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!

For the Curtis family, making wine and growing grapes stretches back to central Italy and the fifteenth century – selling to major city merchants in Naples and Rome, after Paolo Curtis received a parcel of land by cardinal decree in 1499. The name Curtis is thought to derive from Curtius, a noble family from the Roman Empire era.

“My grandparents and dad came over to Australia in 1956, looking for better opportunities, the Second World War having had a devastating effect on their Italian vineyards,” says Mark Curtis, managing director of Curtis Family Vineyards.

“Early life in Australia was hard work, with my grandparents sharing farming land, growing vegetables to sell to market. Eventually, they were able to save enough money to buy their own dairy farm near Myponga, which is still in business to this day. In 1970, they purchased a block of land near the McLaren Vale township where they planted vines straight away. Three years later, in 1973, we had our first harvest in McLaren Vale.”

In 2009, Mark – along with his brother Thomas and sister Jenna Zohar – took over the management of the Curtis Family Vineyards operations. Since then the winery has been under constant construction upgrades to compensate for growth in wine sales, all under what is now the fourth generation of family stewardship.

“Growing up in the industry I was very lucky to be exposed to vineyards and wine at a very young age,” says Mark. “Many a school holiday was spent pruning vines, seeding crops, picking grapes and spending time in the winery during vintage. It was great fun and there was always something new to learn – eventually, it all became second nature.”

PAIRING “Our Curtis Limited Series McLaren Vale Grenache 2016 is best paired with chilli rubbed flank steak with white polenta.”

CELLAR DOOR “Our new tasting room and cellar door showcase our vast portfolio of award winning wines. We can also accommodate bespoke events such as weddings and the McLaren Vale Sea & Vines Festival. Tastings and functions by appointment.”

ADDRESS: 514 Victor Harbor Road, McLaren Vale

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