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!

Dowie Doole is the story of two terroirs and time. Its estate vineyards are located in two of McLaren Vale’s most sought-after and unique terroirs: the sandy soils of Blewitt Springs and the ancient rocks of Tatachilla.

Dowie Doole was founded in 1995 by two great mates – Drew Dowie and Norm Doole. Drew had a vineyard in Blewitt Springs and Norm had one in Tatachilla. So while talking over a few glasses of wine, they concluded that each of these unique terroirs had strengths for different varieties – and could also be blended together to add complexity. Essentially a partnership of the two terroirs would allow the winemaking to use the strengths of each to craft unique world-class wines.

In 2015, winemaker Chris Thomas and a group of likeminded wine enthusiasts purchased the winery and estate vineyards to continue the Dowie Doole story.

Chris Thomas, chief winemaker and managing director of Dowie Doole, has a passion for McLaren Vale and the diversity of the varietals in the region, especially grenache.

Chris produces elegant fruit-driven wines, encapsulating the essence of the vineyards in which they were grown and the vintage in which they were produced.

“I look at it as capturing the grape’s sense of place in a bottle,” says Chris, who describes himself as a person who “thinks outside the box and loves to fly the flag for Australian wine.

“McLaren Vale is such an amazing place to grow grapes,” he says. “It has incredibly diverse geology, and a unique climate. Being so close to the ocean gives it a maritime influence, like the Mediterranean. And with so many soil types, it is such an interesting place to make wine. It is the creative side of winemaking, crafting expression of these terroirs, that I love.

“I also love the social side of my role, getting to meet new people, sharing the story of Dowie Doole, our wines and McLaren Vale.

“It is such a beautiful environment to work in, so close to both the beach and the hills, with an ever-evolving vista from season to season.” 

CELLAR DOOR

“The Dowie Doole Tasting Pod opened in Spring 2019 at our California Road estate vineyard. Four shipping containers have been fitted out to give a refined tasting experience in a raw environment.

“Our tasting flight gives guests the chance to sample wines from our portfolio, from the Estate Range through to our Reserve Range, and also cellar-door exclusive wines. With multiple flight options, visitors will find something to enjoy.

“If you can’t make it to the beautiful Fleurieu, you can now order our immersive at-home tasting pack offering an essence of the Tasting Pod experience at home. This innovation, started during COVID, has been incredibly popular and as such, it remains part of the Dowie Doole offering.” 

PAIRING

“Dowie Doole’s G&T Grenache and Tempranillo blend showcases the best of McLaren Vale’s Mediterranean climate, with lifted grenache fruit on the nose and tempranillo’s chalky tannin lines. This expressive, fruit driven wine is super food-friendly. Being an Australian twist on a traditional Spanish red blend, it is particularly well suited to tapas style dishes.” 

ADDRESS: 695 California Road, McLaren Vale

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