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!

Carved into a limestone hill in the heart of McLaren Vale is a tribute to one man’s vision: an estate winery and meadery, fine-dining restaurant, casual restaurant and unique underground dining venue, surrounded by 40 hectares of premium vines.

Mark Maxwell, a third-generation McLaren Vale vigneron, explains how it all began.

“I was in Gawler one day, talking to some Barossa mates,” says Mark. “We were discussing the merits of growing or simply buying grapes to make wine. It was then that I decided it was important to have continuity each vintage – through making wine from the same vines and growing them myself to create a certain style of wine that had a heritage.”

So, in the early 1980s, against the advice of his father Ken, Mark bought an unloved vineyard on Olivers Road, and began to revitalise the shiraz and cabernet growing there.

“When Ken started Daringa – a small shed winery – in 1971, he believed it would be more cost effective to buy rather than grow grapes. That may have come from our Scottish background, starting with William James Maxwell, who travelled from Dumfries to carry out work here as a sculptor in the 1880s,” says Mark.

In the last 20 years, Maxwell has increased its vineyard, all now producing lowcropping grapes for its estate label.

Maxwell Wines has combined its passion for wine with food, and has created an array of experiences for visitors – and there’s the maze to get lost in …

CELLAR DOOR

“In our newly renovated cellar door, we are now specialising in food and wine tasting flights. Guests can enjoy our fine-dining degustation menu, also available in the dining room, which showcases local and estate grown produce, for those with the time for an afternoon of indulgence.

“The deck and tasting room are directly overlooking the winery, giving guests front-row seats to view the production of our wine, which they can see from the comfort of their lunch table or from the cellar door tasting bench.”

PAIRING

“Currently in the restaurant, as part of a degustation, we are pairing the Little Demon GSM with a succulent Nomad chicken, our Lime Cave mushrooms and paprika.

“Also try our Mead & Dessert Flight, which pairs with sweet sensations to our four unique meads. Mead is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey – archaeological evidence suggests it is the oldest fermented drink known to mankind.”

ADDRESS 19 Olivers Road, McLaren Vale

WEBSITE

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