Aussie (food) Aussie (wine) Aussie (more wine)

I consider myself a pretty savvy traveller. But Australia is big, and its wine culture deep; and though I had limited myself to Adelaide and surrounds, I wasn’t taking chances with my route. So I enlisted the help of the experts at Tourism Australia to develop a finely-honed itinerary that would have even the best-behaved gourmand salivating uncontrollably.

It began in the coastal town of Glenelg, which is a mere hop, skip and jump from Adelaide’s airport. A light lunch at Salt, a modern bistro and wine bar with views of the local marina, proved a nice introduction to the food and wine marathon I was about to embark on.

But all in good time. First, I took a stroll around the marina and nearby modern loft-style apartments (similar to those along the Thames in London) to look for Jurlique Spa, which promised some much-needed therapy. I found it, and after a massage and 30 minutes of therapeutic bobbing about in the ‘flotation pool’ the symptoms of long-haul travel began to wear off. If only I could do this after every flight!

Ready to tackle Adelaide, I was then driven through suburbs resembling upmarket British suburbia to Adelaide Central Market. They come in all, shapes, sizes and ages here. The purposeful shoppers searching among the profusion of organic digestibles led me to realise I had dropped into the heart of foodie country.

Fruit and vegetables, cheeses, meats, fish, coffee, tea, and an abundance of weird and wonderful sauces, pastes, juices and preserves were begging to be bought. It was just as well that sampling was all part of the experience.

Deli products with mystifying names like ‘native pepper berry balsamic’, ‘lemon myrtle sweet chilly’, and ‘macadamia nut satay’ needed to be tried to be believed. As I was to discover, Adelaide and surrounding Barossa Valley, Adelaide hills and Kangaroo Island are providing the raw materials that have allowed the region to develop an impressive local food culture.

Marc Gleeson, who has been championing local produce for the last 25 years, explained that a constant influx of immigrants from all over the world has helped turn the local attitude to food from dismally uninterested to proudly passionate.

Today, nearly everyone in Adelaide enjoys a thriving and accessible dining culture. Visit the market late on a Friday, and progress to dinner on Gouger St, Adelaide’s dining hub, where seafood restaurants feature famous local Smokey Bay Oysters, and eateries reveal Argentine, Japanese, Thai, Malay and Italian cuisine.

I left Adelaide impressed by the sheer abundance of great food, and I made my way to the Barossa Valley. The Barossa is one of the world’s largest wine producing areas, home to some 400 grape growers. First settled in 1842 by immigrants from England, Germany and Poland, it is now one of Australia’s best-known wine regions (it is home to the famous vintage, Penfolds Grange) and is also supporting a reputation for fine local produce.

The Barossa is home to over 70 vineyards and cellar doors (tasting rooms), so unless you visit with a non-drinker and keen driver you might come to regret renting a car. A good concierge in Adelaide will organise transportation so you can go cellar dooring without worries. The Valley is an hour’s drive from Adelaide, but along the way the landscape gradually changes from red rocks and gum trees to rolling grassy hills and mile after mile of vineyards. The main red grapes grown in the Barossa are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache; the white grape varieties are Riesling, Semillon and Chardonnay.

If you’ve experienced wine tasting in France and worried you’d be shot for not buying a bottle after a ‘free tasting’, then you’ll love wine tasting at Australian vineyards. Here you’re welcomed in laidback, true Aussie style, and if you don’t know your Shiraz from your Pinot Noir, you won’t be laughed off the property; instead, you’ll get to try both. And there’s no pressure to buy.

I started my day with a short visit to Chateau Barossa, a fairly new winery already famed for its grape liqueurs and rose garden, which boasts 30,000 rose bushes. With flavours like Turkish Delight, Butterscotch, Orange and Hazelnut, the grape liqueurs are a must try.

Peter Lehmann Wines was the next stop. Named after one of the leading figures of the Australian wine industry, the sizable cellar door here is set in a relaxing garden – which was all very nice, but I was on a wine mission… I tasted my way through half a dozen wines. Three stood out. For those who think ‘new world’ Riesling is a no-no, think again. The Eden Valley Riesling is a fresh young wine that goes well with seafood, and holds its flavour with Thai and Chinese dishes.

Aussie reds are renowned for their full-bodied humph, and the Stonewell Shiraz doesn’t disappoint, especially with mature cheeses. Most surprising, though, was the sparkling Shiraz, The Black Queen. Sparkling reds are often frowned upon, but this is a winner and a great party starter. I later regretted bringing back only one bottle of it, as it’s only available at Peter Lehmann’s cellar door.

For lunch I stopped at Angaston’s Bar Vinum to sample highly regarded Barossan chef Sandor Palmai’s creations. Chefs like Sandor are making Australian cooking all about seasonality and local produce. His cuisine is expertly prepared and presented in a cottage on an old village square that was once the stationmaster’s home. The food was very, very good, and sommelier Duncan’s wine suggestions were spot on. A few tables away, owner Bob McLean and a group of friends were having their weekly wine tasting session. There were a good 20 bottles at their table.

By Cedric Arnold 

For full article please click here

Courtesy of  lifestyleandtravel.com