The picturesque township of McLaren Vale is the gateway to arguably South Australia’s favourite and most accessible wine region.
A mere 40 minutes from Adelaide, the McLaren Vale wine region hosts more than 80 cellar doors that encompass a wide variety of award-winning wines including world-class Shiraz and Grenache, and where you will discover styles of red such as Tempranillo, Marsanne, Rousanne and Sangiovese and white varietals like Vermentino and Fiano.
A ‘must stop’ for McLaren Vale
First timers and seasoned frequenters to the area should make a stop at the McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast Visitor Centre for up-to-the-minute info, plus an on-site café for the hungry (supported by their kitchen garden), gallery, and Vale Cru cellar door – a collective of small batch wine producers.
Eat, drink, shop and wander
The main road invites visitors with its boulevard-like feel and street plantings of rosemary, grape vines and bushy roses.The township is a popular spot, offering visitors an eclectic mix of local businesses.
There are plenty of places for breakfast, lunch and dinner offered by cafés, restaurants, and hidden-away eateries tempting passers by. Look out too for providores, plus a diverse range of yummy goodies that include the likes of dried fruit and nuts, chocolate, cheese, olives, coffee, wine (of course), bakery goods, and more.
For the basics, there’s a Coles and Foodland, discount stores, quality butchers, greengrocers and bakeries galore at the township’s two shopping precincts.
Meandering is a way of life here, and you can start you day early in McLaren Vale. Between bites, visit art galleries, indulge yourself at a beauty salon or day spa, peruse homeware and garden centres, browse furniture and craft shops, or for the fashionistas (male and female), shop in one of the many clothing and footwear boutiques.
Relax, stay and play
And while it might seem like a bustling regional centre, there are also plenty of parks and other pockets of peace to take time out and relax. Be sure to visit pretty Ellis Park, the Piazza della Valle, and let the kids run wild in Gemmel Tassie Park with its huge army tank, playground, skate park and BMX track.
Those wishing to stay and play for more than a day, accommodation offerings are plentiful in McLaren Vale. Think apartments, motels, caravan park, cottage stays, B&Bs and so much more.
For the love of wine, craft beer, spirits and coffee
The township is just the beginning of the McLaren Vale story. A feast for the senses awaits visitors in the immediate region where wine aficionados can look forward to sampling some of Australia’s and the world’s best wines.
The region continues to surprise with unique, innovative and inspiring cellar doors incorporating some of the region’s best culinary experiences.
And with breweries, distilleries and even coffee roasters dotted throughout the region, along with dining sensations, places to stay, adventure activities, galleries, and many nature experiences, it’s no wonder McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast has long been a destination that keeps drawing visitors back time and time again.