Presenting a series of Sunday's showcasing the stories from Wine, Beer & Spirits of the Fleurieu.

These are reproduced with permission from Soul Publishing and Rojina Duval.

These stories feature prominent farmers, fishermen, producers and chefs – from Port Noarlunga to Cape Jervis – along with their favourite recipes and tips. Enjoy!

CORIOLE

As you drive up the long, windy driveway to Coriole, you're reminded of just how Mediterranean the McLaren Vale environment is. Coriole itself is like a little slice of Italy. It’s beautiful in whichever direction you look, from the rolling vineyards in the foreground to the Willunga Hills in the south and all the way across to the ocean.

The lovely cottage gardens, initially planted by Molly Lloyd in the 1970s and now cared for by daughter Ann Wilson, surround the restaurant and cellar door, and the colours and scents are intoxicating.

Members of the Lloyd family are scattered around Coriole on any given day – senior winemaker Duncan Lloyd; Mark – Duncan’s father and Coriole owner; Paul, his uncle; third-generation family member, Peter Lloyd, who has recently taken over from his father Mark as general manager of Coriole Vineyards. Mark continues as a business advisor – he’s not quite ready to retire just yet!

The Lloyds make you feel like you are part of the family – as if you have simply been invited to their home to enjoy some good food and wine. Mark Lloyd enjoys doing a few shifts in cellar door and is often visiting to meet with customers.

Duncan works with over twenty different varieties, grown across four family vineyards, and is passionate about capturing each variety to show its greatest varietal expression.

“The blending is really done in the vineyard to ensure we get the right balance of fruit, structure and acidity, while keeping things simple in the winery,” says Duncan.

“There is a great joy in bringing wines to life that the whole family has had input into. For years we’ve had lively debates around the dinner table on different varieties and wine styles.

“Without the family contribution, we wouldn’t have products such as our dry aperitif-style prosecco or experimental small batch wines such as our Montimaro (a co-ferment of montepulciano, barbera, negroamaro and sangiovese).

“It really is a great way to keep pushing the boundaries and sharing these new wines over the next meal,” says Duncan.

In 2017, Mark Lloyd was awarded the Len Evans Award for Leadership by Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine; and in 2019, Coriole celebrated 50 years of family business.

CELLAR DOOR

“Our cellar door is located in an old ironstone barn built in 1860. We offer a range of wines for tasting, from our well-known and loved estate grown wines to new and alternative varieties which the family has pioneered in Australia, such as fiano and piquepoul. We even offer tastings of our Lloyd Reserve Shiraz which is made from 100-year-old vines.

“We offer a traditional cellar door experience, with passion and commitment to our wines. Our customer service philosophy is to be warm and welcoming, and our staff shows genuine pride in not only the wines but the whole region.

“Our cellar door also showcases a selection of local food produce and cheeses produced by our family’s sister company, Woodside Cheese Wrights.” 

PAIRING

“Our 2018 Sangiovese pairs beautifully with a mixed mushroom risotto – or for a late afternoon tipple, team with cured meats and pickled vegetables.” 

ADDRESS Chaffeys Road, McLaren Vale

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