Katie Spain @katiespainwrites, award-winning journalist, national drinks writer and author
As a food and wine writer, I’m not meant to have favourites, but for my first official FIFTY+SA wine column, I’m going to let you in on a secret. Fancy fine dining joints don’t do it for me, nor do bottles emblazoned with medals. Give me wholesome, humble, family-run regional businesses any day.
Of South Australia’s 18 wine regions, some of the most memorable cellar door experiences can be found in the Riverland, an often-overlooked part of SA, which is baffling thanks to the jaw-droppingly beautiful River Murray meandering through vast red landscapes and towering cliffs.
Volume-wise, it’s the largest wine grape region in the country, but dig below the surface and you’ll uncover pockets of producers growing and making everything from merlot and chardonnay to alternative varieties including arneis, zinfandel, montepulciano and vermentino.
Mallee Estate is one such producer. Until recently, the estate ran Eleni’s Restaurant, serving some of the best Greek fare in the state. Hospitality is tough out there and, for now, the restaurant, named after family matriarch Eleni Markeas, is closed so the family can focus on their organic wine production.
Framed photographs line the cellar door walls, a love letter to family history. They tell the story of Peter and Eleni Markeas, who migrated from Greece to Australia and purchased a nine-hectare block of land in the Riverland in 1968. Neither spoke English, and raised their sons Jim, Arthur and Sam in Renmark.
“It was a great place to grow up,” says winemaker Jim. “I remember playing with toys while sitting in picking bins. Our parents did everything and we were along for the ride.” When Peter purchased his first wine tank in 1994, the 20,000-litre beast sat in a paddock, waiting. “People thought he was crazy,” Jim says. “But by 1998, he proved them wrong.”
Losing their father to leukaemia in 2021 was devastating. “Dad was gutsy,” Jim says. “He wasn’t afraid to take risks to value-add to the business. Mum was the backbone and had the patience and persistence to get us here. We got those qualities from our parents, we’re not afraid to give things a go and see things through.”
The flagship Mallee Estate P&E Markeas Shiraz is named in their honour, and while they still produce the Mallee Estate classics, including Cabernet Sauvignon, the family is also exploring alternative varieties under the new Kãti Ãllo collection, including a 2025 Assyrtiko (get thee to the Greek) and a vibrant 2024 Albariño (hello, Spain), both great value at $30 a bottle. Kãti Ãllo means “something else” in their mother tongue. Make time, too, to peruse the new “µ” (mu) range, which includes a crisp 2025 Vermentino, an Italian varietal steal at $22.
It’s all done in-house, even the bottling. “Now we’re in control of our own destiny,” Jim says. “Later this year we’ll release Australia’s first Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro wines from our vineyards.”
When she’s not in the kitchen whipping up Greek dips and cheese platters, Eleni can be spotted chatting to visitors. I don’t know about you, but a γιαγιά insisting you haven’t eaten enough is one of life’s simple pleasures. “Mum will occasionally lead a spontaneous tour,” Jim says. “She’s very much still here.” While you’re in the region, an encounter with vivacious Sue Heward of Singing Magpie Produce is also a must. Sue recently hosted the Tasting Australia event ‘Twilight in the Quinces, Singing Magpie Produce x Temperance,’ a golden-hour celebration of Riverland flavours set among her quince orchard, pairing chef Anthony Cresp’s snacks with local wines. Keep an eye out for future events at singingmagpieproduce.com.au. Go on, the two-and-a-half-hour drive is worth it.
The closure of one of my top hidden restaurants is a reminder that supporting local has never been more important. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
Mallee Estate
20055 Renmark Ave, Renmark South
malleeestate.com.au
