 McLaren Vale on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula is one of Australia's most attractive wine regions. Scenery varies widely, with vistas of the Onkaparinga River and tributaries giving way to hills, olive groves and forests. The climate is influenced by the nearby ocean, and by altitude as the region merges with the Adelaide Hills and Mount Lofty Ranges.
Wineries here are famous for their robust reds, in particular shiraz - the densely coloured, richly flavoured, velvety wine variety known in the USA as syrah. Whites are similarly powerful and well worth sampling. Grape varieties grown include cabernet sauvignon, grenache, semillon, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and riesling.
The Adelaide Hills, about 20 minutes by car from downtown Adelaide, offer some 15 more wineries, plus about 1,000 kilometres of walking trails, historic townships, wildlife sanctuaries, coffee shops and good old Aussie pubs. Mt Lofty Summit, rising to 727 metres, provides panoramic views of Adelaide and the ocean. On a clear day you can see as far as Yorke Peninsula on the other side of Gulf St Vincent. The Bridgewater Mill, built in 1860, still works and also serves as a wine cellar and restaurant. A good stop for lunch!
Hahndorf, Australia's oldest German settlement (1839) was home to celebrated landscape artist Sir Hans Heysen, who left his artwork and studio as a legacy. A biennial landscape prize is named after him, as is a lengthy walking trail along which he once strolled for inspiration.
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