Wineries

After lunch at the bakery in Goolwa, which had delicious custard squares or vanilla slices which were definitely not good for the waistline, Karen, Reece and I visited the Bleasdale Winery in Langhorne Creek.  Bleasdale was established in Langhorne Creek by the Potts family about 130 years ago.   The family still run the winery.   

Most of the wine is stored in these stainless steel vats.

 Self help wine tasting.    We liked this.   And we purchased three bottles of wine each, not drunk yet I might add.

Only the best, and the vintage wines, are stored in the traditional casks.

 This is the old red gum lever press built in 1892 and used until 1962.   Very impressive.   No jumping into the vats and using your bare feet to press the juice out of the grapes in this winery.

 Last evening we went out to dinner at the Victory Hotel, up on Sellicks Hill.   A wonderful view of the surrounding countryside and the bay.    Unfortunately the clouds were heavy and it rained.   However the clouds lifted just as the sun went down, a marvellous red ball in the sky.    Dinner was delicious, as was the wine, which we chose from the extensive wine cellar beneath the hotel.   A great night.

 Then off this morning for more wine tasting   At the D'Arenberg winery in McLaren Valley.  

South Australian people are spoilt for choice, when it comes to wine growing areas, Coonawarra, Langhorne Creek, Currency Creek, McLaren Valley and of course the most famous, Barossa Valley, plus all the other areas that are starting to focus on producing fine wines.    One could be permanently sozzled here, just by going around the wineries, wine tasting.   In fact our first ever visit to the Barossa Valley, Walter and I did just that, we visited most of the wineries, and then drove home feeling very tipsy.  No breathalisers in those days!

The D'Arenberg Winery is owned by the Osborn family, who established it in 1912.     We tasted two wines, just to check out that the D'Arenberg wines we buy in the UK are ok.    I have heard stories that wineries export their worst wines or even that they put 'extra' bits in them.    But no, D'Arenberg wines in the UK are the real thing.   That is a relief.

A typical country scene, with the windmill, the shed and the gum trees.

 The restaurant and the tasting room.    Walter can remember when the tasting room was a tin shed.   Progress.    No purchases here as we had purchased a dozen bottles - cleanskins (unlabelled) from the visitors centre in McLaren Vale.    I think we are a little keen, not sure how we are going to drink so many bottles of wine in two weeks.    We will be sozzled!

 A view of the McLaren Valley.

  Finally, lunch at the Ramsgate Hotel in Henley Beach.   Walter, Reece and Karen posing outside our old house.   Those small trees that I planted on the right are so big and ugly.    Obviously the people who live there now do not sit on the verandah and watch the sea views.  

A very busy but a very enjoyable weekend.