food&wine
D
avid McLaren, the colonial manager
of the South Australia Company,
arrived to survey the McLaren
Vale region in 1837. Back then, he
probably didn't think it would become one of
SA's top wine regions.
McLaren Vale is a 45-minute drive from
Adelaide, and the fertile soil of the area is
conducive to growing grapes such as shiraz,
grenache, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay.
Most of the region's wineries are small and
have a welcoming family atmosphere; there's a
sense of community in McLaren Vale and local
businesses work closely to help one another.
The region's newest initiative is the
McMurtrie Mile Gourmet Self Drive Tour,
which began last December and is an extension
of the McMurtrie Mile Passport, which offers
discounts and incentives to visitors. For the
new gourmet tour, six businesses, each with
something different to offer, have put their
heads together to create experiences you can
only enjoy by signing up for the tour.
"The idea was to have a unique product
where businesses within a mile of each other
could be experienced in a day. You'll do
beer-tasting and wine-tasting, have lunch and
join an art gallery tour," says Ros Miller, owner
of Red Poles, a cafe and art gallery that is one
of the six businesses on the innovative trail.
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