Australia | Postcards From Here and There

d’Arenberg Visit

A visit to d’Arenberg in the McLaren Vale is like no other. Arriving at a cellar door anywhere in the world and you kind of know what to expect. There will be a tasting room, sometimes with a view over the vineyards, an opportunity to purchase some wine and maybe a few other souvenirs and the larger establishments may have a cafe or even a restaurant. Now don’t get me wrong d’Arenberg has all this but it also has more, much more and some of of it may just surprise you a little.

The Osborn family have been growing grapes in the McLaren Vale since 1912 and making their own estate wines since 1928. The name d’Arenberg was first used in the late 1950s when Francis d’Arenberg Osborn was in charge of the estate and renamed it after his mothers maiden name. Today the business is run by fourth generation Chester Osborn, a highly innovative winemaker and buisnessman, who has developed the estate to what you see today.

The estate is dominated by the d’Arenberg Cube, opened in 2017 and built to resemble a Rubik’s cube puzzle. Designed by Chester himself it was built to represent the puzzles presented to the winemaker in creating different wines. Built on five levels its where your visit begins and you should aim to spend at least a couple of hours here if you are to enjoy the full experience. The cube with tasting room on the fourth floor is usually open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm and entry is 15AD per person.

Your visit begins with the Alternative Realities Museum located on the ground floor. The tour of the museum is self guided but you can download an app to your phone to aid your experience.

The museum is a fascinating, if a slightly surreal experience and there are some excellent exhibits. The Aroma Room is particularly good and in my view better that the aroma experience in the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux. Take your time and enjoy the experience.

The first floor is given over to bathrooms and the kitchen which prepares food for the Cube Restaurant located on the third floor. The restaurant is normally open Wednesday to Sunday but is currently permanently closed

A additional charge gives you access to the Dali at d’Arenberg exhibition. Salvador Dali is regarded as one of the greatest artists of his generation. On display here are 25 bronze sculptures on loan from the Dali Universe in Switzerland. There are also art works from Charles Billich, Australia’s very own surrealist artist. Admission to the cube plus Dali exhibition is 25 AD and is well worth it.

The tasting room is located on the fourth floor and gives wonderful 360 degree views over the winery and vineyards, strategically placed viewing platforms ensure that you get the best views.

The tasting room is large enough to cater for private groups if you are looking for a special event with some friends. The general tasting counter is nicely proportioned with plenty of space for a large number of small groups.

The Wines

The Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc 2019. From fruit grown in the nearby Adelaide Hills this Sauvignon is fresh, crisp and dry with some lovely lime citrus, a hint of gooseberry and a finish that lingers.

The Dry Dam Riesling 2019. Aromas of lemon, lime and pear is a crisp. clean wine. Slightly off dry in style to balance the acidity.

The Hermit Crab 2018. A blend of Viognier and Marsanne which has seen a small proportion fermented in old French oak. Peach and apricot stone fruits with nice texture.

The Money Spider 2019. 100% Roussanne grown in the McLaren Vale. A wine with lovely weight and balance.The are stone fruits, mango and a hint of warming ginger. the finish is baked apple and spice.

The Lucky Lizard Chardonnay 2017. Fruit from the Adelaide hills was fermented for around seven months in old French oak. The wine is lemon citrus and peach with subtle warming touch of vanilla. Lovely balance and a great finish of almond marzipan.

Stephanie the Gnome with Rose Tinted Glasses 2019. A blend of Sangiovese, Shiraz and Cinsault. Fruit undergoes ten days of carbonic maceration followed by fermentation in stainless steel. A vibrant pink in appearance. Strawberry is king here with masses of red fruit and a hint of dry herbs, crisp and dry.

Peppermint Paddock Chambourcin Graciano NV. Vibrant red/purple in appearance. Intense aroma of cherry. A gentle mousse with lovely fruit.

The Feral Fox Pinot Noir 2018. Cool climate Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills. Delicate cherry and spice aromas give way to a light palate and a nice finish.

d’Arry’s Original 2017. This wine was renamed d’Arry in honour of Francis d’Arenberg Osborn who did much to grow the company and was known to all as d’Arry. The wine is a blend of Shiraz and Grenache both grown in the McLaren Vale. After an initial period in open fermenters the wine is transferred to a mixture of new and old French oak to complete fermentation. the wine ages on lees and there is no fining or filtration. The wine is soft and round with lovely red fruits and a spicy/peppery finish. Good value for money.

The Sticks & Stones 2015. A Tempranillo blend also containing Grenache, Tinto Cão and Souzão. This is a big, bold wine bursting red and black fruits. Has the structure to last for a good few years.

The Cenosilicaphobic Cat 2013. Cenosilicaphobia is the fear of an empty glass, something I’m sure we have all experienced at some time or another! The cat in question belonged to Chester Osborn and it developed a taste for red wine which of course had to be denied. The wine is a blend of Sagrantino and Cinsault which are vinified separately, completing fermentation in a mixture of old French and American oak. The wine does not undergo fining or filtration. With a bit of age the wine is soft and round with lovely savoury fruit and great concentration.

The Galvo Garage 2014. A Cabernet blend which has spent eighteen months in French oak. The wine hs a lovely depth of colour and lots of blackcurrant and plum. It has great mouthfeel and is drinking very well. It has a delightful touch of mint on the finish.

The Laughing Magpie 2015. A blend of Shiraz and Viognier which are co fermented. This is a wine that will benefit from a few more years of bottle age. It has great colour with dark, savoury berry fruit and delicate touch of b lack pepper.

The Ironstone Pressings 2016. A classic blend of Grenache (70%), Shiraz (25%) and Mourvedre (5%) from old vines some of which were planted over 100 years ago. The nose is complex, savoury dark fruits. A brooding giant with lovely rich fruit, great structure and a lingering finish.

The Dead Arm 2016. Classic McLaren Vale old vine Shiraz. Deep, dark an d complex with rich spicy fruit. Great texture and balance with the potential to live on and on. Beautiful wine.

The Amaranthine. Single Vineyard Shiraz 2012. From a vineyard planted in 1968, the wine has spent 20 months in old French barriques. Dark fruits, complex, savoury, spicy with a hint of cooling mint. Perfectly balanced and with great potential.

The Other Side. Single Vineyard Shiraz 2012. From a vineyard planted in 1916 which is at a higher elevation than Amaranthine and so is cooler. Not as expressive as Amaranthine but with great concentration. Big, meaty and savoury. When the tannins soften a little this will be yet another fantastic wine.

The Derelict Vineyard. 2018. Old bush vine Grenache from vineyards that once were abandoned hence the name. Soft red fruits with lovely peppery spice. A wine that is so drinkable now.

The Derelict Vineyard 2010. Lovely mature appearance and nose. Palate is complex with red fruits and a delicious savoury core. Lovely stuff.

The Blewitt Springs Grenache 2010. Made with fruit from three vineyards. Soft red fruit and blueberry, the wine is mature and ethereal. It has elegance and complexity with a nice hint of violet perfume. Excellent.

The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana 2017. A blend of Semillon (95%) and Sauvignon Blanc (5%). With 135g/l residual sugar this wine is very appealing with tropical aromas of passion fruit. Nicely balanced on the plate and a nice hint of orange on the finish.

The Noble Mud Pie 2017. A blend of Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Pinot Gris. It has 155g/l residual sugar but has lovely balance and freshness. Tropical fruits and lemon and a long lingering finish.

Once you have completed your visit to the Cube it is worth spending a little time in the sculpture garden or maybe even a visit to the Verandah restaurant. If you have purchased any wine during your tasting you will need to collect it from The Stables wine store close to the car park.

Visiting the McLaren Vale

The McLaren Vale wine region is located on the Fleureu Peninsula, some 38Km south of Adelaide in South Australia. The vineyards are entered around the towns of McLaren Vale, which is quite modern and has a good range of shops, and Wilunga, which is smaller and a little quainter. There is an excellent tourist information office located on the outskirts of McLaren Vale (796 Main Road) where you can pick up an excellent map showing the location of cellar doors as well as lots of other useful details for a stay in the area.

McLaren Vale Wine Facts

The area was named after either David McLaren, a businessman, or John McLaren, a land surveyor, who were both in the area in the mid nineteenth century.
It is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions with vines first planted in 1838 and the region has remained free of Phylloxera.
There are now 7324 hectares under vine
It has a Mediterranean climate with four distinct seasons and typified by long warms days and short cool nights.
There are many different soil types in the region and this contributes to why such a range of wines can be produced here.
There are no recognised sub regions but some say Blewitt Springs would be a likely contender should any be created.
It is perhaps best known for Shiraz and this grape makes up over half the plantings though Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache are also very important.
There are 110 wineries and 65 cellar doors

With so many cellar doors open it certainly pays to have a plan, particularly if you only have a short time to visit. We spent three days in the area and combined wine tasting with things such as visiting the excellent nearby beaches. If you only have time for a single visit go to d’Arenberg, it is unlike any other cellar door I have ever visited and they have a very comprehensive range of wines which should give you a good idea about the wines that can be produced in the region. It is also much more than just a cellar door with an art gallery and a somewhat eccentric museum of sorts. You won’t be disappointed if you visit, just leave yourself enough time to take it all in. I would suggest at least a couple of hours. I have a separate post about d’Arenberg here.

From d’Arenberg there are lots of options for visits, this was our itinerary.

S. C. Pannell. (60 Olivers Road). Open seven days a week from 11am to 5pm. The tasting room overlooks the vines and is a pleasant environment for sampling some rather nice wines. We particularly enjoyed the 2017 Clarendon Hills Grenache and the 2017 The Vale Shiraz/Grenache.

Alpha Box and Dice. (8 Olivers Road). Open seven days a week from 11am to 5pm from Monday to Friday and 10am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Winemaker Sam Berketa makes characterful and interesting wines which use minimum intervention to get a true expression of each variety. They have embarked on producing an alphabet of wine with each letter representing a separate wine making project. We enjoyed the 2019 Rebel Rebel Montepulciano from vineyards in Langhorne Creek and produced without fining or filtration to produced a very drinkable wine laden with cherry fruit. The Lazarus NV Ripasso from South Australia was also rather fine. Tatings take place in a relaxed and eclectic setting. Well worth a visit if you enjoy the natural side of winemaking.

Coriole Vineyards. (Chaffeys Road). Open 11am to 4pm from Monday to Friday and 11am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Located a short drive along a track from the main road, Coriole looks the very part of an English country garden with a restaurant and deli in addition to the tasting room.

The Chenin Blancs are very good here, especially the 2016 Optimists Reserve but the star of the tasting was the 2010 Mary Kathleen Reserve Cabernet/Merlot, a lovely expression of the McLaren Vale with mature dark berry and plummy fruit.

Chapel Hill Winery. (Chapel Hill Road & Chaffeys Road). Open seven days a week from 11am to 5pm. Just a short drive from Coriole, turn left on leaving and then right to Chapel Hill. A very popular destination and a lovely relaxed tasting room despite how busy it was. A nice range of wines available for tasting including a rather fine Gorge Block Chardonnay 2018 with lovely texture and great finish. From the reds we particularly enjoyed the 1897 Grenache 2018 and the Road Block Shiraz 2017.

I have always been a lover of Grenache, if its from old bush vines even better. There is lots of Grenache available in the McLaren Vale but to sample it at its best requires a short 2o minute drive from the town of McLaren Vale to Yangarra (809 McLaren Flat Road). It’s a little way out from the main concentration of wineries and cellar doors, located as it is in Blewitt Springs, but it is well worth the effort. The wines here were excellent and I will post a separate article about our visit here shortly. The 2015 High Sands Grenache was the star of the show with cherry, violets and a beguiling complexity. Yangarra is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 5pm.

Our final visit was to Battle of Bosworth wines (Gaffney Road). The cellar door is open seven days a week from 11am to 5pm. Located close to the quaint, small town of Willunga, just south of McLaren Vale, we called in late on a Friday afternoon after spending a few hours on nearby Sellicks Beach. Despite the late hour we could not have been made more welcome and were offered a comprehensive tasting of wines including those from Spring Seed and the Springs Road estate which is located on Kangaroo Island. We loved the Puritan Shiraz 2019, so named because it is made preservative free, and the 2016 White Boar Shiraz.

If you are fortunate enough to be in the area on a weekend don’t miss the Willunga Farmers Market, held in the centre of town every Saturday from 8am to 12.30pm. It is a lovely little market with some fantastic produce on offer and is very popular with locals and visitors alike. Get there early for the greatest choice. The town is well worth spending some time in, it has an excellent selection of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.

Gordon River Cruise

The Gordon River is located in south western Tasmania, flowing from the central highlands into Mcquarie Harbour, it is a wilderness area protected by law and one of the best ways to see the area is by boat.

Cruises operate from the town of Strahan (pronounced Strawn) which is on the northern shore of Macquarie Harbour. We went with Gordon River Cruises who operate from an office on The Esplanade. Check in opens at 8am and the boat sails at 8.30, you can book in advance via their website and this is probably best for the busy summer months. The cruise lasts for 6 hours and lunch on board is included in the ticket price. There is also a small cafe bar where you can purchase coffee and snacks. The boat is a 190 seater catamaran called the Spirit of the Wild.

Seating onboard is spacious and comfortable, If you choose to remain inside the views are good thanks to the huge glass windows. There are external viewing decks for those that want to spend a little time outside.

The cruise is actually split into three parts. The first is a trip across the harbour to the narrow opening with the Southern Ocean called Hells Gate. A notoriously difficult area to navigate due to shallow water and currents you can see the remains of the breakwater that was built at the beginning of the twentieth century to improve the entrance and exit to the harbour. Bonnet Island is a small island at the entrance to the harbour upon which was built a lighthouse.

Returning from Hells gate across the harbour towards the mouth of the Gordon River you pass some of the fish farms which are permitted in the parts of the harbour which are outside the designated wilderness area.

As you enter the mouth of the river the captain switches from traditional engines to an electric motor giving a much quieter journey up the river and enabling you to enjoy the magnificent scenery in peaceful tranquility.

The temperate rainforest is dense and lush but surprisingly quiet. The Huon Pine was once king here but logging for its highly valued timber reduced numbers significantly until its cessation. They are some of the longest lived living things with some found is Tasmania estimated to be over 10,000 years old.

The boat docks at Heritage Landing where a boardwalk has been built to take you on a short circular walk through the forest. It really is a most amazing place, a vulnerable ecosystem which must be preserved for the future.

From Heritage Landing the boat heads back downstream as this is the farthest that lane boats can travel.

As you enter back into Macquarie Harbour the main engines are re-engaged and you set course for Sarah Island, the final part of the cruise.

For eleven years between 1822 and 1833 Sarah Island housed the toughest penal colony in Australia. If you caused trouble in other colonies you were sent here, if you escaped and were recaptured you were sent here. Isolated in Macquarie Harbour escape from here was virtually impossible.

You spend about an hour here and are taken round by a Ranger who gives a very informative and entertaining commentary as you walk around what remains of the site. Considering its location, exposure to the elements and age the buildings are quite well preserved. You cab still see the remains of the bread oven in what would have been the camp bakery.

The tour ends back at the landing stage and you board the boat for the three quarters of an hours cruise back to Strahan, arriving back at around 2.30. A great trip and well worth doing if you are lucky enough to visit this wonderful part of Tasmania.