Why do I love the McLaren Vale Wine District?

It is challenging to answer this question without initially discussing about the wine. I love the wine made in McLaren Vale from the standard varieties of Shiraz (which grows in McLaren Vale like a wild plant) and Grenache (which ought to be grown like a wild flower i.e. no trellising) to the relatively recent "vines on the McLaren Vale block" such as Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Fiano. The wines exhibit a special sparkle and stability I have yet to uncover elsewhere. Some folks chat in relation to the mid palate of the wines that make them special, but I believe it is the total package.

But it would be straightforward to just discuss on the subject of the wines; however there is more to McLaren Vale than solely wineries. The beach is only a few kilometres away with Silver Sands being voted as one of the top beaches in Australia. Then there is a regional food and wine culture. There are a number of food artisans such as Spice Girls (who supply first-rate sauces and chutneys), Woodside Cheese Wrights (cows and goat milk cheeses) and Soul'y Bread (freshly baked breads) these and many other artisans can be found at what has recently been voted as Australia's unsurpassed regional farmers markets - Willunga Farmers Markets 9am - 12:30pm each Saturday. I procure my beef and lamb from a local farm just up the road by Myponga (Wychwood Meats) who grow and process the cattle and neighboring lambs. There are a quantity of exceptional bakeries so there is a lot of diversity for the Sunday lunch of fresh crusty bread to go with some regional olive oil (Lloyd Brothers Wine & Olive Company) locally made Dukkha and cheeses (Wright's Cheeses from Coriole) to go with the chutneys. The Willunga sub region has a reputation of producing some of the greatest almonds in Australia and outlets such as the Almond Train on McLaren Vale's main street has a vast quantity of flavour variations for the almonds.

No wonder I like Sundays - the hardest thing to do is pick!

If you aspire something a smidgen heartier then there are many restaurants and cafes to assist you from the renowned Salopian Inn to a pizza at Oscars.

The wineries can assist with food as well. Where places like Coriole, Hoffmanns and Woodstock have wonderful eateries attached to their winery / cellar door complexes. Or there are surprises like a winter curry at Willunga Creek Cellars or a pizza from Settlement.

What about the sweet toothed amongst you? Well a visit to the Robern Menz Factory Outlet for some Fruchocs or fruit jellies ought to help you out.

If you are looking for something in addition to break up a McLaren Vale visit then the wildlife sanctuary at Woodstock or a garden stroll through the majestical Lazy Ballerina gardens will only help feed the soul.

If not any of this has convinced you to visit the McLaren Vale region then the only other recommendation I can generate is that when it came time to come back home to Adelaide to live after 20 plus years around Australia, I could only live in McLaren Vale. There is no greater individual recommendation.