“What really counts is what’s on the plate and what’s in the glass. Everything is made with pride and passion, from our vines and our gardens, and – if from further afield – from our friends who are growers, farmers, and suppliers and who share the same values as us.”

Maxwell baby beetroots cooked in their own soil with caraway seeds and almost-burnt cream; torched Paroo kangaroo with native currants, saltbush, pickled kohlrabi, and roasted macadamia; and braised saltbush lamb with celeriac, caramelized yoghurt, and pink pepper.

When you have a fifty-metre limestone cave on your winery that was originally dug by hand in order to grow mushrooms, you’d be mad not to use it. Every elegant eight-course degustation menu at Maxwell now features their own fresh “lime cave” mushrooms, a gentle grace note that brings a sense of place to proceedings.

In the capable hands of European-trained Head Chef Fabian Lehmann, Maxwell is a well-oiled machine where all the working parts of the gardens, winery, and surrounding region come together in a memorable fine dining experience that is relaxed and approachable. Very McLaren Vale.