Down under travelling

One cannot come to Adelaide and not take a tour of the wineries. Well, there are so many that unless you settle in for a good long visit, you’d never visit even half.

Though hot much of the year, and parched much of the time, somehow the vines manage to flourish and produce enough grapes for a variety of wines.

Not renting a car and making our own way around, we took yet another tour. The last!

Found one that would pick us up on Glenelg where we were staying, which was convenient. Just 13 of us, so a more intimate group and we all got along and enjoyed the stops and got to know one another a little. Two couples from Singapore. 4 ladies from the Gold Coast/ Brisbane. One couple from New Zealand and a Lady from Sydney who was headed to a house she had just south of here on a Kangaroo island. (Another tour we could have taken but expensive and a long drive…)

The winery we started with was a small one. Nearly wiped out by a fire some years ago, and then flood and drought and Covid put them at the edge of closing their doors.

Interesting to know that Penfolds winery, one of the larger and more well known here and abroad actually helped them out. Bought an old fire station for them to adapt and use and monetarily as insurance covered less than half the damage.

Kersbrook (Kers being the Dutch for cherries) was the name and we tried a number of white and red wines. One we had never tried before is a sparkling red made in this instance with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Quite unexpectedly lovely. Also a Pinot blanc which we enjoyed.

Next stop was Chateau Dorrien Winery

Interesting buildings and wines were enjoyable. They also produce mead. We tried one with spices, warmed. Best I’ve tried. England is quite well known for that and ciders.

We made a stop at Maggie’s Beer farm shop. Quite famous here for her cooking, herbs and spices and preserves as well as a number of different alcoholic beverages. We eyed a lemoncello but it was quite costly for the size of bottle and then we are having to be mindful of the space in our suitcases…

Kies winery was next as well as lunch in their cafe. We were given the menu while on the bus and our tour guide Wazza phoned ahead with our order so it was ready for us when we arrived.

I think most people were happy with their choices. Ken chose fish and chips and I was happy to find chicken breast with a salad. Fancy salad with monkey nuts, small pieces of ham and cheeses and the chicken breast was smoked. Lovely flavours. No pics…. Sorry.

There was a wine tasting after and another sparkling red. By this time I was not really tasting but a few purchases were made and overall I think the wines were enjoyed.

Quite a spectacular winery was last. The buildings and gardens rivalling Napa.

Several of us wandered the room reading the history and the grounds taking pictures and finding a cooler spot in the shade, as it had become quite hot by afternoon.

Ken enjoyed learning about their wines and tasting a few but the costs were more than we were willing to pay. Especially as we are headed back to wine country in BC. Wine regions being quite protective of their wines, very little can be brought in.

Last but not least, everyone was quite hot so a stop at a chocolate factory was just what we needed. Ice cream was bought and devoured along with chocolate bars for later….

By then it was over 30c and we were all tied and ready to be in the bus with AC on and head off back to our hotels.

From the flat land around Melbourne the hilly area around Adelaide was interesting to see.

Even saw a few kangaroos lying around near the road under the trees. guess they were hot too.