Monday, April 30, 2012

A Jaunt To The Riverland

Beautiful Autumn colours

April seems to have been a month of wine regions for me! It started with Easter in Clare, then I travelled to the Riverland for two days last week.

It was a quick work trip to train some winemakers and growers in social media, which of course ended up with me sampling some fantastic alternative Riverland wine varieties.

If you haven't delved in to Vermentinos, Montepuliciano, Grillo and other lesser known varieties, check out the Riverland Alternative Wine Group Facebook page for more info.

There are some amazing wines being produced which aren't widely distributed yet which will make you the talk of your next dinner party!

My lunch with a view
Although the weather was less than perfect, the river still looked beautiful and all the vineyards with their Autumn colours set the scene.

I stayed at the golf club in Berri, which allowed me to wake up to a beautiful view of the golf course, but as I wasn't there on a weekend, we were somewhat limited in places to eat breakfast/lunch/dinner at.

If you're thinking of heading to the Riverland, I'd suggest finding a cosy B&B and taking your food with you. You can pick up wine from the the various wineries in the area, but it's best to be prepared with your own stash if you're not familiar with the area.

A cafe on the river
As there are plenty of primary producers in that area, you can easily pick up bags of butternut pumpkins and oranges for about $5 along the roadside so carry some cash on you if you're feeling like picking up some fresh produce! 

I didn't have enough time to really explore, but I certainly saw enough to go back again. Another beautiful South Australian region.

The view from the Berri Golf Club hotel room