South Australia | Postcards From Here and There

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.

Kokonut at Bunch

Yetti and the Kokonut are the nicknames of David Geyer and Koen Janssens who together make some fabulous wines in South Australia. I have previously written about their wines from the 2018 vintage, you can read it here. Last Sunday evening, at Bunch Natural Wine Bar in Liverpool Koen was showcasing some of the wines from the recent 2019 vintage.

Fruit Basket 2019, Eden Valley. Fruit comes from a 90 year old single block of vines in the Eden Valley which contains 13-15 different varieties. The relative proportion in the vineyard is unknown and the block is harvested and vinified all together. For the 2019 Fruit Basket they tried something different and vinified small batches separately in the hope of giving some personal identity to the wine. The wine saw 10 days skin contact and has a feint blush. It has lovely texture and balance. Peachy, floral, perfumed, with some dried herbs, there is an awful lot going on here and this is what I like about this wine, every sip brings something new. The finish is dry with a delightful floral perfume. As a result of the drought in South Australia production is 70% down on last year. Get it while you can.

Metro Savagnin 2019, McLaren Vale. The story of Savagnin in Australia in an interesting one. DNA tests conducted in 2009 on Albarino confirmed what had been suspected, it wasn’t Albarino at all but was Savagnin. So the Savagnin growing in Australia is there because of a mistake and what a beneficial one it has proved to be for Yetti & the Kokonut. They farm a vineyard of Savignan, harvest it all at the same time and then vinify in different ways. Metro is a new wine which was vinified in two separate batches, in one it was 100% whole bunch in the other 50% destemmed with 50% whole bunch on top. The resulting wine has a lovely freshness with lots of citrus, pear and stone fruit. It is well balanced and has a delightful delicate finish. It’s refreshing and very drinkable. A very versatile wine.

Mount Savagnin 2019, McLaren Vale. The same vineyard as Metro but this wine was made in a much larger wooden vat holding around 3000 litres. There is some delicacy here with lovely pear and lime and a texture that makes this very drinkable. The wine is not out there shouting about itself, it just quietly gets on with delivering a very nice glass. Very much in its youth and lovely for drinking now.

Mount Savagnin 2017, McLaren Vale. An interesting comparison with the recent release and a much more serious wine. It has the fruit of the 2019 but has also developed a nuttiness and complexity which makes it a wine for contemplative drinking. Great balance and a lovely freshness to the finish.

B’rosé 2019, McLaren Vale. This years wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc, red Semillon and Verdello. Noticeably absent is Gewurtztraminer which has added real fragrance and spice to previous vintages. Unfortunately the Gewurtz wine picked up an infection and was spoiled hence its absence. Despite the problems this is still very good. A fruit forward wine with masses of red berry fruit, a great texture and real character. This is a wine that demands some serious attention, preferably sat in the warm sunshine. As winter approaches perhaps we could drink it to bring a little sunshine into our lives. I really hope so.

Yetti & the Kokonut

In the depths of winter, it’s rather cold and snowing lightly as I type, its good to come across wines that bring a smile to your face and remind you of the heady days of summer. Such are the wines from Yetti & the Kokonut, the nicknames of founders David Geyer and Koen Janssens, who are creating innovative, characterful and beautiful textured wines from the warmth of South Australia. Their philosophy couldn’t be simpler, great wines begin in the vineyard and couple this with respectful treatment in the winery and you are going to make wines that people will enjoy and come back for more. David and Koen began their business in 2015 and it’s is still very much in its infancy but the wines they are producing are growing up quickly. From this tasting the 2018s are looking very good and are well worth investigating.

I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover or a wine by its label but you can’t help but admire the labels on these wines. Colourful, humorous and giving every indication that the wine here is worth your time.

Pet Nat. A blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier. There is a gentle aroma of tarragon about this wine which has a gentle mousse and lovely texture. The acidity is held in check here and the bottle fermentation gives a roundness which makes it very drinkable indeed. As it opens a little in glass there are further hints of almonds and apple.

Pet Nat
Fruit Basket

Fruit Basket 2018. From a 95 year old block in the Eden Valley which contains 13 different grape varieties. Destemmed and then with five days skin contact. Aged in a large wooden vat with a small percentage in small barrels. This is a fruit salad in a glass. You name it it’s here apple, pear, melon. peach, pineapple, elderflower etc. It reveals something different with each mouthful. Cooling, refreshing and very drinkable. What’s not to like!

Savignan. 2018. From the Adelaide Hills and coming in at only 10.4% alcohol, this is a wine for drinking in the sun or to remind you of sunnier days. Aromas of lemon, pear and an almond nuttiness. The palate is dry with nice texture, balance and a lovely lemony finish. Delightful.

Savagnin
Mount Savagnin

Mount Savagnin 2018. Savagnin this time from the McLaren Vale. Grapes had a five day cold soak before pressing. Medium bodied and with nice concentration and texture. Lemon with stone fruit and a touch of tropical fruit. The finish is long.

El Doradillo 2018. The Doradillo grape originates from Spain can mainly be found in the Riverland region of South Australia. This example originates from the Southern Barossa and is delightful. An element of skin contact has produced a wine which bursts with stone fruits and a gentle hint of peppery spice. Low in alcohol and with lovely texture.

El Doradillo
B’Rose

B’Rose 2018. 70% Gewurtztraminer, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Grenache. A higher proportion of Gewurtztraminer than in the previous vintage and it shows. The palate here is red fruit with delicate rose petal and a touch of spice. A serious rosé but easy to drink and with real character. On first tasting the nose was very much of burnt match but this dissipates with aeration and did not spoil the overall wine.