It was a day out to remember for the celebrated cast of Adelaide Fringe spectacular Disco Wonderland thanks to a little McLaren Vale getaway.
The cast discovered why the South Australian destination is one of the world’s great food and wine regions with a breezy trip that saw the stars, including headliners Paulini and Timomatic, visit the world-renowned d’Arenberg Cube, the winery, distillery and eatery combo, Chalk Hill Collective, and the Instagram-worthy, Down the Rabbit Hole.
The cast of the Fringe hit – which also stars local performers Mark Stefanoff, Phillipa Lynas and Amelia Sanzo – took time from their busy schedule to explore McLaren Vale and discover why 2021 is the Year of South Australian Wine by tasting delicious regional wines and sampling the region’s freshest produce, all just a 45-minute drive south of Adelaide.
“This was the first time that as a cast we were able to go out and explore South Australia,” said singer Philippa Lynas. “It’s been such a busy run and to be able to sit back and relax before our show was very special, especially as we got to see a part of South Australia that is so close to the city and so stunning.”
While in McLaren Vale, the stars visited the world-famous d’Arenberg Cube where they blended their own d’Arenberg Shiraz at the Blending Bench on the top-level of the iconic five-storey landmark, which was created and designed by owner and chief winemaker Chester Osborn.
The Cube is inspired by the complexities and puzzles of winemaking with each of the five levels carefully designed to entice and excite the senses. Singer and dancer Timomatic was suitably impressed by one of South Australia’s most unique and striking attractions.
“It reminded me of MONA in Tasmania in how abstract and adventurous the art and architecture are,” he said, “it’s a place that blends art with wine in such a unique and special way.”
At Chalk Hill Collective, the cast sampled some of Never Never’s world-class gin, taste small-batch hand-crafted wines from the family-owned Chalk Hill Winery and were treated to pinas (that’s half pizza and half focaccia), cheese plates and charcuterie boards thanks to Cucina Strada before enjoying some of the McLaren Vale’s best views from the food and drink destination’s spectacular infinity lawn.
“I’ve always heard amazing things about South Australia, so it was great to be able to finally get out of the city and explore this part of the world,” said Paulini. “We’ve been blown away by what we’ve seen and tasted today!”
The Disco Wonderland cast finished their McLaren Vale sojourn at the picturesque Down the Rabbit Hole, a magical place where the Fringe stars got to share laughs over a glass of wine from the local winery on the top deck of its famous pastel-toned double decker bus.
“I feel so lucky to have experienced these hidden South Australian gems with a group of people who have inspired me throughout this entire Fringe period,” said dancer Amelia Sanzo. “This was the perfect break from the amazing disco life we’ve been living.”
Just a short drive south of the city, McLaren Vale boasts more than 80 vineyards and features incredible culinary offerings around every corner. The wine region is where vineyards meet the beach as McLaren Vale is on the doorstep of the Fleurieu Peninsula’s stunning coastline.
“2021 is the Year of South Australian Wine, which will see us celebrate the world-class experiences our 18 wine regions have to offer,” said South Australian Tourism Commission’s Brent Hill. “We love sharing the gems we have in SA like d’Arenberg Cube, Chalk Hill Collective and Down the Rabbit Hole with our guests and to have the likes of Timomatic and Paulini sharing their experience in McLaren Vale with their strong Australian audience is fantastic.
“We encourage everyone visiting Adelaide’s festivals, to take a day trip to one of our beautiful wine regions – some as close as 20 minutes from the CBD – to get behind the South Australian wine industry and enjoy what this great state has to offer.”
Disco Wonderland continues at The Peacock at Gluttony until March 21 and is where Fringe-goers can experience an immersive disco inferno in the Adelaide’s East End.
For more information go to, southaustralia.com/plan-a-trip/wineries
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