Friday 09 February

McLaren Vale wine growing area today, about 45 minutes south east of Adelaide. Our first winery is Paxtons, a biodynamic estate, run on the principles established by Rudolph Steiner ( I've previously only heard of his schools). So grapes are harvested according to the phases of the moon, ground animal horn fertilises the soil. We sit outside around an oak barrel and sample the whites, a rose and  single grape variety reds. Then to Corriole which has a lovely garden and is used as a wedding venue. It's very hot now so we sample inside! 

Now for something completely different: D'Arenbergs, with its controversial Cube building. It's more a twisted Rubic cube than a solid cube . As you approach the building music is playing. This represents the weather, and the conditions that the vines have experienced, all generated by some complicated algorithm. There are plans to link each bottle of wine with this music. Once inside the experience is psychedelic, Kenneth Graham and Frankie Howard and other famous people are depicted in cartoons on the wall and are somehow linked to the wines which have very curious names, like The Cenosilicaphonic Cat. Apparently cenosilicaphonic means "fear of an empty glass". The Conscious Biosphere, The Ironstone Pressings, and so on. We watch a 360 degree surreal film, and experience the curious toilets! Wine tasting is on the top floor of the cube, with balconies jutting out with fine very hot views of the vineyards, wheat fields and hills. We can even see the sea in the distance.

A quick visit to SC Pannell then we approach Hugh Hamilton along a cypress lined track and sit in the circular tasting area with 360 views of the winery. The wines here have quirky names too, The Floozie, The Mongrel, and some have coded labels, each grape in the blend having its own design. There's a bit of a sheep theme as well.

Back to Glenelg with our klinking purchases and Michael and I go for a cycle along the coast road (justifies bringing the Lycra and cycling top!). Late evening swim with a brilliant sunset, sheets of red flame amongst the clouds.