Part 3 of 3 McLaren Vale: A Wine Tour Down Under with the Fabulous Girls Wine Society

We are loving all of the McLaren Vale Cellar Doors. From a cave to a cube, a barrel to a bus, and a vineyard in between. Part 3 of our Fabulous Girls Wine Society wine adventure in South Australia continues.

Carved into the limestone hill at the heart of McLaren Vale is a winery, meadery and a 100-year old lime cave
Maxwell Wines

If there was one winery that truly immersed us in the winemaking process it was Maxwell Wines. Our host, Heidi, was lovely, informative and interesting, and answered all of our questions. We learned about the geology of the region and that Maxwell Wines is a self-sustaining family-owned winery. They recycle and reuse everything that they can. We got a behind-the-scenes tour of the working winery and saw the equipment that would soon be fired up for the harvest.

We tasted a lineup of Maxwell’s ‘star wines’ starting with a creamy Chardonnay and the famed Maxwell Lime Cave Cabernet Sauvignon. Two of Maxwell’s top reserve Estate wines followed. The Eocine Shiraz, named after the period of time that the limestone on the property dates back to, and the Minotaur Shiraz (my favourite) with a very cool silver labyrinth design on the label.

Then it was time to taste wine right from the barrel which I have never done before. It felt pretty special.

We compared a Shiraz aging in two different barrels – a French Oak and an American Oak. Is there a difference? I have to say there is! I preferred the French Oak but I did enjoy both.

In addition to fantastic wines, the Maxwell Wine estate has honey bees and sparkling mead, a really cool lime cave… and rescue heroes.

Making wine from honey instead of grapes was first introduced to Australia by Mark Maxwell’s father, Ken, who set the benchmark for modern mead-making around the world. Fun fact: Not only is mead thought to be the oldest fermented drink originating in Northern China as far back as 7,000 BC, when the ancient Greeks discovered it, but they also called it ‘ambrosia’: the nectar of the gods.

A highlight of our tour was exploring a 100-year-old Lime Cave hidden away behind the winery. Originally built to grow mushrooms, which are still grown today for the winery’s restaurant, this subterranean setting is also an ideal place to mature a few barrels of fine wine. The lime cave is a unique venue to host very special events at the winery.

Speaking of special events, here is a “MaxWell-Made” Chariot to the rescue. So very grateful to Jeremy and Tom who gave us a ride to our next winery up the road when an Uber and local taxi left us hanging. Remember when I said that the nicest people live in South Australia? Living proof.

From a cave to an ‘out of this world’ Cube
d’Arenberg Wines

Another visit to the d’Arenberg Cube. Every time is amazing, trippy and fun! Each of the 5 floors has a unique theme – a tasting room, two restaurants, an art gallery (featuring the Salvador Dali exhibit), and an alternative realities museum showcasing the eclectic mind of winemaker, Chester Osborn. Read more on my 2019 blog here.

The Fabulous Girls Wine Society in the wild, whimsical world of d’Arenberg Wines

Lunch at Singapore Circus on the third floor of the Cube was delicious. We especially loved the Circus Fried Chicken highly recommended to us by our server, Jackson.

We had a super fun tasting experience hosted by bartender extraordinaire, Shaun. d’Arenberg wines have the most interesting labels and definitions. Did you know that Cenosilicaphobic, which is the name of a d’Arenberg wine and the exclusive wine club, means fear of an empty glass? Well, there is no fear of that when you visit the d’Arenberg tasting room.

Fun Fact: The family crest on the d’Arenberg Wines logo features a Latin phrase that means ‘Wine is Life’

A highlight of a visit to the d’Arenberg Cube is still the Salvador Dali exhibit on the second floor and the famous Dali sculptures that welcome visitors at the entrance.

At the end of an awesome day, with no Ubers or taxis to be found, we were once again rescued. This time by the sweetest Jakob who works at the Cube and offered us a ride. Honestly, can the people that live here be any nicer? The best!

Tasting in the Vineyard
Beach Road Wines

Beach Road Wines is all about enjoying good food, good wine, and good company. The views overlooking the township of McLaren Vale are incredible too. Winemaker, Briony Hoare hosted us for a wine tasting with a fabulous vineyard view.

This down-to-earth winemaker, business owner and mom of four stays true to her belief that wine should be easy. You shouldn’t have to try too hard to enjoy a glass of wine, it should just be enjoyed with a meal or to celebrate a moment. The Beach Road portfolio of wines includes Italian varietals that were some of the first to be made in Australia. We tasted a Nero d’Avola, to accompany our delicious lunch on the patio and learned how to properly pronounce Aglianico (Ay-glee-aa-nuh-ko).

I admire Briony as a winemaker and advocate for the region. From the tasting room to her beautiful restaurant and event space, she is promoting tourism and working with cruise ship companies to give visitors a taste of McLaren Vale on their land excursions. Go Briony!

Briony and her team are working on a brand refresh for the Beach Road Wines label. We got a sneak preview here and it looks great!

Wine barrel tasting pods with an ocean view
Berg Herring

Winemaker Sam Dunlevy has been making wines under the Berg Herring label since 2018 and opened its cellar door in 2020 in a restored 1862 sandstone church. Since then Berg Herring has earned recognition as McLaren Vale’s Best Small Cellar Door for two years in a row.

A beautiful entryway welcomes wine lovers to enjoy a tasting experience in the church, on the lawn, or in one of Berg Herring’s fabulous wine barrel tasting pods.

Of course, we booked our tasting in one of the wine barrels! The experience included 3 wines – a Fiano, Grenache Rosé, and a Grenache – marvelously paired with Berg Herring wine-infused macarons. Very unique, pretty and enjoyable.

Fun fact: What is a Berg Herring? Wikipedia says it means a church by the sea. That makes sense but local rumour has it that Berg Herring also means ‘burger rings’, an onion ring-like burger-flavoured Australian snack food known to be a favourite of the winemaker Sam. A little digging confirmed that story is true with references to burger rings on social media and in a 2021 interview with the winemaker here: https://www.pressreader.com/australia/sunday-mail/20210110/283003992439865

The winemaker is serious about his wines. Sourcing grapes from select vineyards in McLaren Vale, Berg Herring wines feature a fruit-forward style and are geared toward early consumption.

You won’t find vineyards at this cellar door but you will find amazing wine and a fantastic ocean view from its location at Sellicks Beach! Will keep an eye on Berg Herring for my next return visit to McLaren Vale.

Berg Herring’s wine barrel tasting pod with an ocean view

Three girls, a bus and a grand finale
Down the Rabbit Hole

Golden Times at Down the Rabbit Hole happens when the sky turns golden and the sun sinks over the vines. It’s the most perfect backdrop for one last wine adventure in McLaren Vale and we’re spending it at one of my favourite cellar doors.

For Friends & Lovers a Place Exists

Another World of Joy & Bliss

Beyond The Stars, Space & Time

To Enter, Show the Secret Sign

The Moon is Bright, Revive Your Soul

Come Join Us Down The Rabbit Hole

At Down the Rabbit Hole the tasting room is a double-decker bus with pretty views all around.

“A great bottle of wine can transform a seemingly ordinary day or evening into something pretty special.”

The hand-sketched labels on each bottle represent a line from the Down the Rabbit Hole poem.

Friday nights are magical here. DTRH serves up the most delicious pasta dishes, gorgeous charcuterie platters, great wines and live music sessions. There is such a vibe and smiles on everyone’s faces.

After 11 days in the Fleurieu Peninsula sipping the best McLaren Vale wines, visiting the best beaches, enjoying the best cellar door views, and meeting the best people it was time to say goodbye. But goodbyes are hard so we invited the awesome Aussies we met along the way to come join “us” Down the Rabbit Hole for Friday night Golden Times. And here they are!

A gorgeous evening of live music, wine, food, friendship, and one last South Australia sunset. An incredible finale to our McLaren Vale Wine tour.

A drop of happiness in every sip.

We did McLaren Vale right.
Love, hugs and thanks to my friends Kim and Shannon
for their friendship and contributions to this blog
through photos, fun and adventure. xoxo

If you are planning a trip to this region, and love wine, I’ve shared our itinerary at the end of this blog.

GO TO MCLAREN VALE WINE TOUR PART 1

GO TO MCLAREN VALE WINE TOUR PART 2