Day 95 Mount Barker

Lisa and I took leave of the children for the first time in 95 days, and went on a day trip to the Barossa Valley to spoil ourselves.  The drive from Little Hampton was around 30km, and meandered through the Adelaide Hills which was quite spectacular in itself. It rained for quite a bit of the drive, but cleared up just as we drove into Tanunda. 

We went straight up to the lookout for a vista of the valley and all there was to see, but to be honest, it was 6 Deg C with a howling wind so we looked at the view, snapped a photo and jumped back into the car with the heater on.  Disappointed, but not defeated we drove back through town to Seppeltsfield winery.

Do you love port?  I love port.  Seppeltsfield for the lovers of fine port is the home of Para Port. 

Lisa and I paid for inclusion on the tour, and went to the bar for some tastings...at 1030.  It had to be lunchtime somewhere.   We made our way through their extensive list of fortified wines, and reserve fortified wines, and thought it best we stop before the tour so we could walk like everyone else without staggering and falling into the pond.

We got talking to our host, and ended up trying all the ports anyway, so we were both suitably ripe for trekking around in the rain on a winery tour.

Our guide took us and one other couple through the history of Seppelt wines from 1839 to modern day production.  We went looking at the old fermentation tanks, and their original pot still, and got to have a look in Cellar number 7 which was used until recently for the storage of a very tasty Muscat Liqueur.

Inside the cellar were rows of barrels, which were full (HOORAY!) and some tall stainless steel fermentation tanks. 

The method they use here is that the oldest wine / port / liqueur is in the bottom barrels.  They syphon off 1/3 of the barrel and fill from the one above, and then replace that 1/3 from the barrel above, and so on until they are putting fresh wine into the top row. 

The smell in this room was quite incredible.  I noticed near the doorway a box containing 4 glasses next to a barrel with a sign on it which read "In case of thirst ... take glass"   Niiiiice!

The tour continued on back through the grounds, past the old dining hall where they would feed all 120 of their staff every day.  Lisa and I are standing here in front of the 100 year old port cellar.

They have a barrel of port going back 100 years and further if you ask them nicely.  For 6 years running they have received a score of 100/100 points for their hundred year port.  A 100ml bottle can be purchased at the cellar door for a measly $300.00 per bottle.

Once we had returned from the tour, Lisa and I spent an obscene amount of money on port...but for some reason we didn't care at the time.  It was lunch time though, so we went in search of some food...good hearty wholesome food.  Off to Maggie Beer's we went, only to be horribly disappointed.  There were pates, terrines and pastes, chutneys and sauces, and platters as far as the eye could see for bread, thistles and chook guts (pate).

The lovely lady at the visitors centre had recommended Hentley Wines for lunch, so in the car we got and went back (Past Seppeltfield) to Hentley Estate.  We stepped inside this tiny cottage with 5 tables, and were seated in 5 star fashion.    After we were seated we got nervous as there were no menus, and the waitress explained to us that they match the meal to wines from the estate.



This sounded lovely, so we asked two very important questions.  1.  How much? and 2.  What is on the menu, to which we were answered...

1.  $80.00pp for the 4 course meal without wine and $150.00pp with wine or $175.00 for the 8 course meal without wine and $300.00pp for the meal matched with wines.  **GULP**

2.  The menu is a secret, and you find out what you are eating as it arrives.  **GULP**


The combination of these two things freaked us both completely out, so we asked politely if we could pay for our glass of wine and leave without the meal.  I mention all of this because the restaurant manager was extremely accommodating, and personally took us to the tasting cellar a) without charging us for the glass of wine we had at the table, and b) introduced us to his staff at the cellar and invited us to try their range of wines and thanked us for coming regardless of us not staying.  CLASSY! 

Now, this would be the sort of restaurant you go to for a wedding anniversary or very special occasion, not for a simple lunch.  But I have to mention the wines.  In particular the Hentley Rose which we had at lunch, and consequently bought a bottle, and the two single vineyard wines which they produce on site.  Both are Shiraz which Barossa is famous for.  The first is called The Beauty and is from the vineyard down on the river which is slightly cooler.  The wine was smooth, light, easy on the palate, dry as a dead dingo's bone, and totally amazing.  The other is from the vineyard at the top of the hill which is slightly warmer, harsher soil, wind and conditions.  This wine was sharp, fruity and full of flavour, and really smacked you hard for tasting it, but again, totally amazing.  Both retail at the cellar for $60.00per bottle.

I should have known better.  As I left, I noted the 3 BMW's and the Audi in the car park...next to old mate Prado.

Lisa recalled seeing a sign for wood fired pizza, and we turned around with our tail between our legs, and scooted off (Slightly embarrassed) for some lunch.  Of course, it was now 2pm and we had been to Seppeltsfield, and also had a fairly extensive tasting at Hentley, so Lisa was both food deprived woozy and slightly soused as well.

We lobbed into this beautiful little cottage, and were greeted by the bar attendant, and the business manager who was still at the cellar for the afternoon.  We were seated at a table, and ordered a couple of pizza's. 

Two Hands is a little different.  We were told that we could do a tasting, but they ask for a $5.00 donation per head to go to the Uganda Project, and that the tasting would take around an hour to complete properly.  I thought that was pretty cool, so agreed and they brought us our information book, and a page with 14 different wines to taste, and room for notes.  I could see this getting messy.

I also need to point out here, that I have been to Swan Valley, Denmark, Mount Barker, Margaret River, and all have been pretty short on their tastings.  Everywhere we went today, the tastings were around 50ml and up.  Even Seppelt gave us a full port glass of the 30 year old port liqueur to share.  Anyhow, I digress.

We began tasting our way through their range and fell in love with their wines.  THEY ARE ALL GREAT!!!!


There are 33 different wines under their label, and whilst they weren't all my cup of tea, I can tell that there is some pure elegance in the production of this wine. 

The atmosphere was magical with each wine being elaborately explained to us before we tried it.  Finally the pizza arrived, and I only say finally because we were on our sixth or seventh tasting by that time, and poor Lisa was slurring and stumbling.


The manager was cooking the pizzas and they too were totally delicious.  The wine seemed to grow legs with the food, and all of the fruity tones came out in the acid of the tomato, and the spice of chorizo.  We were in a bit of a wine and pizza crazed frenzy.  We also received complimentary olive oil, bread and carpaccio to nibble while we worked our way through the list.

We had gotten to the point though where we thought we should just try two more that we were looking forward to when our hostess came over with a bottle of Zippy's Black ($100.00 per bottle) Shiraz to try...Oh...ok then.

To say Zippy's was one of the nicest wines I have ever tasted would be cruel to Zippy's, but it was followed by Ares which kicked its butt, and as a special, the bar manager had opened a bottle of Aphrodite 2006 Shiraz ($165.00 per bottle for the 2010) which left us both a little bit speechless.  Wow is all that really comes to mind. 

From here it was a slippery slope into the Showroom series of fortified wines, and we were lolling in a heavenly wine fest.  Their Muscat is called "A Day Late, A Buck Short" and we were drooling for more of it when our hostess came back proclaiming that it had been such a good afternoon that the boss had pulled the cork on a bottle of "Fait Accompli" Rare Reserve Muscat at $100.00 per bottle.  OMG!

Two Hands wine made our Barossa Experience wonderful.  The staff and management have our thanks and our best wishes.  We went nowhere else after Two Hands as I couldn't imagine a better afternoon out.  It was warm and friendly and welcoming like being invited into a friends house.  The wines were complex and cultured, and quite delicious by all accounts. 

I'm no wine connoisseur, but what I tried tasted fantastic, and I certainly don't go gaga for reds, so I can only tip my hat to the wine maker, and everyone at Two Hands...Thanks again for your hospitality.

It was 4:30pm when we left Two Hands, and went looking for some cake to mop up the wine.  Unfortunately we couldn't find an open cafe, so resigned to going back to Tania's.  We have had such a wonderful day without being hassled by our angels, that we were reluctant to go.  To add to the mood, it hailed and poured with rain whilst we made our way back through the Adelaide Hills to Littlehampton. 

We heard all about the kids' day when we arrived at Tania's house.  They went into Adelaide City, and watched the Olympian Parade wearing large blue fluffy wigs.  The kids got to meet several of our medallists including Anna Mears, and were allowed to hold one of the Water Polo Women's Bronze Medals belonging to Ashleigh Southern. 

The kids all got a flag, and balloons which the athletes have signed for them...Journal standard that is.

They also went walking through the city looking at the local art works, including the array of Bronze Pig Statues.  I think Rowan looks right at home here riding on this little piggy.  OINK!

Tania and the kids had a ball riding the glass elevator at Toy's R Us on the outside of the building, and driving along the beach through the hail at Glenelg.  All up, a brilliant day on all accounts I would say.  What can tomorrow bring to top that?