Tasting Australia by Road - Fleurieu Peninsula

At the heart of this coastal adventure are tides and time. They govern the ocean where pipis emerge from sand before appearing on the plate, each harvest guided by ancient wisdom. Further inland their influence shapes local wine – the ritual of vintage an ode to nature’s rhythms.  

Spend a day with chef Brendan Roach and winemaker Charlotte Hardy as they introduce producers and experiences unique to the region. First is a visit to hilltop MacLaoran Farm to meet owners Tom and Aimee Cosentino, first-gen landholders forging a fresh new path. Meet their prized cows and delight in coastal views to the Coorong while enjoying a cocktail and snack. 

A visit to Goolwa beach awaits before lunch. Ngarrindjeri elder Uncle Derrek Walker from Kuti Co will meet the group and share the pipi shuffle, a practice used by Aboriginal people for millennia. Take lunch at nearby Kuti Shack, nestled among the dunes, with a relaxed menu from Roach to be paired with Charlotte Dalton wines made by Hardy. 

A little post-meal tipple? Find it at The Joinery in Port Elliot, run by Hardy and her partner Ben Cooke of Cooke Brothers Wines. Encounter Bay distiller Henry Fisher will drop in too, offering a tasting and a cocktail crafted to reflect the day’s experiences. Chat wine with Hardy and Cooke, then play your part in production with a grape stomp (the time to state that long-simmering curiosity has come). 

Every road trip needs coffee; here it will come courtesy of local roastery De Groots – your final stop before zipping back to the city.  
 
Salt breeze, wide sea, stories and solace. The adventure is all yours.  

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