Three Wineries, Local Food Heroes, Pubs Combine for Spring Affair in McLaren Vale

For the third year running, three of the Vale’s wineries, Coriole Vineyards, Maxwell Wines and Paxton Wines, are collaborating once more to put on a multi-location food, wine and music festival across their respective cellar doors.

This year will see more growth in the fledgling Fleurieu festival, says Velvet Oakes, Coriole’s Cellar Door and Events Manager, who tells The Adelaide Review that “we’ve had a lot of people wanting to get on board this year”.

Indeed they have. This year the wineries have locked down an attractive spread of food providers for each location, with Poh Ling Yeow’s Jamface team set to cook alongside Tom Reid at Coriole, the inimitable Andre’s Cucina and Polenta Bar food truck Mangia serving up a mean feast at Maxwell and Cargo Catering Co delivering an eclectic offering to Paxton.

In the spirit of cooperation, Spring Affair has always collaborated with some of Adelaide’s favourite watering holes to bring punters down south. A growing range of city and suburb pubs, including the Original Coopers Ale House, Prince Albert Hotel and Ramsgate Hotel, will host ticket holders in the morning for their own morning tea/brunch services, and bus attendees down to the Vale.

“The beautiful thing about the pubs is that they offer transport to and from Adelaide,” Oakes says. “That’s one of the hardest thing for people – if they do want to come down to visit the wineries, someone has to drive.”

Other ticket and travel options are available of course, in case people would like to set their own agenda for the day, or just pick one spot and stick to it. “You can choose a venue and spend the whole day, or you can choose your own tour and book your own bus and choose what order you want to visit the wineries,” Oakes says. Furthermore, musical- and family-friendly offerings will be on offer at Spring Affair to round out the weekend’s experience.

While the Sunday will be a more rollicking affair, with live music on show, including Adelaide beat-maker Datakae at Coriole and cover bands at Maxwell and Paxton. The Monday will be more relaxed, with a family-friendly environment, and even activities including yoga sessions to stretch off Sunday’s Sauvignon Blanc.

Born of the desire to fill a sometimes empty October long-weekend, Oakes says the whole crew is suitably satisfied with how Spring Affair is growing, and bears no illusions as to why the event is growing in popularity.

“Who wouldn’t want to kick back at a winery and overlooking the rolling hills and vineyards, wine in hand with an abundance of fresh and delicious foods?”

Spring Affair McLaren Vale Sunday, October 2 and Monday October 3 springaffair.com.au