Enjoy our delicious
region like the locals do

Pip Forrester, chair of Fleurieu Food, encourages you to take a journey of exploration that reveals the Fleurieu’s outstanding flavours.

 

When you visit the Fleurieu, be sure to bring a decent appetite so you can taste all the magnificent treats our producers have in store. Fleurieu farmers and vignerons, chefs, brewers, distillers and shopkeepers are intently focused on presenting the best food, wine and drinks they possibly can. They have a great advantage, sourcing the best ingredients from a pristine environment – a place they love to call home. It’s why you’ll see our winemakers dining in local restaurants, our chefs at the farmers’ markets, and producers checking out cellar door tasting rooms. Their tips are the stories we want to share through this publication – to get you experiencing the best of everything that the Fleurieu has to offer. Enjoy what you learn about our special piece of paradise, and then love what you taste.

We Welcome You To Enjoy Fleurieu Flavour

We’re delighted to extend an invitation for you to savour
the very best of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

 

Yes, it’s about the food, world-famous wine, spirits, beer and coffee. But it’s also about the people – the warmth and hospitality they extend, their affection for their region and why they love to share it with visitors. It’s not showing off, but more that they’re keen for you taste all their local treasures. It will make your visit to the Fleurieu so much more memorable – and make you hungry to return for more.
This booklet has been designed to serve as your travelling guide, steering you throughout this big region and identifying our best foods and drinks. Read stories about our produce, find the locations of farmgate producers and markets, or jump straight to the foldout map at the back. Use it as your pathfinder to explore the many routes through the Fleurieu Peninsula – or even as the pathway to access Kangaroo Island – and discover all our enviable food and wine havens.

Heading south from Adelaide:

As the gateway to the Fleurieu, McLaren Vale is an easy 30-minute expressway drive south of Adelaide, nestled between pristine beaches running from Port Willunga to Sellicks Hill, and the gently rolling toes of the Mount Lofty Ranges.

Allow plenty of time to explore the region properly and traverse all the neighbouring districts, from McLaren Vale to Cape Jervis, to Goolwa, Strathalbyn and Langhorne Creek. The 200km ring route is much larger and more diverse than it initially seems.

Heading towards Kangaroo Island:
The Fleurieu provides the corridor for road travellers planning to reach Kangaroo Island by ferry transfer from Cape Jervis. It takes about an hour to travel 78km south from McLaren Vale, over Sellicks Hill to Myponga, Yankalilla, Normanville and Second Valley before arriving in Cape Jervis.

Trawling the South Coast:
From Victor Harbor, enjoy a 20km route beside the southern coastline running through Port Elliot and Middleton to Goolwa.

Upstream from the Murray Mouth:
Weave through a picturesque 60km route from Goolwa, through Langhorne Creek vineyards to Strathalbyn pastures and Mount Barker, before joining the South-Eastern Freeway back to Adelaide.

Taste at your own pace:
Travel by bicycle or walk along the Shiraz Trail that links McLaren Vale and Willunga, a 7km sealed path following a former railway line beside vineyards. For more invigorating exercise, take a walk along trails into the deep Onkaparinga Gorge, a national park flanking wild stretches of the Onkaparinga River. If the beach is more to your liking, the Coast Park Trail is a 1km path through the sand dunes at Sellicks Beach. You can even drive your car onto the long stretch of white sand between Aldinga Beach and Sellicks Beach –an idyllic location for a seaside picnic.

Explore a bit more:
A series of small trails designed for
Fleurieu foodies can be found online, so download the details to follow a series of rewarding paths: the Cheese and Wine Trail at blessedcheese.com.au, and the McMurtrie Mile at mcmurtriemile.com.au

DINING ACROSS THE  FLEURIEU PENNINSULA

The Fleurieu boasts some of Australia’s best regional dining – a perfect marriage of regional freshness and sophisticated preparation by clever chefs. Offerings cover the gamut of dining choices, from elegant modern restaurant cuisine to simple bistro meals and convenient cafe snacks. Be sure to check websites or phone to confirm opening times.

Aquacaf
94 Barrage Rd, Goolwa
08 8555 1235    aquacaf.com.au
On the banks of the Murray River, this simple indoor/outdoor cafe provides pleasant breakfasts, lunch and is a popular coffee spot.

Au Pear
192 Main Rd, Willunga
08 8556 4005    aupear.com.au
A dining room overlooking the Gilbert Vineyards
presents seasonal Fleurieu produce by applying French techniques in the kitchen, for set
multi-course meals or a la carte options for lunch.

Blessed Cheese
150 Main Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 7958    blessedcheese.com.au
It’s a favourite breakfast destination among
Fleurieu locals. The busy shop also has impressive lunch offerings and hamper-filling treats to
take away.

Bombora @ Goolwa Beach Cafe
Beach Rd, Goolwa Beach
08 8555 5396     bomboragoolwa.com
A crowded weekend attraction for breakfast and lunch. The enclosed shack offers great views of the beach and Coorong sandhills. Also known for great seafood, especially fried whitebait and the Goowla Super Bowl of seafood in broth.

It wouldn’t be a true Fleurieu menu without something from the Coorong, such as Goolwa Pipi Company’s cockles or Glen and Tracey Hill’s Coorong mullet.

Simon Burr, chef and proprietor, The Olfactory Inn, Strathalbyn.

Coriole
Chaffeys Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8305     coriole.com
Food offerings extend from produce available at the cellar door tasting room to meals in the charming gardens and sheltered courtyard. Chef Tom Reid prepares bold plates to share for lunch from Thursday to Monday, offering a hint of Tuscany’s la dolce vita in the Fleurieu.

d’Arry’s Verandah
at d’Arenberg Winery,
Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8305     darrysverandah.com.au
Stunning views across the district from the dining verandah provide the perfect foil for clever and generous restaurant fare from chef Peter Reschke. Robust regionality with a clever twist.

Eat at Whalers
121 Franklin Parade, Encounter Bay
08 8552 4400    whalersinnresort.com.au
Allister and Tenney Parker breathe fresh life into the former Whalers’ Inn with smart contemporary food that perfectly suits the relaxed, informal dining space. Linger on the wide, open deck to drink in big ocean views.

Ellen Street Restaurant
@ Maxwell Wines
Olivers Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8200    maxwellwines.com.au
A five-course tasting menu is the star attraction that shows the best of chef Fabian Lehmann’s strong a la carte offerings. Served for lunch from Thursday to Monday in the winery’s Ellen Street Restaurant.

Hectors on the Wharf
Cutting Rd, Goolwa
08 8555 5885    hectorsonthewharf.com
Cute boatshed decor with abundant nautical
paraphernalia fits perfectly in this wharf-side cafe, serving big breakfasts, focusing on fish and seafood for lunch, and serving dinner on Fridays and Saturdays in summer.

Le Mistral
8 Hill St, Willunga
08 8556 4488    lemistral.com.au
Tarak Marco and Sandrine Maltret introduce their French influence to local produce in a charming bistro setting, with specialties of bouillabaisse and côte de boeuf with béarnaise sauce.

La Terre
44 High St, Willunga
08 8556 2612     laterrerestaurant.com
This 1880s building was originally a bakehouse. Now it’s a quaint cafe, with breakfast and light lunch selections, proudly promoting French touches to Fleurieu produce.

Willunga’s cobblestone town square is transformed into a long, humming avenue of food and drink vendors from 8am every Saturday.

It attracts a teeming crowd of astute shoppers, making Willunga Farmers Market the cornerstone of regional markets in  South Australia.

Formed in early 2002, it’s a robust cooperative driven by a membership mix of 60 farmers and 2000 consumers, finding smart balance between serving the needs of food producers and what shoppers like. It’s where to find artisan producers and specialist farmers who don’t have a farm gate, but instead sell directly to the public. And it is an essential gathering place for the Fleurieu community, who revel in the milieu of people and food connected to the landscape

A second strong Fleurieu farmers market is held each Saturday in Victor Harbor’s Grosvenor Gardens, reinforcing the far south coast’s abundant food culture. Emerging in 2008, it has triggered a new wave of small food
producers showcasing niche produce – including some backyard growers with fantastic small crops to round out the full complement of available foodstuffs, just like the market’s bigger sibling in Willunga.

Leonards Mill
Main South Rd, Second Valley
08 8598 4184    leonardsmill.com
Outstanding fine dining, with adventurous presentations of superb local ingredients, sourced by chef Brendan Wessels. The historic former flour mill also features a cellar door for select southern Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island wines.

Motherduck Cafe
1/13 Cadell St, Goolwa
08 8555 1462    motherduckcafe.com.au
Mel Howard offers an eclectic, homespun menu, from confit duck to vegan and paleo offerings. Especially popular for breakfast, the cafe also has light lunches, with Friday and Saturday dinners served during summer.

Our Place @ Willunga Hill
1980 Brookman Rd, Willunga Hill
08 8556 7224    willungahill.com
Renowned baker and chef Andy Clappis adds a generous pinch of Italian hospitality and flavour into Sunday long lunches at his Willunga Hill home. Slow food in all its comforting glory, but bookings are essential.

Pizzateca
319 Chalk Hill Rd, McLaren Vale
8323 9762
On Saturdays and Sundays, Tony Mitolo makes pizza the traditional way, along with regional Italian treats of arrosticini (thin lamb skewers) and zucchini fritti, and V. Mitolo & Son wines available at the bar.

Rare Bird Food
153 Esplanade, Port Noarlunga South
0431 179 424    rarebirdfood.com
English chef Tom Boden has happily made the Fleurieu his new home, and opened his own restaurant in Port Noarlunga, focusing on farm-fresh produce for leisurely lunches and weekend dinners.

Red Poles
McMurtrie Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8994    redpoles.com.au
Pursuing an artistic flavour, owner Ros Miller presents exhibitions across many art media, along with casual lunches, and live music every Sunday. The venue also offers tastings of Brick Kiln Wines and Vale Brewing beers.

Rosey’s Cafe
206 Port Rd, Aldinga
08 8557 6059    roseys.net.au
An extension of the popular Unley cafe, created by dynamic young entrepreneur Rosey Hume. The open meatball sandwich on ciabatta is a must for lunch.

Russell’s Pizza
13 High St, Willunga
08 8556 2571
The home of artisan pizza, started by chef Russell Jeavons in 1993, and still cranking out big numbers from the huge wood-fired oven each weekend. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences inform prime local ingredients.

S.C. Pannell
60 Olivers Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8000    pannell.com.au
Beyond its popular function room, the winery has a restaurant serving dishes by chef Hayley White, from Thursday to Sunday. The meals are smartly designed to match Steve Pannell’s gorgeous wines.

Serafino Restaurant
Kangarilla Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8911    serafinowines.com.au
The introduction of city chef Sarah Contin to
drive the kitchen has given a lift to Serafino’s lunch and dinner menu, presenting sharp modern dishes with an Italian flavor.

Star of Greece
1 Esplanade, Port Willunga
08 8557 7420    starofgreece.com.au
This iconic clifftop eatery has enjoyed longstanding kudos as a casual restaurant of distinction. Smart seafood and a superb wine list perfectly complement breathtaking beach views.

The Anchorage
21 Flinders Pde, Victor Harbor
08 8552 5970  anchorageseafronthotel.com
Combining the attributes of a cafe, restaurant and wine bar, this casual eatery within the historic waterfront accommodation covers all dining requirements – and makes local produce and drinks the focus of all its offerings.

The Australasian Circa 1858
1 Porter St, Goolwa
08 8555 1088    australasian1858.com
An historic stone inn has been transformed into an exquisite boutique hotel, cleverly embracing touches of Asian and Colonial Australian design. Juliet Michell prepares extravagant degustation meals in the dining room for house guests, and pre-booked public diners on Saturday nights.

The Currant Shed
104 Ingoldby Rd, McLaren Flat
08 8383 0232    currantshed.com.au
One of the Fleurieu’s tucked-away gems, now refurbished with chic modern furniture. Dioni Flanagan prepares carefully selected regional dishes and presents them with flair, while sommelier Josh Picken offers an interesting wine list in a cute room overlooking orchards and vines.

The General Wine Bar & Kitchen
55 Main Rd, McLaren Flat
08 8383 2050
Local chef Ben Sommariva is cooking exciting regional fare within the new tasting room for Mr Riggs and Zonte’s Footstep wines, without complicating or compromising natural flavours. “It’s like you’ve come into my house to eat”, he explains, either for lunch (except Tuesday) or Friday dinner.

The Kitchen Door
@ Penny’s Hill Winery,
Main Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8556 4000    pennyshill.com.au
Impressive mod Oz dishes from chef Neil McGlew take full advantage of premium regional suppliers. Diners take in glorious glimpses of the surrounding paddocks and vines.

The Olfactory Inn
35 High St, Strathalbyn
0447 771 750    theolfactoryinn.com.au
Simon Burr has opened his own eatery in a charming old villa, producing fulsome flavours in a regional menu that changes with the seasons, embracing everything from Vietnamese phoo Coorong fish and cockles.

The Salopian Inn
cnr Main Rd. and McMurtrie Rd
08 8323 8769    salopian.com.au
Chef Karina Armstrong has brought fresh vitality to the historic Salopian Inn, with a striking regional menu capturing dazzling Asian and Middle Eastern flavours. Be sure to explore the cellar for great regional bottles, or the wall of more than 230 different gins.

Vasarelli Cellar Door Restaurant
169 Main Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 7980    vasarelli.com.au
The family-owned restaurant presents classic Italian hospitality, with generous flavours in dishes from antipasto platters, through pasta and gnocchi, to grilled and roasted meats, designed to sit comfortably beside Vasarelli’s bold wines.

Victory Hotel
Main South Rd, Sellicks Beach
08 8556 3083    victoryhotel.com.au
From a prominent perch atop Sellicks Hill, this smartly renovated pub pulls the sum of this bountiful food and wine district into perspective; the best local wines beside fresh local ingredients. Check out the expansive wine cellars.

Wirra Wirra
McMurtrie Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8414    wirrawirra.com
The introduction of Harry’s Deli adjacent to wine tasting in the refurbished cellar door has added an extra dimension to Wirra Wirra’s big winery complex. The casual cafe-style food is complemented by superb coffee.

Woodstock Coterie Restaurant
Douglas Gully Rd, McLaren Flat
08 8383 0156   
woodstockwine.com.au
A charming winery bistro and courtyard in a pretty bush setting. A rich a la carte menu from chef
Chris Bone embraces superb local produce, or dining options include bountiful regional platters, and wood oven pizza nights.

My favourite produce from a local supplier is Blue Cottage almonds, available weekly from Judith McBain at the Willunga Farmers Market. These make any other Australian almond look second-class. I particularly like the Somerton almonds: the original tree was found
in a backyard at
suburban Somerton,
the forerunner of Willunga’s almond industry.

Mark Lloyd, proprietor, Coriole, McLaren Vale.

The Fleurieu is South Australia’s traditional home of almonds, although many trees were uprooted in the 1990s to make way for grape vines.

Only six growers remain, tending 40 hectares, yet almonds deservedly remain the emblem of Willunga. It’s because several superb historic almond varieties are specific to this area. Johnston and Summerton almonds, developed by local orchardists from brown, hardskin European varieties, have grown in the district for more than 100 years, and are still sold by Jude McBain of Blue Cottage Almonds.

“We replanted our almond orchard to make it more efficient, while others in the distirct were putting in grapes,” says Jude. “We put in a lot of manual work, but it’s very satisfying to know that we can still make a small almond enterprise work in this region.”

The homespun Blue Cottage operation has a roster of helpers at its weekly Willunga Farmers Market stall for cracking shells, to ensure freshest possible almonds are sold.

Fresh and flavoured almonds are also available at The Almond Train, a charming shop within a converted 1920s railway carriage in McLaren Vale’s main street.

My tip on how to best use a favourite piece of Fleurieu produce is to sear and slowly roast lamb backstrap from Illawong Texel Lamb at Victor Harbor. For the stuffing, use regional olives, rosemary, tomatoes and red onion – and it’s best enjoyed with a glass of Thunderbird Shiraz from the Southern Fleurieu.

Campbell Haig, No 58 Cellar Door and Gallery, Port Elliot

Rich soil produces ingredients of remarkable quality, flavour and diversity, sparking demand for Fleurieu farmers to grow even more varieties of fruit and vegetables.

Rich soil produces ingredients of remarkable quality, flavour and diversity, sparking demand for Fleurieu farmers to grow even more varieties of fruit and vegetables. Charismatic Willunga farmer Francesco Virgara plants crops specifically at the request of farmers, market customers and the region’s chefs, from rare chillis and cavolo nero (black cabbage) to golden beetroot. “We don’t have to be the same as everyone else here; we can be special instead,” says Francesco.

Seasonality and freshness is the key. Ian and Colleen Francis of Starlight Springs reflect the seasons through their vast range of heirloom vegetables. It’s similar at Vive, Kate Washington’s small organic plot on a reclaimed former vineyard block.

Her diligent work earned a Young Farmers Scholarship from the Willunga Farmers Market, designed to help establish a new generation of food farmers in the region.

Third-generation Fleurieu market gardeners Wesley and Brentyn Hart prove that local markets provide crucial support for small growers. They attended the first Willunga market in 2002 with only white and red spuds, but happy customers demanded more varieties. The Harts now produce 20 types of potatoes, from purple congo to bintje – with about 10 different types available each week, changing as they come into season.

Look beyond the markets to find glorious surprises. McLaren Vale Orchards not only presents Mark and Lisa McCarthy’s 11 varieties of apples, six types of pears, cherries

and multiple heritage varieties of peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and raspberries, but also the rich bounty from the couple’s other farm on the River Murray: pistachios, figs, walnuts, pecans, quinces, pomegranates, currants, sun muscats and sultanas. 

Fleurieu visitors can even walk among the crops to pick their own produce at The Blueberry Patch, or Harvest the Fleurieu’s strawberry fields, both at Mount Compass. 

My favourite produce from a local supplier is Dale Johns’ apples and pears from his property at Ashbourne. He’s the main supplier for our shop and the quality is fantastic – which also shows in the delicious jams that his
wife makes.

Peta Dougherty and Stephen Schmitz, proprietors, Jetty Food Store, Port Elliot.

Driving around the Fleurieu becomes the ultimate bounty hunt for food lovers. Visiting farms, specialty stores and providores reaps many unexpected rewards – and the wider you look, the more you see reflected pride in premium local food items. With each purchase, from farm gate stores to cafes and winery cellar doors, you taste vibrant Fleurieu flavour in every bite.

Alexandrina Cheese
Sneyd Rd, Mount Jagged
08 8554 9666    alexandrinacheese.com.au  Visitors can taste and buy up to 20 dairy products
from the farm factory and observe cheese being made on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Ask about tutored vertical tastings of aged cheeses, from three months to 18 months, to show off seasonal differences.

Angas Plains Wines
Condiments from the lunch menu are sold in take-home jars, including PJ’s Cabernet Crush jam.

Blessed Cheese
150 Main Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 7958    blessedcheese.com.au
In addition to its cafe service, a wide array of farmhouse and artisan cheeses is available, amid shelves stacked with premium relishes and condiments, antipasto and smallgoods. It’s also the starting place for McLaren
Vale Cheese and Wine Trails.

Bremerton Wines
Delicious goods from more than a dozen local producers are sold at the cellar door tasting room, from honey and horseradish to eggs, bread, cheeses and mettwurst.

Coriole
A standard bearer for gourmet tastes, Coriole winery cellar door also presents its own olives, olive oils, vinegars, verjuice, its own take on vincotto and cheeses.

Dawn Patrol Coffee Roasters
65 Days Road, Kangarilla
0412 397 536    dawnpatrolcoffee.com.au
Dom Ossa and Nick Suggit offer a cellar door approach to coffee in the heart of wine country, with as many as seven varieties of single origin roasted coffee beans available from the roasting shed on Sundays. 

De Groot Coffee
Shed 5/Factory 9, cnr Hill St and
Waterport Rd Port Elliot
08 8554 2328    degrootcoffeeco.com.au
Artisanal coffee roasters Trevor De Groot and Bernadette Stack’s main focus is single origin coffee, buying certified organic fair trade beans from small grower co-operatives. Buy their beans direct from the factory, and stay for a cup.

Four Winds Chocolate
30 High St, Willunga
0499 562 621    fourwindschocolate.com
Wendy Ashwin’s cute shop is open on weekends. The professionally trained chocolatier – although she prefers to call herself a melter and creator – makes more than 20 types of hand-made chocolates, and a range of fresh-baked patisserie products.

I taste the true Fleurieu when I’m having a Coorong mullet burger. Make it with lettuce, tomato, local artisan Turkish bread, a lick of aioli and plainly grilled mullet fillets. It’s pure bliss.

Alister Parker, chef and proprietor, Eat @ Whalers, Victor Harbor.

Goolwa Pipi Co
50 Hill St, Port Elliot
08 8554 3706    goolwapipico.com

Harvested year-round from the pristine Coorong coastline, fresh cockles are sold at the processing factory in net bags or long-life MAP packs – live, de-sanded and ready to cook.

Harvest the Fleurieu Shop
2256 Victor Harbor Rd, Mount Compass
08 8388 3234    harvestthefleurieu.com.au
Beyond picking your own strawberries from the adjacent paddocks in season, the shop stocks fresh blueberries, blackberries, rhubarb, garlic, snowpeas, green beans and limes. It also presents boutique producers without their own farm gate sales, including Ashbourne Orchards and Nangkita Oils.

Home Grain Bakery
13 Old Coach Rd, Aldinga
08 8557 8231
55 Main Rd, McLaren Flat; 46 Goolwa Rd, Middleton; 142 Main South Rd, Morphett Vale, and Mt Compass Popup, Victor Harbor Rd, Mt Compass, homegrainbakery.com.au
The delicious pies and artisanal breads made by Toff and Cara West have spawned a small empire of regional bakeries. Built around the slogan of coffee, culture and community, the Home Grain shops are hubs for feel-good foods.

Olives were first planted in the Fleurieu as vineyard boundaries from about
1880, but modern producers have made them the region’s largest agricultural product behind wine grapes.

Specialised harvesting of more than 2500 tonnes of olives a year from about 120,000 trees delivers the dual treasures of delicious fleshy olives and pristine extra virgin olive oil.

Mark Lloyd, proprietor of Coriole Winery, was instrumental in commercialising boutique olive oil production from the 1980s, working with neighbouring olive grower Emmanuel Giakoumis. Emmanuel previously owned the current Lloyd Brothers olive grove (run by Mark’s nephews) that has some of the oldest verdale olive trees in South Australia. The strong link between local wine and olive producers is reinforced at Hugo Winery, and Primo Estate, which serves tastings of its elite olive oils
and wines at its stylish McMurtrie Road
tasting room.

To ensure high quality benchmarks, the annual Fleurieu Olive Awards acknowledges excellence, rewarding such consistent producers as Nangkita Olives (its extra virgin oils are sold at Harvest the Fleurieu in Mount Compass) and Two Hills and a Creek (selling olives and tapenades at Willunga Farmers Market).

Diversity extends to Emily and Paul Jenke’s Talinga Grove farm store at Strathalbyn presenting beautiful oils and olive products, including a luscious skin care range made
from olive oil.

The Fleurieu’s lush pastures are a natural home for dairy cattle, and local farmers show great ingenuity and artisanal skill in the dairy products they make.

Dan and Krystyna McCaul use their Jersey herd’s milk to make cheese, establishing the Alexandrina Cheese Company in 2001. Visitors to the factory on their farm can observe cheese being made three days a week: cheddar (which won a silver medal at the 2008 World Jersey Cheese Awards) on Mondays, edam and gouda on Wednesdays, with Fridays devoted to romano and pepato. Dan especially likes taking visitors through vertical tastings of aged cheeses, from three months to 18 months.

Blessed Cheese not only serves and sells a wide range of Fleurieu cheeses, but is also starting point for the McLaren Vale Cheese and Wine Trails – two separate trails that each visits four

wineries to match selected wines with a pack of local cheeses, olives and dried fruits.

Cheese isn’t the only local dairy offering. The Hutchinson, Clarke and Royans families began Fleurieu Milk Company in 2003, producing unhomogenised whole milk that immediately caused a sensation with its creamy, rich flavour – soon followed by outstanding Jersey cream and yoghurt. “We just wanted to get back to basics with old-fashioned milk,” says Barry Clarke, “and it struck a chord with so many people who were dissatisfied with the quality of milk they were buying.”

Ulli and Helmut Spranz launched an even bolder initiative by producing biodynamic dairy

goods 30 years ago. Their B.-d. Farm Paris Creek brand has been a resounding success, with the company now managing herds from seven biodynamic Fleurieu farms that produce 100,000 litres of milk a week to make more than 30 dairy products, from butter and cheese to yoghurt and milk.

Quality is the mantra that Denise Riches also upholds at Hindmarsh Valley Dairy. She expanded her goat farm near Victor Harbor beyond meat production by retaining goat milk to make impressive specialty cheeses, from cremè fraîche, yoghurt and curd to the Swiss-style raw milk Emme. 

I love using B.-d. Farm Paris Creek cheeses. Our house guests are offered arrival refreshments of fresh patisseries with fruit and nut bread accompanied by nuage blanc or camembert – and if we ever forget
to explain these cheeses, we’re always asked what they are. The guests
love them.

Juliet Michell, chef and co-proprietor, The Australasian Dining Room, Goolwa.

Hugo Wines
The winery cellar door offers the property’s own award-winning extra virgin olive oil.

The Irreverent Kitchen
195 Cartwright Rd, Lower Inman Valley,
encountercoastspirits.com.au
As part of the Encounter Coast Spirits cellar door, this farm-based micro distillery also presents a unique range of jams, chutneys and condiments made on site, under the Irreverent Kitchen brand.

Jetty Food Store
42 North Tce, Port Elliot
0448 147 097    jettyfoodstore.com
The ultimate regional providore, with fresh fruits and vegetables from local plots, baked goods, seafood, condiments and delicious pantry items. There are also take-home meals available, made from fresh local ingredients.

Lloyd Brothers
34 Warner’s Road, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8792    lloydbrothers.com.au
Taste olives from the 40-year-old grove that surrounds Lloyd Brothers’ farm shop, which also sells cold-pressed extra virgin olive oils, pesto and pasta made on site. 

McLaren Vale and
Fleurieu Visitor Centre
Main Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 9944    mclarenvale.info
A showpiece of regional diversity, with shelves stocked with a vast array of local gourmet pantry items, in addition to a cellar door service that showcases a different local winery each month.  

Maxwells Grocery
11a Old Coach Rd, Aldinga
facebook.com
Fresh organic and local produce is the focus of Lisa Eigenwillig and Richard Maxwell’s mod grocery store. The cafe section also offers cold-pressed juices, mighty burgers, raw desserts and superb organic coffee by local roasters Villeré.

Minko Wines and Providore
13 High St, Willunga,
08 8556 4987    minkowines.com
Part Italian enoteca, part French providore, it’s more than just a wine tasting room. The Minko pantry stocks fabulous foods from local artisans, including Russell Jeavons’ dukkah, Andy Clappis’s bread and Pat Danvers’ famed pasties.

No. 58 Cellar Door Gallery:
A large pantry of delicacies from local producers is available, from condiments and sauces to fresh-baked treats, in addition to the casual meals served and wine tastings. 

Newman’s Horseradish and Rusticana Wines
Lake Plains Rd,
Langhorne Creek
08 8537 3086    rusticanawines.com.au
As the home of the Meakins family’s food and wine operations, this dual-business cellar door presents the full range of Newman’s horseradish products.

Primo Estate
The esteemed Joseph extra virgin olive oils are available, in addition to Joseph and Primo Estate wines. 

Producers of McLaren Vale
Branson Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 0060    producers.net.au
Tori and David Arbon host hands-on production workshops in making fresh cheese, sparkling and

still wines, extra virgin olive oil and fruit preserving in season. Bookings are essential.

Shaw Family Vintners
Cellar Store:
Sweet treats from choc-dipped apricots to Turkish delight, nougat, port jelly, brandy syrup and praline. 

Talinga Grove Farm Store
Talinga Rd, Strathalbyn
08 8536 4712    talinga.com.au
The Jenke family’s farm produces a wide range of olive products. In addition to kalamata olives sold at the farm shop, there are also extra virgin and flavour-infused olive oils, and luxurious olive-based skin care products.

The Almond Train
Main Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8112   thealmondtrain.com.au
A converted 1920s railway carriage provides the charming showcase for a wide spread of fresh and flavoured almonds from the region.

The Blueberry Patch
Nangkita Rd, Mount Compass
08 8556 9100    blueberrypatch.com.au
Pick your own tubs of fresh blueberries from December to February, or buy punnets of fresh and frozen fruits from the small farm shop.

The Farm Willunga
11 Martin Rd, Willunga
0434 125 172    thefarmwillunga.com.au
The cafe and shop located at the farm features estate-grown olive oil and other food products produced, along with homewares. Stay for coffee and cakes, breakfast, lunch, or book luxury apartment accommodation on the property.

3 Monkeys Fine Foods
17 High St, Willunga
08 8556 4443    3threemonkeys.com.au
An expansive providore shop with supplies to fill picnic hampers, or stay for coffee and a bite in the rear courtyard.

Wakefield Grange
102 Main South Rd, Yankalilla
08 8558 2536    wakefieldgrange.com.au
Nathen and Sophie Wakefield’s superb farm-killed meats are now available at their butchery and grocer shop in the main street of Yankalilla, which also sells fresh organic produce and local cheeses.

The local food heroes deserve so much praise. Everyone involved in the Willunga Farmers Market contributes to the best market I’ve seen. They do an amazing job getting that lovingly grown produce
into restaurant kitchens
and homes throughout
the region.

Tom Reid, chef, Coriole, McLaren Vale.

There’s much more than wine to slake the thirst of Fleurieu explorers, with an expanding range of boutique breweries and distilleries to visit.

The craft beer movement has taken hold in the Fleurieu, with several boutique breweries turning out distinctive, big-flavoured, handcrafted beers. Jeff Goodieson quit working for big brewing corporations to start Goodieson Brewery with his wife Mary beside their McLaren Vale home, and have won fame for a range of nine beers (some being seasonal offerings). Smiling Samoyed Brewery at Myponga draws many visitors for its award-winning beers, from its champion 12 Paws Pale Ale to the curious Chilli Beer. Steam Exchange Brewery on the Goolwa Wharf is another popular tourist attraction, where visitors can taste the range while observing the
brewing process. 

Vale Brewing has built a large production facility in Willunga, but has tasting flights available at Red Poles restaurant and gallery in McLaren Vale. Another impressive local brew to look for is Swell: The Boardrider’s Beer by Dan Wright. 

Meechi Brewing’s pale ale and lager, the product of winemakers and brewing enthusiasts Matt Schmidy, Ben Potts, Kate Fletcher and Lucy Willson, can be tasted and purchased at The Winehouse in Langhorne Creek

A fashion for boutique gin has prompted several winemakers to fire up their own distillation stills, including Maximus Winery’s Rowland Short at McLaren Vale. Within his winery – notable for robust red wines – Rowland also produces four styles of gin and liqueurs.
The gin’s softness, bright aromas and clean, vibrant flavours stem from him using Australian native plants among steam-distilled botanicals blended with grape spirit.

Angove Family Winemakers has introduced Blind Tiger Organic Gin, created in the London dry gin style, among its wines available for tasting at its impressive cellar door pavilion overlooking the Warboys vineyard in McLaren Vale.

A batch of gin distilled by Bremerton Winery especially for founder Craig Willson’s 70th birthday proved so popular among the Willson family that more gin is being made to sell from Bremerton’s cellar door in Langhorne Creek

Stretching the menu further, McLaren Vale Distillery is making single malt whisky and Frail Leaf gin at its McLaren Vale shed, while Encounter Coast Spirits, a farm-based distillery at Inman Valley, makes its Fortune Teller Gin with Australian botanicals, along with vodka, fruit-based liqueurs, and a range of condiments under the Irreverent Kitchen brand.

My favourite Fleurieu produce is Newman’s Horseradish – it’s all you need with a great Coorong Angus Beef steak, to keep everything simple and delicious.

Lucy Willson, Bremerton Wines, Langhorne Creek.

Farming diversity provides a surprising array of fresh and prepared meats from Fleurieu producers.

Supreme quality reflects the region’s
pristine growing conditions, and care
taken by farmers to ensure the best
results from specialist breeds.

Proof is evident in a growing number of farm brands selling direct to the public or through farmers markets. Najobe Park has impressive Red Angus free-range beef reared in a low-stress environment just north of Strathalbyn, to ensure maximum tenderness – and the Heath family’s farm also produces Rascal Jack pork and Zara Grace Lamb, with a range of smallgoods produced from the beef and pork. The Burns family’s biodynamic farms at Finniss and Milang produce outstanding Black Angus cows, branded as Triple B Biodynamic Beef, while Gum Park’s grass-fed organic beef, from Trevor and Janelle Paech’s lush farm near Mount Jagged, is sold in a wide range of cuts.

Wakefield Grange has taken marketing of its farm-killed meats a step further, opening its own butchery and grocer in Yankalilla. Nathen and Sophie Wakefield sell beef and lamb reared on their Wattle Flat farm, in addition to local cheeses and food items.

There’s surprising diversity of Fleurieu meat options, from Yankaponga Lamb (prime pasture-fed lamb from Garry Gum’s Wattle Wood Springs Suffolk Stud at Myponga) to Fleurieu Prime Alpacas of Mount Compass producing everything from burgers, chorizo and smoked meats to boned legs and fillets.

Free-range Berkshire Silver pigs reared by Parawa farmers Katrina McCullough and Angus Williams are sold as selected cuts at their Victor Harbor Farmers Market stall called Green Eggs & Ham (yes, they also sell free-range eggs). The market also has Monika Bertram from Inman Springs Boer Goat Stud selling different cuts of goat, and cooks samples for passing shoppers to taste.

Many cuts of local meats are available from Ellis Butchers in McLaren Vale, while David Betschart of Hamlet’s Meats in Willunga cures and smokes smallgoods (including Christmas hams) according to traditional European methods.

The maritime influence of Gulf St Vincent and the Southern Ocean not only plays a crucial role in the calming weather that makes Fleurieu crops so bountiful; the seas bear their own delicious bounty.

Smart chefs procure supplies from local and neighbouring Kangaroo Island fishermen to ensure the freshest catch – King George whiting, garfish, mulloway, squid, cockles – with a few specialist divers supplying wild-harvested scallops, oysters and sea cucumbers.

Neil Hosking, a south coast fisherman with almost 40 years’ experience, sells his diverse catch at the weekly Victor Harbor Farmers’ Market. He notes that regular customers understand the availability of different fish changes, adding that variety signals a guarantee of freshness.

The regional specialty is Coorong mullet, famous for its moist texture and rich flavour. It’s become a staple of several south coast menus,
along with Goolwa cockles. Try both from Hoad Fisheries, selling straight off the boats at Hindmarsh Island (Thursday to Sunday), or buy Goolwa Pipi Co cockles direct from the
processing factory in Port Elliot. 

Beach Road Wines
309 Seaview Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 7344    beachroadwines.com.au
The Mediterranean-influenced wines of Beach Road sit perfectly beside the wood-fired oven’s pizza and flatbread, with fresh salads and a bowl of gelato to finish, served from Thursday to Sunday.

Beresford Wines
158 Ingoldby Rd, McLaren Flat
08 8182 1890    beresfordwines.com.au
Tasting platters of local produce are designed to match the wines in a paid tasting, which can be enjoyed as a picnic on the deck. You can also try a matched chocolate and shiraz tasting experience.

Bremerton Wines
Strathalbyn Rd, Langhorne Creek
08 8537 3093    bremerton.com.au
Tasting platters are inspired by the range of regional produce also stocked and offered for sale at the winery cellar door. The same goodies feature in prepared takeaway picnic boxes and pizzas. During winter, homemade soup and hearty beef and red wine pies are available.

Coriole Vineyards
Chaffeys Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8305    coriole.com
Stylish courtyard dining and picnic provisions available from cellar door.

Cradle of Hills Winery
76 Rogers Rd, Sellicks Hill
0438 564 281    cradle-of-hills.com.au
Only open by appointment, but visitors making the effort to book for a private wine tasting are in for a treat. Hosts Paul and Tracy Smith offer free platters stocked with produce from the region and their farm.

d’Arenberg
Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8305    darrysverandah.com.au
Acclaimed a la carte restaurant next to a big cellar door tasting room.

Fox Creek Wines
Malpas Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8557 0000    foxcreekwines.com
The cosy cellar door cottage combines art exhibitions with wine tasting and regional platters that proudly feature Fleurieu cheeses and produce.

I taste the true Fleurieu when I’m having olives, cheese, seafood and grenache.

Ben Sommariva, head chef, The General, McLaren Flat.

Hither & Yon
17 High St, Willunga
08 8556 2082    hitherandyon.com.au
The 1860s cottage was formerly a butcher shop, but is now an intimate tasting space for the Leask family’s minimal intervention wines. The relaxing little room is shared with the adjoining 3 Monkeys providore, so you can taste wines while enjoying a gourmet burger or a cheese platter.

Hugo Wines
246 Elliott Rd, McLaren Flat
08 8383 0098    hugowines.com.au
Working in conjunction with Blessed Cheese, the Hugo Wines cellar door is one destination along the McLaren Vale Wine and Cheese Trail, and can organise pre-booked platters. It’s also the home of estate-grown premium olive oil.

Leconfield Wines
439 Main Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8830    leconfieldwines.com
A range of grazing platters is offered in the cellar door wine tasting room. Linger at the patio tables with regional produce and prestige cheeses to accompany the Leconfield and Richard
Hamilton wines.

Lake Breeze
Step Rd, Langhorne Creek
08 8537 3017    lakebreeze.com.au
The winery’s refurbished cellar door tasting area now includes lunch in its big light-filled dining space. Chef Brad McAvaney uses local veggies and produce in smart, simple dishes, with the beef and Bernoota pie (containing Lake Breeze’s award-winning cabernet blend) a particular favourite.

Lloyd Brothers
34 Warner’s Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8792    lloydbrothers.com.au
Wines represent only a portion of the Lloyd Brothers’ business. Their farm tasting room presents the full extent of their involvement in food manufacturing – from premium olives, olive oil and pesto to pasta sauces, nuts and condiments. Try them in a cellar door tasting platter to go with estate wines.

Maximus Wines
197 Foggo Rd, McLaren Flat
08 8323 8777 
maximuswinesaustralia.com.au
The big range of Maximus wines and Settlers gins made on site by Rowland Short is matched in the tasting pavilion with regional platters to share, cheese plates, or wine-infused chocolates.

Maxwell Wines
Olivers Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8200    maxwellwines.com.au
The winery’s Ellen Street Restaurant is one of the rising culinary destinations of the region. 

Minko Wines and Providore
13 High St, Willunga
08 8556 4987    minkowines.com
This small cottage stocks a big, proud range of local foods that can be tasted with Minko wines, or taken away as ideal Fleurieu picnic provisions. 

Mt Jagged Wines
3191 Victor Harbor Rd, Mt Jagged
08 8554 9520    mtjaggedwinescom.au
Visitors at the cellar door – a converted former dairy – can taste wines beside platters featuring local cheeses and meats, with soups available
in winter.

Wine isn’t tasted in isolation when you’re in the Fleurieu. Local food is equally important, which is why many winery cellar doors present eating options when you taste their wines. It’s also why several winemakers embrace aspects of food production, enhancing the total Fleurieu tasting experience.

Angove Family Winemakers
117 Chalk Hill Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 6900    angove.com.au
At the impressive stone and glass tasting pavilion overlooking its Warboys vineyard in McLaren Vale, Angove Family Winemakers offers cheese and grazing platters to complement its wines, or coffee and cakes, and has an outdoor kitchen and wood-fired oven, used for special events.

Angas Plains Wines
Angas Plains Rd, Langhorne Creek
08 8537 3159    angasplainswines.com.au
Platters of many different persuasions, from cheeses with regional bites to Mediterranean-inspired tapas, are perfect for grazing while tasting wines. A casual lunch menu stretches from soup and salads to lasagna and homemade steak pies.

My favourite produce from a local supplier is B.-d. Farm Paris Creek Butter, because if
basics such as this
are so perfect, you
can’t go wrong – biodynamic, local and made with care.

Karena Armstrong, chef and proprietor, The Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale.

As home of the small winemaker, with more than 140 wineries and 100 cellar door tasting outlets, the Fleurieu Peninsula celebrates diversity.

These wineries across four separate neighbouring regions– McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, the Southern Fleurieu and Currency Creek – also champion a wide range of grape varieties in wines that enjoy absolute harmony with local food. Most cellar doors present quality food offerings, from reputable restaurants to regional grazing platters and tempting picnic provisions. 

While shiraz accounts for almost half of the region’s annual 100,000-tonne harvest picked from almost 15,000 hectares under vine, the full output of Fleurieu wine is much more diverse: intense cabernet sauvignon and grenache that win international trophies, and a strong array of emerging Mediterranean varieties, from tempranillo through to the rich Italian accent of sangiovese, barbera

and fiano. Add Langhorne Creek fancies to the equation: malbec, dolcetto, lagrein, crisp white vermentino, and the unique shalistin (a white cabernet sauvignon) and malian (bronze cabernet sauvignon) grapes grown by Cleggetts. It adds up to a fascinating snapshot of what’s new in Australian wine beside historical stalwarts, noting that 150 hectares of McLaren Vale vines were planted more than 50 years ago.

There are so many personalities in this wine region – they’re fantastic, and their wines are something special. Our Place has hosted an incredible all-grenache dinner by McLaren Vale winemakers, and the wines they make from old bush vines are truly unique.

Andy Clappis, chef and proprietor, Our Place @ Willunga Hill

90 Mile Wines
Wharf Barrel Shed, Goolwa Wharf, Goolwa
0430 313 548    90milewines.com
Steve Ramsey’s wine operation has its cellar door cafe on the Goolwa wharf, presenting platters of local meats, cheeses and dips, local beers, hot food options on weekends, and regular live music.

No. 58 Cellar Door and Gallery
 58 Waterport Rd, Port Elliot
 08 8554 3149    58cdg.com
Nestled beside vines on historic Waverley Estate, the eclectic cellar door serves many functions, from providing tastings of Thunderbird Wines, to serving light lunches, presenting local art and stocking a delicious array of quality pantry supplies.

One Paddock Currency Creek
Winery Rd, Currency Creek
08 8555 4069
onepaddockcurrencycreekwinery.com.au
Tim and Rachel Henderson have revived the
former Currency Creek Winery with a new fitout, new range of wines and new dining options. A
tapas menu is available every Sunday, or regional platters with charcuterie and cheeses from
Thursday to Saturday.

Oxenberry Farm
24-26 Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale
08 8323 1088    oxenberry.com
The wine tasting room includes a busy casual cafe that uses many Fleurieu ingredients among its light meals and cakes – a perfect respite for walkers from the adjacent Shiraz Trail. It also offers a liqueur chocolate and single-origin chocolate tasting matched to 20-year-old liqueur muscat.

Paxton Wines
Wheaton Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 9131    paxtonvineyards.com
Inside the cleverly restored historic farm buildings, winery visitors are invited to build their own tasting platters from an array of produce.

Penny’s Hill
Main Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8556 4000    pennyshill.com.au
The winery restaurant overlooks paddocks and vines, from where the produce is sourced.

Primo Estate
McMurtrie Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 6800    primoestate.com.au
Book for a luxurious tasting experience in the winery’s chic cellar door lounge. Sample a flight of Primo Estate’s Italian-inspired Joseph wines in the company of Joseph extra virgin olive oil, Grana Padano cheese and local artisan bread.

Rusticana Wines
Lake Plains Rd, Langhorne Creek
08 8537 3086    rusticanawines.com.au
Wines from the Langhorne Creek property sit comfortably with tempting cheese platters, including condiments from its sibling business, Newman’s Horseradish.

S. C. Pannell
60 Olivers Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8000   pannell.com.au
Casual restaurant dining and wine tasting.

Shaw Family Vintners
@ Signal Point,
Wharf Precinct, Goolwa
08 8555 4215    shawfamilyvintners.com
After tasting wines across the Shaw Family portfolio, stock up on sweet treats of choc-dipped apricots, nougat and praline from the pantry shop, enjoy exhibitions of local art in the gallery next door, or adjourn to the adjacent Cafelicious, which serves breakfast and lunch daily.

The Confessional
Cnr Kangarilla and Foggo Roads,
McLaren Vale,
1300 356 252    theconfessional.com.au
Eight brands use this collective winemaking site and tasting venue. Wines are offered with seasonal tapas and platters, grouped into three tasting experiences; Lust (white wines), Envy (sparkling, rose and light reds) and Avarice (robust reds). 

The Winehouse
1509 Langhorne Creek Rd, Langhorne Creek
08 8537 3441    thewinehouse.com.au
Sample the wares of five local wineries and local craft beer in the company of casual lunches or grazing platters in the Winehouse’s big dining room, or at outdoor table settings in summer.

WayWood Wines
67 Kays Rd, Blewitt Springs
08 8323 8468    waywoodwines.com
Andrew Wood and Lisa Robertson’s homely cellar door combines wine tasting with Luscious Red food, which celebrates local ingredients. Spanish and Italian influences permeate a rotating light meal menu, from weekend paella in winter through to tapas plates and cheeses.

Wirra Wirra Vineyards
McMurtrie Rd, McLaren Vale
08 8323 8414    wirrawirra.com
As an appropriate accompaniment to wine tasting in the cellar door, the adjacent Harry’s Deli is serving casual food. A free barbecue facility can even be booked for casual picnics. 

Woodstock Estate
Douglas Gully Rd, McLaren Flat
08 8383 0156    woodstockwine.com.au
The Coterie Restaurant offers platters and a la carte dining. 

My favourite produce from a local supplier is Lloyd Brothers’ kalamata olive pesto. These olives are better than any I have tasted in the world, and I’ve had a crack at tasting as many as possible. My kids smother their toast in the pesto – and it always make me look good when I serve the pesto to guests

Corrina Wright, winemaker, Oliver’s Taranga Winery, McLaren Vale.

Dawn Patrol Coffee Roasters at Kangarilla roast as many as seven varieties of single origin coffee beans at its shed on Sundays, which is open to the public for tasting and sales.

At De Groot Coffee Co in Port Elliot, Trevor De Groot and Bernadette Stack’s main focus is roasting single origin coffee, with a charter to support certified organic fair trade by purchasing beans from small grower co-operatives.

Fleurieu Roast Coffee does small batch roasting at Aldinga Arts-Eco Village, with direct sales only by appointment. Its roasted beans are stocked at Bambu Homewares and The Almond Train in McLaren Vale, while its mobile espresso cafe often appears at local outdoor events.

Jim and Carol Banman from Villere Coffee share the Home Grain Bakery shop at McLaren Flat to do roasting and packaging of their signature Brazil Blend, as well as several single origin coffees. One of Villere’s great supporters is From Humble Grounds, an impressive mobile coffee bar run by Rebecca Moore and Rob Negerman. Distinctive touches at their weekly Willunga Farmers Market stall include house-made almond milk from local nuts, and sweet treats featuring local seasonal fruits.

Piccolo Espresso is another popular mobile coffee operation run by Jen Hanna (former proprietor of La Terre cafe in Willunga). Its weekly appearance at the Willunga Farmers Market also shows off Jen’s baked goods that have a distinctly French accent.