Maslin
Beach Vineyard & Cellar Door…
Mclaren Vale Wine Region
South Australia's best kept winery secret (until now) is just 45
minutes south from Adelaide along the main South Road, past the
turn-off to Maslins Beach. Instead of turning left into the greater
area of McLaren Vale, turn right towards the beach at the next road.
You will immediately become distracted by a pretty little vineyard
cascading down the side of small hill on your right. That is the
unique and delightful Dyson Wines.
The wines are not blended with grapes from other vineyards or regions.
What is picked here is what you drink. It is a pure wine and this
makes it a unique wine.
You cannot buy Dyson Wines from a bottle shop. They are only sold
from the Cellar Door, the loyal customer list or from this Dyson
Wines web site. You can visit the Vineyard and Cellar Door most
days of the year and you will most likely find Allan Dyson, winemaker,
there to serve the wine and talk with you. For him, the winery is
both his living and his personal passion. He enjoys meeting other
wine lovers and discussing the wines with them.
Dogs, chooks (Aussie for 'chickens'), ducks, geese and grapes abound.
Set amoungst the vines with a wide open verandah, the wine tasting
cellar has none of the flashy touristy stuff. The cellar has small
chunks of family history in hidden corners. All of Dyson Wines'
resources go into the wine, not into tourism gloss.
Outside the cellar door, sculptures of a kangaroo and an emu, in
natural earthy materials, peek out from the greenery to watch over
the vines. Inside photos and items from the Dyson family's original
farm (at nearby Christies Beach) tumble over old baskets, bottles,
and other memorabilia. Rich aged textures of wood, iron, wicker,
leather and glass create a quiet haven to share the wine. The effect
is cosy, kitchen-like in the old country sense, and throughout wafts
that soft, gentle, rich smell of fruit.
The rows of vines rustle and sigh. The vineyard is small, peaceful,
charming. The quiet has a healing quality. The animals and birds
roam freely in the vineyard, scratching up the soil and mulch, uniting
the picturesque with the practical, adding atmosphere and keeping
the vineyard naturally healthy. But Allan admits that, having been
brought up on a farm, he just considers dogs, ducks, geese and chooks
obligatory, "You just gotta have 'em. I just like them being
around."
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