white table wines, fortified and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, semillon, pinot noir, chardonnay, Merlot, grenache, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8414.
Middlebrook Winery and Restaurant
Located on Sand Road east of McLaren Vale this delightful winery was established in 1947 and specialises in red and white table wines, ports and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, chardonnay, Merlot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0004.
Tinlins Winery
Located on Kangarilla Road east of McLaren Vale this winery was established in 1976 and specialises in red and white table wines, fortified and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, grenache, pedro ximenes, palomino, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8649.
Scarpantoni Estate Wine
Located on Scarpantoni Drive east of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1979 and specialises in premium red and white table wines, fortified and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, gamay, muscat, chardonnay, Merlot, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0186.
Shottesbrooke Vineyards
Located at 1 Bagshaws Road east of McLaren Vale this award winning winery was established in 1984 and specialises in premium dry red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Merlot, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0002.
Kangarilla Road Vineyard & Winery
Located on Kangarilla Road east of McLaren Vale this family winery was established in 1975 and specialises in red and white table wines and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, chardonnay, Malbec, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc, zinfandel and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0533.
Hugo Wines
Located on Elliot Road at McLaren Flat this small family winery was established in 1982 and specialises in red and white table wines and port derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, grenache, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0098.
Woodstock Winery
Located on Douglas Gully Road at McLaren Flat this family winery was established in 1973 and specialises in premium red and white table wines and port derived from cabernet sauvignon, semillon, grenache, chardonnay, riesling, Merlot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8383 0156.
Pirramimma Wines
Located on Johnston Road just south of McLaren Vale this well known winery was established in 1892 and specialises in red and white table wines and fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, semillon, pinot noir, chardonnay, Merlot, grenache, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8323 8205.
Fox Creek Wines
Located on Malpas Road south of McLaren Vale this boutique winery was established in 1996 and specialises in red and white table wines and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, verdelho, chenin blanc, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8556 2403.
Visitors descend to McLaren Vale primarily for perusing the various wineries in the region, many of which are open daily for tastings. Most wineries are located just a short drive from the town centre.
The town boasts an abundance of food and wine and, being the gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula, it also hosts various tourist attractions ranging from steam train rides to water sports such as diving, boating and surfing as well as fishing, whale and penguin viewing, not to mention a plethora of places to eat and the world-famous Shiraz harvested annually between March and early April.
Other attractions in the area include the Dridan Fine Arts gallery, the Tintara Winery Cellar Door which features the oldest vintage wine bottle in Australia and the century old groves in the Olive Grove.
A walking and cycling track stretches along the old railway line from McLaren Vale to Willunga and provides an ideal way to explore the area and sample its many offerings.
Various tours to McLaren Vale operate out of Adelaide regularly. You can also design your own tours at McLaren Vale itself with suggestions from the boutique wineries and gourmet producers in the region.
The town boasts an abundance of food and wine and, being the gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula, it also hosts various tourist attractions ranging from steam train rides to water sports such as diving, boating and surfing as well as fishing, whale and penguin viewing, not to mention a plethora of places to eat and the world-famous Shiraz harvested annually between March and early April.
Other attractions in the area include the Dridan Fine Arts gallery, the Tintara Winery Cellar Door which features the oldest vintage wine bottle in Australia and the century old groves in the Olive Grove.
A walking and cycling track stretches along the old railway line from McLaren Vale to Willunga and provides an ideal way to explore the area and sample its many offerings.
Various tours to McLaren Vale operate out of Adelaide regularly. You can also design your own tours at McLaren Vale itself with suggestions from the boutique wineries and gourmet producers in the region.
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