We took a road trip to McLaren Vale and discovered a slice of paradise

You may not be a wine connoisseur but if you go to McLaren Vale, you’ll surely feel like one. An hour’s drive from the city of Adelaide, this rural town is surrounded by vineyards, and is set against the sapphire blue of the ocean that acts as a running backdrop.

On a sunny morning in early November (which is summer in Adelaide, lest you forget!), we drove down to McLaren Vale, our first stop being the d’Arenberg Cube. The asymmetrical architecture of this structure (it resembles the Rubik’s cube) seemed almost at odds with the landscape. Even if you’ve seen photographs online, nothing will prepare you for its quirkiness which stands out amidst the quaintness of the surrounding town.

Blue and white on the outside, and red, orange, green, yellow (and all the other colours of the rainbow) on the inside, the d’Arenberg Cube is known for its “sensory” experiences. We didn’t quite comprehend what this implied, until we stepped in to find a room covered from floor to ceiling in fruits and flowers, invoking the sense of “sight”. While the fruits seemed almost psychedelic with their bright, pop colours, the flowers were a subtler pastel, playing up the contrast between the two. The purpose? To bring together all ingredients involved in winemaking. You could go and smell the different ingredients through structures that resembled horns, to experience the gamut of complexity that went behind creating the perfect blend.

Then, we were led into an audiovisual room, where we saw an AV, also unlike anything one would ever associate with wine (the video showcased the owner’s head superimposed on the moon as he spoke!); a crash course on the history of d’Arenberg followed suit, and we felt our perception of “wine” being vastly shaken. After all, wasn’t wine traditionally in the domain of highbrowed men and women sipping their drink in clinically clean interiors? If so, then what was this almost-psychedelic, quirky space dedicated to the craft of wine?

What occurred next, however, was the highlight of the Cube—a session on blending your own wine (did we mention, McLaren Vale is known for Shiraz?) One needn’t be an expert in winemaking or a connoisseur to create one’s own blend; functioning taste buds, basic mathematics and a dash of self-awareness is all that’s needed.

With a set-up that took us back to chemistry class—beakers, measuring cups, charts et al, and three glass jars labelled Base A, Base B and Base C, we sipped, tasted, mixed and repeated the process of creating a blend that complemented our personal palates. From creating a sample blend to replicating the proportions for a full 750ml bottle, we felt like geniuses on emerging from the session. Of course, we got to take home our own blend in a bottle.

In high spirits (pun intended), we were picked up by Ben of Off Piste 4WD Tours in a four-wheel drive vehicle; he drove us around the vineyards and the little town, as we sat back and enjoyed the undulating hills, the sprawling countryside and the deep blue ocean—it was truly magical. We even stopped by to say hello to some very friendly horses on a farm, while managing to spot a few kangaroos in the wild.

Soon, we came upon a hill that could only be navigated by a four-wheel drive (the purpose of the large car now made complete sense), and Ben parked in a particularly scenic spot on a cliff overlooking the ocean. He then opened the boot of the car, and before we knew what was happening, he took out a grill, pulled out some chairs, set up a table (even threw on a tablecloth!), poured us each a glass of sparkling wine, and went about preparing a meal, in the middle of (literally) nowhere!

From a selection of authentic cheeses from the region and salads (that we lent a hand in preparing), to the best steaks in Australia and red wine from Ben’s own vineyard, our picnic lunch by the bush lands was clearly the high point of the day. It gave us a sense of the Australian community, of hospitality and how one man could set up, cook, serve and host such an elaborate lunch all by himself.

With our tummies full and heads light, we (along with the tables, chairs and grill) were packed into the car once again. This time around, Ben took us through hidden vantage points with breathtaking ocean views, giving us an ongoing commentary on the vineyards and the who’s who of McLaren Vale (everyone knows everyone and their vineyards by name).

He even took us on a long and beautiful drive by the seaside, and just when we thought we couldn’t have had a more personalized tour, he made an unexpected pit stop—an old butter factory that turned out to be his house! We went inside, met his parents, and discovered a wine cellar in the basement. A day full of surprises, indeed.

Feeling heady with the food, the wine, the laughter and the hospitality, we waved goodbye to Ben; it had been an exciting day. Dinner was at “Star of Greece” a restaurant by the ocean, where delicious dinners came with sides of breathtaking sunsets. Once again, we experienced a taste of Australian hospitality when the owner came up and introduced himself, offering us some more wine to go with our meal; wine seemed to be a constant in McLaren Vale.

If you do decide to visit McLaren Vale, we can tell you this: you will love the wine, adore the food, and fall in love with the views; but it will be the warmth and the hospitality of the locals that will stay with you for years to come.

Watch this video to see what our day was like, at McLaren Vale.