After a good night’s sleep in our little Cottage, we make an omelet with the provisions our hostess has left for us.
Dick has arranged a private wine tour for us today with ‘Coonawarra Experiences’. Simon, the owner, picks us up and we are on our way. We start at ‘Parker Estate’ where we have a nice selection of wine and a good discussion with Ericka regarding the wines and the region itself. She asks about our trip and when she hears we are staying at the Merrijig the next day and having dinner there, she very excitedly tells us that she and her husband are winemakers themselves and the Merrijig carries their wine. How cool. We then head to ‘Banks Thargo’ who opened the cellar door today just for us. We also stop at Hollick Estate, ‘Brand’s Laira’, where we have a very large Ploughman’s platter and end the day at ‘Penley Estate’. Simon and his wife have moved here from Melbourne in the spring and just started this business. I would highly recommend them.
I find that the best thing about this day is the one-on-one interaction with the people who live here. They are clearly passionate about the work they do and the place they live. I think we spent at least an hour, if not more, with each of them and came to know them in some way. A special part of the planet.
A brief stop at the library where we can access free wi-fi, then off to dinner at The Pipers of Penola Restaurant, a husband and wife operation, he’s the chef and she is front of house. I had a beef filet and Dick had the duck, both great.
Mary
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Our rental cottage in Penola has been well stocked with provisions for a serious English breakfast – fresh eggs, back bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, breads, etc. Makes a nice omelet for ‘brekki’.
Simon (from a small touring company –he & wife) is our tour guide for the day. It’s just us two on the tour and the personal experience makes for a fun day of wine touring. At most of the wine cellars, it’s just Mary & I and the cellar manager with whom Simon has a nice relationship. Connawarra is probably the best Cabernet growing region in the world and there are 25 cellar doors in a 10-mile radius. A target-rich environment and the wines are outstanding. It’s probably a good thing we are travelling with limited space for pickups.
There’s no wifi in our cottage, or at any of the establishments in town so we sneak into the local library to check up on life. Dinner at a local favorite, Pipers, is super.
Dick