Around Our Table: Food, Wine and Lasting Connections at Merilli1885
Some wines hold a little family history. Some relationships stay with you as life and business move into new chapters.
For Richard and me, welcoming winemaker Matt Wenk to our inaugural Fleurieu Food Festival Long Lunch at Merilli1885 brought both together.
Around the table at our heritage cottage in Currency Creek, guests enjoyed Matt’s Smidge Wines alongside chef Luca Guiotto’s cooking and our own Merilli Angus beef. It was an afternoon that connected our years in the wine industry with what we are building now on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula.
A wine with a family connection
Our association with Matt began during our years at Two Hands, where he was our chief winemaker. Among the wines he crafted was Bella’s Garden, named after our daughter.
The 2008 vintage went on to rank No. 2 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 in 2010. During Matt’s time at Two Hands, wines under his care appeared in that annual list for ten consecutive years.
Those achievements are a remarkable part of his winemaking story. For our family, seeing Bella’s name on a wine enjoyed around the world added something especially personal.
Richard and I are no longer involved in Two Hands, but our connection with Matt continues. Having him here with his own Smidge Wines was a lovely way to bring that shared history into a new setting.
Bringing Merilli1885 and Merilli Angus together
At Merilli, Richard and I are building two closely connected businesses.
Merilli1885 is our luxury heritage farmstay at Currency Creek. A restored 1885 stone cottage with a contemporary extension, it welcomes up to four adults for an exclusive-use stay on our 90-acre working farm.
Merilli Angus is our farming business, producing 100% grass-fed and finished Angus beef across our Fleurieu Peninsula properties. Rotational grazing, resting paddocks and maintaining ground cover are part of how we care for our cattle and the land that supports them.
The long lunch brought those two businesses together at the table. Guests could enjoy our beef in the setting where we farm and welcome visitors, with Richard and me there to share the story behind it.
A Fleurieu long lunch, with people behind every plate
Chef Luca Guiotto of Aromi Dining prepared the menu, showcasing Merilli Angus in dishes including beef tartare and pappardelle with braised beef. Matt’s Smidge Wines accompanied the food, with the winemaker himself there to share them.
For me, that personal connection is what makes an experience like this memorable. There is something special about tasting a wine with its maker and enjoying a meal with the people who raised the produce.
Our sold-out Fleurieu Food Festival Long Lunch was our first event of its kind. It also offered a glimpse of what we love about agritourism: bringing farming, food, hospitality and place together in a way guests can experience for themselves.
A taste of the Fleurieu during your stay
These connections continue to shape the way we welcome guests to Merilli1885.
Private dining with our two Chefs Luca and Sarah can be arranged during your stay. It is an opportunity to settle into the cottage, enjoy a thoughtfully prepared meal and spend the evening together without needing to drive home.
Beyond our gate, the Fleurieu Peninsula offers cellar doors, local producers and coastal towns to explore at your own pace.
For us, sharing this place means sharing the people and produce that make it special, too.
To discuss a stay at Merilli1885 and an in-house dining experience, get in touch. We would love to help you plan some time around our table. [email protected]