The magnificent McLaren Vale wine region is just 45 minutes from The Playford, home to over 70 superb vineyards. It is internationally renowned for the wine it produces with its pride and joy, Shiraz, the actual centre of attention. The region has a debatable naming heritage. It was either named after David McLaren, the Colonial Manager of the South Australian Company, or John McLaren, who surveyed the area in 1839.
Among the very first settlers in the region were two English farmers from Devon, William Colton and Charles Thomas Hewitt. William Colton established the Daringa Farm and Charles Hewitt, Oxenberry Farm. Both men would prove to be prominent figures in the early days of McLaren Vale.
The first winemakers to plant grapes were two of Australia’s most famous and enduring winemakers, John Reynell and Thomas Hardy. Some of their vines are still producing wines 100 years later. Today, there are over eighty-eight cellar doors, mostly small family-run operations and boutique wineries.
The McLaren Vale region is famous for its dry red wines from Shiraz, Grenache, and Mourvedre. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are other varieties that are also grown. White wines in the region include Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. Shiraz, the grape, is by far the most important variety for the region, accounting for about 50% of the total crush. The area’s thin soils, limited water, and warm summers harness Shiraz’s natural vigour and produce intensely flavoured fruit. The wine consistently exhibits a deep purple colour in the bottle that can last decades.
McLaren Vale has many superb vineyards to visit where you can relax and savour the best they offer. Let’s pick a few that might take your fancy. Take D’Arenberg’s cellar door, for instance. Set on a hilltop in a nineteenth-century homestead, it’s a great place to take in the view. You might also like to dine at d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant. You couldn’t imagine a better place to tuck into sublime food and taste fine wines. At Coriole Vineyard’s cellar door, you’ll find yourself in an old ironstone barn. After sampling a few top wines, you can enjoy a great lunch in the courtyard if you feel hungry.
At Penny Hill, it’s all casual farm charm. You can sit on the couches inside or soak up the sun on a deck chair. Try Shiraz, Merlot, or Chardonnay. Then, you can meet the Rhode Island Red Chickens and black-faced Suffolk sheep. Play petanque on the lawn while tasting the delightful wines and eating tapas. Wirra Wirra is one of the country’s grand old names, with a country-wide range of vintages and exclusive volume releases at its cellar door. If you venture to Chapel Hill, you can take panoramas of the Onkaparinga Valley. If you’re a beer lover, you can’t go past the Red Poles Restaurant and Gallery. Local craft cider producer McLaren Vale Beer Company holds tastings of their award-winning range. The Goodieson Brewery is another local favourite, producing superb pale ale, stout, and wheat beer.
With so many cellar doors, refined foods, and glorious veins, the McLaren Vale region is at the top of any travel agenda when you come to Adelaide. And it’s just a short drive from Mitford. And don’t worry—should you want to do some of the extraordinary wines you have just discovered, there is plenty to be enjoyed from the wine list at The Playford Restaurant, a “Two Glass Winner” in the Gourmet “Traveller Wine L” St. of the Year Awards 2014. Book your stay in Australia’s most awarded boutique and enjoy Adelaide’s offers.
