McLaren Vale’s Mollydooker Wines is welcoming the Aussie Summer vibes with a sizzling new partnership with the popular South Australian Mexican eatery Taco Cartel this season.
Having officially kicked off at the beginning of this month, the beloved food truck has parked its pop-up kitchen on Mollydooker’s sprawling lawns, offering a feast of Mexican favourites from Thursday through to Sunday every week until February 2024.
For those who want to escape the city and head South to one of the state’s most popular wine regions, this new collaboration and Summer Series promises to satisfy the senses with a combination of picturesque scenery, the finest of wines and an array of tacos, nachos, and loaded fries that are sure to hit the spot for foodies everywhere.
Holly Marquis, the Cellar Door Manager at Mollydooker Wines (also known as The Gigglepot), has shared her excitement about this new partnership.
‘We love collaborating with fellow South Australian businesses, so when the Taco Cartel team approached us for this Summer activation, it was a no-brainer.’
‘We love their food and love being able to provide our guests with a variety of unique offerings that are unlike anything else in McLaren Vale’, says Holly. ‘We are left-of-field in everything we do, and Summer at Molly’s for the 2023/2024 season is no exception to the rule’, says Holly.
Founder and operator of Taco Cartel, Josh O’Shaughnessy, shares the inspiration behind this collaboration with Mollydooker.
‘For the last two years, we’ve had our food truck at Mollydooker’s for many of their big events, and together, we thought it would be the perfect activation over the Sumer season, where visitors can kick back and enjoy some great food and wine’, says Josh.
‘In terms of a food and wine pairing, Mollydooker stands out as a fun, young and premium South Australian wine brand, which really aligns with who we are at Taco Cartel too. We looked at it as a natural pairing of our food—fresh Mexican street food perfect for Summer—and their high-quality, flavourful wines, which really go perfectly together’, says Josh.
‘Everything on our menu at Taco Cartel is dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, and delicious—because we believe everyone should be able to enjoy great quality food that tastes good. Throughout this Summer Series, we’re featuring a menu that’s designed to be shared, so people can grab a range of single tacos and nachos, for example, and create their own Mexican feast.’
‘We have pulled pork, cauliflower and chicken tacos on corn-based tortillas, loaded fries and nachos, and celiac-friendly options. We also make our own pickled onions and fresh guacamole daily, along with homemade sauces that include chipotle and a verde-type zesty sauce.’
Adding to the authentic Mexican flavours of Taco Cartel, Mollydooker is also amplifying the summer fun with an ensemble of live music, ranging from DJs to acoustic soloists every weekend and providing the perfect location with the lush lawns and uninterrupted views of the Vale.
‘In terms of the Cellar Door itself, it’s such a beautiful open space with terrific views of McLaren Vale and an expansive lawn area. We’ve set up the same shipping container that we use at The Royal Adelaide Show, which still has the same charm of a food truck but is more of a full kitchen space’, says Josh.
Whether you’re planning a romantic outing with a hot date or catching up with a group of your nearest and dearest, the winery assures a pairing of their vibrant ‘Dookers with the mouth-watering and zesty offerings of Taco Cartel will provide an unforgettable chill-out experience that you can sit back and enjoy all day long.
Celebrating their Cellar Door’s 10th anniversary in McLaren Vale, the Lefties at Mollydooker have become known for their quirky labels, left-handed tales and out-of-left-field approach to winemaking. By implementing their trademarked winemaking techniques known as the ‘3 points of difference’, they have produced world-class wines of exceptional quality, colour and flavour that stand out from the crowd and have become a hit, not only here in SA but worldwide.
Running weekly on Thursdays through to Sundays from 12-4 pm, this new collab series with Mollydooker and Taco Cartel welcomes everyone, even your four-legged friends, to make a day of it or stop by and enjoy the atmosphere with a quick feed and vino if you’re in the area.
Over the Christmas period (the week before and the week after leading up to New Year), the plan is to open from Monday to Sunday and a little later and close on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. ‘The only thing that will impact our operating hours throughout this activation will be the weather, but stay tuned on our socials as everything will be updated there’, says Josh.
With this mouth-watering collab set to ride the wave of Summer, the Mollydooker and Taco Cartel Summer series is shaping up to be a feast for the senses you won’t want to miss!
What: Mollydooker & Taco Cartel Summer Series.
Where: Mollydooker, 23 Coppermine Road, McLaren Vale, SA.
When: Thursday to Sunday, 12-4 pm.
For further info, check out Mollydooker Wines and Taco Cartel.
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