My valiant chauffeur, Martyn, left work early on the Friday to get me to Melbourne airport for 5 pm. The flight got delayed, but it wasn't long until I was at Adelaide arrivals hall being greeted by one of my best and longest standing friends, Ken Howard. Ken and I used to indulge in tutored wine tastings together back in the Cambridge days, so I was looking forward to this weekend as he lives so close to the Barossa Valley.
It took about an hour to drive back to his place in Lewiston, which truly was in the back of beyond. It is a single storey long, veranda fronted wooden building in several acres of land with sheep and a horse in the paddock. It was good to meet the new lady in his life, Robyn, and over a great Aussie favourite, steak, and a few glasses of local wine we became friends.
On Saturday we headed into The Barossa with Robyn at the wheel, first stopping at Mount Pleasant farmers market where Red had a stall selling spices and home made curries. It was good to see her again and to see Ken's sons David and Declan, both chips off the old block. The market was similar to our farmers markets, with fruit and veg that is produced on a smaller scale than the market I had been to the previous week in The Yarra Valley.
We started by exploring The Eden Valley but didnt find a cellar door for tastings. The Eden Valley has a micro climate within The Barossa and is becoming well known as an independent wine area. The countryside was splendid, and the drive by no means a waste of time. We stop near the Mount Adam vineyard to take photos, and then moved on. Robyn drove from one vineyard to another, stopping for lunch on the way, while Ken and I sampled wine after wine, mainly agreeing that the Shiraz were not as good as its reputation. I was later to learn from a NZ vineyard that this is because climate change means the grapes of this variety are not able to develop to their full potential. We visited Penfolds because we know I can get the stuff in UK, but the vineyard that pleased the most was an artisan vineyard that we found by chance at the end of the day, Kabminye. This vineyard is owed by the wonderfully named Mr Glastonbury who told me his ancestry took him back to Dursley in Glos, which is 'Cider with Rosie' country, and is also where my surname hails from. I voted strongly for the Durif blend, and bought a bottle to enjoy with dinner that night, and a bottle of the Muscat to thank the driver for her valiant services throughout the day. Other notables were the boutique vineyard of Charles Melton . The Shiraz was unappealing, but the Nine Popes Blend was fantastic. Also, from Grant Burge, The Kraft Sauvignon Blanc had a really refreshing zing of grapefruit in its complex palate.
Horror of the day, week, month, whatever must go to Jacobs Creek for their wine factory. Having seen so many lovely artisan and boutique producers, this was an eyesore. Looking at it made me wonder if they also pasteurised the wine to make sure it all met a standardised taste. It rather put me off their label.
As we neared home, knowing my devotion to Kwan Yin, Robyn stopped outside a Vietnamese temple dominated by a statue of my Lady Goddess. I went in and paid my respects and was invited by the monk to join them the next day for New Year celebrations. With time so short in the area, I was unable to take him up on that. Having a mediteranean climate, this area historically attracted many Italians, who planted not only vines, tomatoes and bell peppers, but olive groves. Having made their money, they are now going elsewhere and selling up to the new wave of migrants from Vietnam. The crops are changing, and pak choi is in abundance on the Adelaide plain.
Sunday was another interesting day being driven around the beautiful area I was in, this time by Ken, in the Adelaide Hills. There were times when looking across the hills you could've thought you were in the UK. There was a hint of green in the fields, rather than the hue of ripened hay, along with deciduous and pine trees. Palm trees were not in so much evidence to tarnish the image and the gum trees at a distance could have been deciduous trees. There is a long history of German settlers in the area as can be seen by the names of villages and towns such as Hahndorf and Lobethal.
Our first stop was at The Toy factory in Gumeracha, that sports what claims to be the world's biggest rocking horse as its symbol. It was easy to connect all these wonderful wooden toys with the German influence but further investigation taught me that this was only about 40 yrs old and set up by someone with a very English name!
After a further drive along scenic roads we went on to explore Hahndorf, and go in search of some black forest gateau. (Why not when in a Germanic town?) After a saunter through various of the shops I got side tracked by a micro brewery, and while Ken and Robyn had a small cider each I enjoyed a tasting paddle of the cellar masters finest half dozen. Excellent! Next stop was a lovely German tea shop and a generous slice of Schwarzwald kirchtorte.
We stopped off at the pizza shop, and went home for another evening of relaxation. After the meal and a glass of the local wine we relaxed in the hot tub on the back verandah watching the stars come out until our skins turn wrinkly.
I slept well that night!
Neither Ken nor Robyn were going to work on the Monday, so we spent a leisurely morning and then went into Adelaide for a whistle stop look at the city. We celebrated the Chinese new year by having lunch in Chinatown, and then went for a quick look around the art gallery. I was enchanted to find a couple of Waterhouse pictures, and some by George Frederick Watts, whose magnificent sculpture "Physical Energy" is in Hyde Park, and whose gallery, south of Guildford I often visit. The gallery of Australian artists was a revelation. I had never heard of them yet they were top rate classical style artists. I clearly have to educate myself for the future.
Time waits for no one, nor do airplanes, so only too quickly we had to make our way to the airport so that I could get back to Melbourne. We said our goodbyes, with the promise to meet up again next year in Cambridge, UK.
Back in Melbourne the ever faithful Martyn was there to meet me with my large suitcase. We then had a meal in the airport pub and said a final goodbye as I proceed through security to catch a midnight plane to New Zealand.
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