It was over 6 years ago when Sharon and Garry first discovered the Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard. Set on sandy, clay loam with a rock base of quartz, sandstone and ironstone, the couple knew that the land would allow them to apply their sustainable and minimal approach to wine creation.

When they first began, they worked out of an old tin shed on the property, however, as business grew, a new cellar door was built, and slowly, they introduced food and held events. More recently, they hired the award winning chef Matt Fitton to create a new menu that consisted of fresh local ingredients that complemented the wine and the views.

The vineyard experienced a few lean years, but in 2014, the S&G range (Sharon and Garry) was born. This consists of a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a Shiraz.

Adelaide Food Central, along with other guests, were invited to sample a special tasting menu that has been designed to complement the new S&G wine range. All food and drink were provided free of charge.

Prior to lunch, guests were treated to a selection of snacks. The first was the Chicken Skin with Spring Flowers. Whenever I have roast chicken, the best part is always the crispy skin. This delicious treat certainly didn’t disappoint. The skin was light, delicate, crunchy and incredibly addictive.

Next were the Carrots rolled in Floss. The carrots were firm but well cooked through, and the natural sweetness from the orange vegetable was a real highlight.

The Coffin Bay Oysters were fresh with a crisp salty taste. It was like having the flavours of the ocean in your mouth.

The Leaves and Goat Curd was the final snack on the list. The fresh crispy leaves were dipped into a smooth, creamy curd that was almost fluffy. It had a mild, light, tangy flavour with clean and subtle flavours.

When lunch began, we were treated to some South Australian Kingfish with finger lime, radish and sour milk. This dish was matched with the 2014 Riesling. The kingfish was smooth and delicate. The lime added a touch of tartness while the radish added a lovely crunchy texture. This dish was delicious and refreshing.

The next dish was the Slow Cooked Duck Egg with new season asparagus, dry chicken and puffed wheat. The key to eating this dish was to mix all the ingredients together. The rich, silky, smooth yolk did well to combine all the elements together. The asparagus added a subtly crunchy texture, while the wheat was light and crisp.

The matching wine for this dish was the 2014 S&G Chardonnay which has aromas of lemon, fennel, honeycomb and hazelnut. It has the texture of pear skin and green apple with notes of concentrated lime juice.

The Palate Cleanser was the Mt Lofty Ranges Pinot Noir Sorbet. This was light, delicate and refreshing, and should be made into big tubs that can be bought in supermarkets.

The first main was the Adelaide Hills Venison with beetroot, smoked walnut cream and wattle seed. Like most of the dishes, I thought this was very imaginative. The venison had a silky smooth texture and was complimented by the natural sweetness of the beetroot and the smokiness of walnut cream and wattle seed.

The matching wine for this dish was the 2014 S&G Pinot Noir which has an abundance of herbal flavours together with notes of dark chocolate and rhubarb.

The final savoury dish was the Charcoal Wagyu Beef with quandong, wild leaves and ox tail sauce. The beef was pinkish in the centre, and the texture was silky smooth. It was well complemented by the thick sauce was full of beefy flavours. The bitterness of the quandong provided a good contrast in flavour.

The matching wine for this dish was the 2014 S&G Shiraz which has complex flavours of white pepper, aniseed, wood smoke and star anise.

For dessert, we had Camomile, Rhubarb and Lenswood Apple. The scoop of house made ice cream was light and creamy with strong flavours of cinnamon. This was complemented by the sweetness of the rhubarb and apple.

The complex soil characteristics at the Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard give the wines their distinct fruity flavours and mineral crispness. The new S&G range is refined and elegant, and with all the awards they have won, certainly world class. Having said that, their food is just as good with unique ingredients combinations that utilise fresh local produce.

I’d personally like to thank Sharon and Garry for their hospitality, and of course, O’Rourke PR for their kind invitation. Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard is a name that you’re going to hear a lot more of.

WHERE: 166 Harris Rd, Lenswood