Editor of delicious. South Australia Jessica Galletly ventured to Vintners Bar & Grill, as part of Yalumba’s initiative ‘Book a table, embrace Australia’ to talk all things local business. See her interview with Peter Clarke and Rami Heer on why it’s so important to buy, shop and eat locally. 

It’s too pretty to ignore. The Barossa is postcard-perfect, with rolling hills, quaint laneways and groaning vineyards, and it’s only a little more than an hour from the Adelaide CBD. There’s nothing easier than a weekender in the Barossa, so where’s the best place for a long lunch? Our vote goes to Vintners Bar & Grill.

Specialising in modern Australian food, Peter Clarke of Vintners Bar & Grill seamlessly integrates old and new, traditional and modern. Working with producers from the valley and other nearby regions, the restaurant proudly supports local, and serves up the freshest seasonal ingredients plucked from the ground and sea just moments from where you enjoy it. We’re talking freshly shucked South Australian oysters, Venus Bay prawns with yuzu pickle, black lime and fried curry leaf, and Boston Bay pork rack with pickled cherries, red cabbage and creme fraiche.

And when it comes to wine, with a name like Vintners Bar & Grill, the term used for a winemaker specific to a region, it’s unsurprising that one of the Barossa’s longest operating restaurants knows what it’s doing. The list is considered and extensive, with an abundance of local drops beckoning as you flip through the options. Yalumba is a stand-out, and co-owner’s Peter and Rami’s pairing suggestions are bang on.

The Barossa La Dame churros with curd, local rocket and truffled honey is matched with a light-bodied, aromatic Yalumba Barossa Bush Vine Grenache. For something a bit more substantial, the charred local goat with pecorino risotto, Rockford garden fennel and Michael’s mushrooms lingers on the palate with Yalumba The Caley – a blend of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Barossa Shiraz, and a mighty homage to two of Australia’s greatest wine regions.

And should the desire to sniff, swirl and sip overtake you, head to nearby Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family-owned winery. Just six minutes down the road, the sixth-generation winery boasts a wine room, picturesque grounds, a working cooperage, immersive wine tours, exclusive lunches and, of course, tastings. Yalumba’s mantra? They’ll give you the true taste of the Barossa. There’s an emphasis on crafting bespoke barrels from the ground up (Yalumba is the only winery in the Southern Hemisphere to have an operational on-site winery cooperage) and the team strives to reduce their impact on the environment. The result? Great wine with minimal intervention. After all, healthier vines create better wines.

The last twelve months have been incredibly tough on our much loved travel and dining industries. Now is the time for everyone to help out by booking a table and raising a glass with Yalumba to the future.

This article is brought to you by Yalumba.