Maxwell Wines Restaurant

If you need another proof point that McLaren Vale is a true wine and food destination, then look no further than Maxwell’s Restaurant. 

Headed by a fellow German, Fabian Lehmann, with a pedigree of having worked at Michelin star credited restaurants across Europe, the food on offer is truly exceptional. And needless to say, the same is true for their wines whether it is the everyday drinking Little Demon Shiraz/Grenache or the Lime Cave Cab Sav for that special occasion. Not to forget and unique in McLaren Vale is their mead (definitely recommend to have one of Maxwell’s spiced mead at home for those cold winter evenings).

The (late 2018) revamped restaurant and cellar door at Maxwell’s now features three distinct areas, with the degustation lunches (and now dinner on Saturday evenings) served either in the indoor fine dining restaurant or on the deck (now beautifully enclosed with bi-folding doors and windows to keep you comfortable).

In the cellar door room you can enjoy structured Tasting Flights - a taste of 4 wines perfectly matched with creations by Fabian Lehmann and his team. And we have chosen the word 'creations' here deliberately  - as that's what they are. Not your standard canapé but little works of art and you sometimes wonder 'and I can eat that?'. 

A perfect introduction to the wines of Maxwell Wines and a little teaser of what you could enjoy in the Maxwell Restaurant. But be warned, the Tasting Flight will make you want to come back for more – or you wish you had booked into the restaurant in the first place.

Both deck and restaurant offer the same beautiful views over the vineyards and rolling hills out the front of Maxwell and the tables inside the cellar door are particular popular in winter with the open fire going.

But back to the food: as with almost all fine dining restaurants in McLaren Vale nowadays, the focus is on local produce and therewith heavily influenced by the seasons, with one speciality of Maxwell’s being their variety of mushrooms, grown in their very own Lime Cave.

The food combinations show a high level of complexity, often unusual on first sight but always a perfect match; and your taste buds are all but guaranteed to go an amazing journey. Whatever we had the opportunity to taste so far has never disappointed, we had friends saying 'I can't eat that' ... only to be delighted after giving it a try.

The perfection is not just in the flavour but carries through to the presentation with each dish – a "simple" oyster is no longer just an oyster in a shell but a colourful arrangement of oyster (not that you would recognise it as such), flower pedals and herbs. And even the sourdough bread (really loved the addition of this to the menu, after I had previously 'complained' that at least I also need something substantial with all the fine food) is not your standard roll, but an exquisite mini baguette accompanied by tasty anchovy and eggplant paste.

And every time you think "that can't be topped now", there is another little wonder coming from the kitchen as part of the 10+ course tasting menu and you will have a fun debate at the table which creation was the best tasting & looking.

In short, a degustation lunch or dinner at Maxwell Wines is a one of a kind dining experience and highly recommended, with the most outstanding food, wonderful atmosphere and service - plus a great opportunity to create a little bit of Instagram envy.

And should you not have the time for a full degustation lunch or for a midweek experience - try to the Tasting Flights for an introduction into the world of Maxwell Dining.