Tags
lloyd brothers, mclaren vale, oliver's tarrunga, settlement vineyards, tastings, wine, wirra wirra vineyards
I am settling into Adelaide well, and found share accommodation between the city and my new school. My new housemates have been kind enough to let me tag along with them to see McLaren Vale. McLaren Vale is about an hour drive south of Adelaide and is known for their reds from Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. The popular whites are Chardonnay, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. On our visit, the tasting rooms were not very busy, since it was a Wednesday afternoon in the middle of winter.
My housemates make wonderful soaps using olive oil from the olive grove at Lloyd Brothers and were going in the area to make a deliver some finished soaps to the winery. After tasting Lloyd Brothers’ wines and olive oils, we visited a number of other wineries. At Oliver’s Tarranga Vineyards, we tasted a crisp and delightful Fiano, priced comparably to Fianos I’ve had from Italy. A champagne style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Brut at Settlement Wines was a perfect way to start their lineup. After a lackluster lunch at Vasarelli’s, we found ourselves in front of Wirra Wirra Vineyards and its giant cork bottle sculpture (above). This obviously was the biggest winery we’d visited today. The Shiraz was superb, but the whites were very disappointing.
As the sun was starting to set, the designated driver was getting restless, and it was time to head home. All along the way we could spot sheep, cattle, horses, alpacas, kangaroos and cockateels. With gumtrees lining every vineyard, the scenery is irresistible. All the tastings were complimentary, which is a welcome change from the wineries in America. With over 75 cellar doors, McLaren Vale definitely warrants repeated visits.
