Have something to confess? Committed the sin of wine, or lack thereof? I have the cure. Absolve thyself.
The Confessional McLaren Vale Cellar Door Review
Proudly on the corner of Foggo and Kangarilla roads McLaren Vale is the newest boutique wine labels cellar door in McLaren Vale.
In the right place. Photo: WIllunga Wino
Settle thy weary bones in the hammock that swings invitingly by the carpark. Wander into a stylish open plan bar, Confessional booth, and seated dining area.
Relieve any niggling guilt at previous overindulgence, with a tasting ($5 – redeemable on purchase) of wines from boutique labels:
- La Curio
- Pieri
- Skin Deep
- Sew & Sew
- Land of the Vines
- Nova Vita
Linger longer over a platter, or sit down at the tables and give in to your evil side with a wine flight, paired to morsels made by Nigel Rich of acclaimed local restaurant, The Elbow Room.
The Lust Flight: Whites. Photo: Willunga Wino
You may recognise The Confessional, it used to be headquarters for Ekidna wines, brews and restaurant. Further back, it was also HQ for RedHeads – a boutique collaborative winery, now owned and run in the Barossa by Laithwaites.
On tasting at the bar. Photo: Willunga Wino
Choose your vice and you also choose one of three food and wine flights.
As Adam Hooper describes it – he picked out the characters of each wine, told Nigel Rich, and Nigel came up with food incorporating those flavours.
The interest will be in recognising those flavours in both food and wine, and seeing how the food changes the wine flavour.
Flights will rotate every 6-8 weeks, so be quick to sample my “Lust” white wine flight.
The Lust Flight: My vice of choice. Photo: Willunga Wino
First cab off the rank, the Nova Vita Firebird Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc .
Nova Vita Sauvignon Blanc Adelaide Hills 2014. Photo: Willunga Wino
Sniff Sniff
Grassy, minerality, touch of floral and funk.
Sip Sip
Round, soft palate, fuller than expected.
Nice sweet-tart juiciness, like from a nectarine.
Nom Nom
Lychee and rambutan sorbet accentuates the grassy acidity.
Nova Vita Sauv Blanc in the glass. Photo: Willunga Wino
Wine two: Skin Deep Wines Love Lost Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris 2015.
Sniff Sniff
More savoury than expected, with underlying stone fruit.
Sip Sip
Brighter, more acidic than the savvy b.
Touch of cedary oak.
Nom Nom
Dried pear & gorgonzola raviolo accentuates the nice acid and juicy minerality.
Skin Deep Wines Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris 2013. Photo: Willunga Wino
Wine three: Rusty Mutt Catnip McLaren Vale Viognier 2015.
Rusty Mutt McLaren Vale Viognier 2015. Photo: Willunga Wino
Sniff Sniff
Cedar, lemon, oily,
Sip Sip
On the palate, she’s less oily than other Viognier’s that I’ve tried.
Bright juicy lemon, silky palate, and a bit of olive brine flavour.
Nom Nom
Brie and brioche – brie on bri – clever. Creamy on creamy, toasty on toasty.
The beautiful rich and pungent Brie is enhanced, when tasted with the wine, more spice is enhanced too.
Rusty Mutt Viognier 2015 in the glass. Photo: Willunga Wino
Next, La Curio The Suffragette McLaren Vale Chardonnay 2015.
La Curio “The Suffragette” McLaren ValeChardonnay 2014. Photo: WIllunga Wino
Sniff Sniff
Rich, creaminess with stewed, sweet tart stone fruit.
Sip Sip
This reminds me of the bold chardonnay of the 1990’s. Super old school, buttery, vanillan oak.
A smooth chardy with enough acidity to hold it together and keep the flavours rolling on.
Nom Nom
Smoked salmon sprinkled with cinnamon – clever. It makes you notice the warm spice in the wine.
La Curio “The Suffragette” Chardonnay in the glass. Photo: Willunga Wino
Here is the flight in its’ entirety.
The Lust Flight: Whites. Photo: Willunga Wino
With an envious glance, I took a peek at the Envy – whites and rose flight.
Nova Vita Adelaide Hills Sparkling Pinot Noir NV. Photo: Willunga Wino
Nova Vita Sparkling Pinot Noir in the glass. Photo: Willunga Wino
The La Curio Aglianico Rose 201 is a cracker, deeply coloured, touch of tannins from skin contact, juicy savoury flavours.
La Curio “The Selfie” McLaren Vale Aglianico Rose 2015. Photo: Willunga Wino
Land Of The Vines McLaren Vale Cabernets 2013. Photo: Willunga Wino
Pieri’s Malocchio Montepulciano is an interesting drop, as are Pieri’s amarone style wines, with the added depth of rich, sweet dried fruit.
Pieri “Malocchio” “The Evil Eye” Montepulciano 2014. Photo: Willunga Wino
The Envy Flight: of whites, roses and reds. Photo: Willunga Wino
Lust Flight: Whites, Rose, Reds. Photo; Willunga Wino
Hot foot it down there to sample the first three flights – before they change to something else interesting, boutique, and local.
Oh and don’t forget to confess all in the Confessional booth!
Pinnable Image:
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