Available Here:
- Australia's Biggest Steak
- Christmas 2011 Menu1
- Christmas 2011 Menu 2
- New Pizza Menu
- Coonawarra
- Penola
- Restaurant Information
- Courtyard
- Tapas
- Restaurant Menu
- Wine List
- Kitchen Hours
- What people are saying
- Hundred of Comaum
- Cellardoor
- Winebar
- Location/Map
- Accomodation
- Functions
- Catering
- Free newsletter
COONAWARRA
Coonawarra is located at Lattitude 37.30 S Longitude: 140.83 E, Elevation: 59.0 m. It is in the South East of South Australia, in the parishes (Hundreds) of both Comaum and Penola.
The Coonawarra township is very small with only 2 shops and most people regard Penola, which is 10 km down the road to the South, as the real town where they shop and eat.
The road between Penola and Coonawarra is called the Riddoch Highway (or Church St in the town of Penola) and is littered with cellar doors from some of the most famous and sucessful winemakers in Australia.
That is what Coonawarra and Penola are most famous for - wine - particularly red wine, in the Bordeaux style - Cabernet Sauvignon.
Coonawarra wines have won the prestigious London Wine Show for best Cabernet in the world many times.
Coonawarra was named by John Riddoch in the 1870's as a place that looked promising for wine growing due to the large area of flat, arable land with a well-draining red loam over limestone soil profile.
This became known as the famous "Terra Rossa" soil profile of Coonawarra. While this soil profile can be found elsewhere in South Australia and Victoria, it is not in the same quantity or climatic zone.
Thus, nowhere else allows the same economies of scale for Terra Rossa wine production and positions its wines well in the internetional market for many years to come.
Some of the smaller, boutique family-owned wineries in Coonawarra include Raidis Estate, Kidman Wines, Blok Estate, Hundred of Comaum and Koonara Wines.
The larger, corporate wineries include Wynns (Fosters Group), Brands Laira (McWilliams Wine Group), Katnook Estate (Wingara Wine Group), Yalumba, Leconfield, Majella, Bowen Estate, Balnaves and Parker Coonawarra Group. To find out about all of these wineries, large and small, visit www.coonawarra.org.
PENOLA
Penola is located at Longitude 140.83678E Latitude 37.3752S.
It is famous for 3 things - the coonawarra wine region, the recent tornado and Saint Mary McKillop. For information about the Coonawarra wine region, see above. Suffice to say, Penola and Coonawarra are synonymous and coexistent when it comes to wine. If you come to Coonawarra, odds are you will actually be staying, dining and drinking in Penola.
The recent tornado occured at 6.45pm on 31 July, destroying for buildings and damaging 60 more.
It is the only recorded tornado in Penola'S history, which is quite long, so don't let it put you off.
I was myself cooking a duck risotto for a cooking class in the restaurant when it struck and I am still here!
St Mary McKillop
The Sainthood of Mary McKillop was announced by the Pope from the Vatican at 7.30pm, 17 October 2010.
Subsequently, Penola wasa inundated with pilgrims seeking access to places she was connected with here.
Australia's first Roman Catholic saint, she set up her first school here and spent many years here with Father Tennison-Woods.
Penola is a very pretty, quiet little country town with many original colonial buldings and a tight-knit community that is very friendly. There are many places to stay - Bed and Breakfasts, Caravan Parks with Cabins, 2 pubs etc. To find accomodation in Penola you should start here.
The Terra Rossa Restaurant - General Information
What a fabulous cellar door restaurant and winebar in the main street
of Penola!
Enjoy a Coonawarra wine tasting while you dine on tapas, wagyu beef and local seasonal vegetables or classic pizzas.
Have a beer in the protected courtyard, or eat Melbourne cafe-style out the front with a chai latte or an Americano!
Owner and vigneron Steve Moignard invites you to enjoy the fruits of Comaum (pronounced "Com" + "Orm")and surrounding parishes, including Penola.
New Chef Kerry Hutchins (ex Gambier Hotel) will delight you with cheeky specials such as Mary McScallops and Penola Beef Tournedoes from $30. Check out our menu.
Come and see the new and extensive kitchen and bar area - you will be
impressed by the quality surroundings and blown away by the food.
Enjoy beautiful sunny lunches in our outdoor courtyard with white tapas plates and dry white Coonawarra wine, or relax with romantic candelit dining in the main restaurant with fine wines and excellent service.
We also have creative set menus for special occassions - see this one from Valenine's Day 2011. Christmas 2011 set menus are here and here.
We have tapas and fine dining options. Using local seasonal
vegetables, herbs a
nd fungi plus the best quality meats... Wagyu beef, Quail, Emu, Kangaroo and Black Angus
eye fillet + 10 tapas dishes and a children's menu.
With large artworks by Tim Storrier and David Bromley, an interior designed by renowned SA designer Barbara Harkness and incorporting the cellardoor of the Hundred of Comaum Coonawarra vineyard, you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time.
Open lunch and dinner 11.00-8.30pm.
See what people are saying about us:
“The best steak we’ve had out in a long time”
The Dawkins
Family – MSA Grade Meat Producers, South East
“The best meal in a week of travelling SA and Vic. Recommend it!”
Allen and Di
“The
best steak I’ve ever had – top stuff”
Bob – Mine Surveyor,
Victoria
“The salmon was absolutely beautiful”
Jill – Ballarat
“The wagyu beef filet was superbly cooked and matched with the
rest of the dish. Steve then matched the beef with his Cabernet Shiraz –
the perfect marriage. Enjoy!”
Geoff – Wine Industry Supplier, Newport, Victoria
“Penola has been waiting for this establishment”
Stuart Kerr
At our fully licensed winebar, you can experience a full wine tasting (see the brief tasting notes here or the full notes here, and our wine list here) from Hundred of Comaum Wines or chat with friends on stools made out of hog's head barrels made by local Penola identity Peter Franklin.
Seating 50 indoors and 40 outdoors in a protected courtyard/beergarden, the Terra Rossa Wine Club is a great place to hold your next function. Great discounts for not-for-profit organisations. Exclusive use of the premises for over 20 persons available. Call Steve on 0438 005 051 to discuss.
With a fully qualified chef and a well-appointed commercial kitchen, the Terra Rossa Wine Club can provide food and refreshments for any outside function within a reasonable distance of Penola - including onsite cooking and mobile alcohol.
