Australia: McLaren Vale

When we told people we were going to Australia, they assumed we were going to Sydney. “No,” we replied. “Oh! Melbourne?” They asked, mildly surprised. “Still no,” we said, starting to get a little embarrassed. Perth was usually the final guess, posed with much incredulity. And when we still answered in the negative, we got bewildered looks. “We’re going to Adelaide!” I would smile happily, ready for the regular response: “WHY?!?”

Adelaide is smack dab in the middle of Australia’s premier wine regions. It is surrounded by Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, the Adelaide Hills, and McLaren Vale. Like the rest of the region, they trend more toward the Burgundian varietals, but while The Barossa is known best for their Shiraz, McLaren Vale excels at Grenache.

We made three stops in McLaren Vale: Wirra Wirra, D’Arenberg, and Chapel Hill.

Wirra Wirra

Wirra Wirra was our first winery stop in Australia, and I don’t think we could have picked a better winery. First, the entire place is surrounded by eucalyptus, a taste and smell we got to know intimately during our time in South Australia. And the staff were amazingly pleasant and hospitable. Even though they were busy preparing for a club event later that day, they taught us about bush vines (usually grenache that is allowed to grow wild and makes these funny circle shapes) and wild fermentation (whereby no yeast is added). They also told us the story of the trebuchet in the front yard and how each wine is named after a part of the winery’s history.

There’s a sign as you enter the tasting room that reads: “Never give misery an even break nor bad wine a second sip. You must be serious about quality, dedicated to your task in like—especially winemaking—but this should all be fun.” -Gregg Trott

This may be my new motto.

We liked pretty much everything we tasted here but our favorites were the Hiding Champion Sauvignon Blanc (a tropical sipping wine) and the Catapult Shiraz (baking spices and red fruit). All of the Flagship wines, including the RSW Shiraz, which we’ll be drinking at Thanksgiving this year, could withstand 15 years of aging.

d’Arenberg

First thing we have to talk about is “the cube.” You’re just driving through wine country, nothing but fields of canola oil and vineyards and then suddenly you come across this monument to modern art. While the top level is their tasting room, the first two levels are an immersive Salvador Dali museum. The middle two levels are a restaurant and its kitchen.

Unlike tasting rooms in Northern California, many Australian cellar doors come with restaurants attached. Such was the case with d’Arenberg. We decided to forego a regular tasting, and instead opted for the (3-hour) degustation menu. And I’m so glad we did.

We did three such menus while in Adelaide and this was the best overall experience. Each course was inventive and paired perfectly with one of d’Arenberg’s wide selection of wines. As a Carroll-devotee, I adored the “drink me” amuse bouche while my husband loved the DIY pesto.

My new favorite word :D

Chapel Hill Winery

Chapel Hill was not only a great place to stop and taste, but it was also another architectural marvel. Unlike the cube, which is grand and over-the-top, Chapel Hill is quieter. It’s a restored chapel complete with beautiful stone work and stained glass. There are also gorgeous modern editions. All the wines were lovely but we weren’t particularly taken by any of them. Perhaps we were still in a food coma?