Coonawarra Wine Adventures: A Weekend of Food, Wine and Conversation

On Friday, 25 October, I travelled to Coonawarra after Helen & Joey Estate was invited to present wines at the Penley Estate Wine Dinner.

The evening also featured wines from Penley Estate and Alpha Box & Dice.

Arriving in Coonawarra

The drive to Penola was far from glamorous. The weather was grey and wet, and the road disappeared into a haze of drizzle for much of the journey.

However, the landscape changed dramatically on arrival.

Unlike the rolling hills of the Yarra Valley, Coonawarra stretched flat and wide beneath a dramatic sky. The region’s red earth, long vine rows and endless horizon created an immediate sense of place.

For a moment, I thought, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.” Then I quickly corrected myself. “Well, actually, maybe I am.”

There is something cinematic about Coonawarra.

Dinner at Bellwether Wines

That evening, I caught up with my old university friend Sue Bell at her famous “Table of Twelve” hosted at Bellwether Wines.

The dinner takes place inside a restored 1868 stone shearing shed on the Glen Roy property. The setting is every bit as charming as it sounds.

Sue brings together guests staying on the property alongside locals and visitors from across the region. As a result, the table becomes a mix of strangers, friends, stories and conversation.

Food, Wine and Shared Stories

Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed produce grown on the property paired with Bellwether Wines wines.

Each wine was introduced with Sue’s warmth, humour and insight, which made the experience feel personal and welcoming.

Later that evening, a thunderstorm rolled across the plains and provided a dramatic end to a memorable night in Coonawarra.