Visiting McLaren Vale? These are the local, lesser-known gems you can't miss.
Headed up by husband-and-wife duo Melissa (viticulturist) and Mike (winemaker) Brown, Gemtree is all about sustainable farming and promoting biodiversity. It also happens to produce some of the tastiest wine in the Vale, with the shiraz, grenache and red blends earning serious praise from judges, critics and wine-lovers across the country.
The property was once home to a huge, barren parcel of land that had been cleared for grazing, which Melissa and her family decided to restore to natural bushland. They wanted to keep the land's ecological balance in check, so they planted over 50,000 trees and shrubs to provide a protected home for native flora and fauna. The result? The Gemtree Ecotrail, a kilometre-long path twisting through the bushland where you'll likely come across emus, koalas and other native wildlife.
Woodstock Estate has been in the hands of the Collett family since the 1970s, when Doug Collett, a WWII Spitfire pilot who fell in love with Europe's wines, purchased the estate and began his own winery. Now his son Scott runs the show, working with some of McLaren Vale's oldest shiraz and grenache vines to make top-quality wines. His vision for the estate's future extended beyond making wines, however, which is why he decided to conserve three hectares of land for use as a wildlife sanctuary.
Now visitors to Woodstock can get to know a whole host of native fauna including Dusty, a Western Grey kangaroo, and Maverick, the friendly resident emu. Look to the top of the eucalyptus trees and you may even spot a koala nestled between the branches. The winery runs supervised feedings at 11.30am daily, making for a fun break between wine tastings, so bring your friends to make some new furry ones.
Forget, for a moment, the aforementioned secret cellar, and know that the Victory Hotel is definitely worth a visit regardless of its hidden treasures. It boasts panoramic views of both vineyards and ocean, as well as a super impressive menu covering everything from your pub favourites to something a little more gourmet. And the desserts? Trust us, you'll want to save room.
Though the Victory Hotel's food is unforgettable, the secret cellar really is the cherry on top. You'll be encouraged to select a wine for your meal from their underground cellar, but few stumble upon the real secret cellar, which is accessed through a hidden entry – yep, it's a cellar within a cellar. Find it, and you'll discover a range of rare, premium wines that can take a meal from special to spectacular in a single glass.
Zonte's Footstep, which was started by a group of age-old friends, operates its cellar door out of The General Wine Bar, on McLaren Vale's main road. They source grapes from their own vineyards, their mates' vineyards, and regions all over South Australia, making some cracking wines in the process.
The Zonte's crew run tastings throughout the day, with six different options available, but it's their breakfast wine flights – offered to groups of 8–30 people – that really stand out, proving the early bird gets more than the worm. You'll have to on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday morning, but keen beans will be rewarded with some unique canapé pairings, like ricotta pikelets with organic Fleurieu rosé, smashed avo with Adelaide Hills pinot grigio, or rockmelon and prosciutto with a Fleurieu prosecco.
