V Rating: VV
Where: Main Road, Verdun, Adelaide Hills
When: Lunch and Wine Tastings: Fri - Sun and Mon Public Holidays. Dinner: Fri & Sat: from 6pm.
Tel: (08) 8388 7777.
Price: Entree:$13.90 - $22.90. Main: $27.90 - $37.50.

This September my Mum and Dad are off to travel the world, including trekking in Mali, gallivanting in New York and dancing in Cuba. Talk about being 60 years young!

Their 60th birthday celebration this Easter was a great reminder of the fun you can have in your own backyard. After a day at the races, we went on a wine tour in the gorgeous Adelaide Hills region.

Less famous than the Barossa, Clare and McLaren Valleys, the Adelaide Hills region is really charming, with the vineyards set amongst rolling hills and peacefully swaying gum trees. We called on Nepenthe, Bird in the Hand (my favourite), Abbey Rock and the specialist microbrewery pub, Grumpy’s Brewhaus.

Check out the photos on Flickr.

Tasting wines can really give you an appetite, so to top off our lovely day we made a bee-line for Maximillian’s, a well-known Austrian restaurant adjoining a winery.

I was apprehensive about the vegetarian selection given Austrians are not the natural friend of the herbivore and winery restaurants tend more to hale and hearty menu. However, Maximillian’s had a decent selection.

For entree, I tried the rocket, pear and parmesan salad.

Andy tried the baked mushrooms (sans worcestershire sauce) with lemon juice and garlic.

For mains, my Dad ordered the spinach and cottage pancake from the menu. This was deliciously soft and creamy, with each layer of cheese and pancake gently falling into each other.

Andy and I asked the waitress if there were any other vegetarian options. After consulting with the kitchen, she offered to bring us a vegetarian tasting plate for two. It had sauteed vegetables, potato rosti, the pancakes and grilled tomato. How could we refuse?

Our table also shared some beans in bernaise sauce as a side…

…and some asparagus with bernaise sauce for good measure.

Maximillian’s is reminiscent of a grand old farmhouse, with whitewashed stone walls and deep red tablecloths. I can recommend the front room, which has large windows on all sides overlooking a small lake and plenty of natural light (the food blogger’s friend). It was the perfect place for a celebratory family lunch, and a lovely end to a day of wine tasting.

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