FORMER Melbourne residents Simon and Kerry Meares have left their hectic city lifestyle to develop a tourism business in Penola after falling in love with the town’s rich wine sector.
The couple has made strong connections with Coonawarra’s wine experts, building relationships at events in Melbourne over many years while also making various visits to the region.
“Now we are residents of the town we hope to extend these relationships as we deeply appreciate Penola’s inclusive nature,” Mr Meares said.
Mr and Mrs Meares were intrigued by the successful cooperation between wineries to coordinate events in the town, which matched similar large scale events in Melbourne.
“We attended the Coonawarra Vignerons Cup and thought Penola pulled the event off better than similar events hosted in Melbourne,” Mr Meares said.
After leaving behind fruitful professional backgrounds, the pair decided on a career change.
“We wanted to endeavour into something completely different and saw a niche we could add value to,” Ms Meares said.
Titled Coonawarra Experiences, the tours are designed for a small boutique experience visiting the strip’s highly regarded wineries.
“The tours will also expand to transporting visitors to hidden treasures in the region such as the Naracoorte Caves and picturesque destinations such as Robe,” Mr Meares said.
Two types of tours will be on offer for guests including Choose Your Own Adventure or a Top Favourites tour, which will include expert wine tasting.
“We aim to be more than a hop on hop off’ tour, allowing visitors and locals to gain the entire wine tasting experience,” Mr Meares said.
Mr and Mrs Meares said starting the business was a collaborative exercise due to the assistance and expertise of various wineries along the Coonawarra strip.
“We are able to work with local knowledge while also bringing a new perspective to the town due to previously living a different lifestyle,” Mr Meares said.
The new initiative will provide a safety aspect to wine touring as the service offers a designated driver who is familiar with the strip’s conditions.
“Our idea stemmed from what we wanted to see and have in places when travelling and we hope to highlight the region further as a major attraction as it has a lot to offer,” Mr Meares said.
The couple will also introduce an AirBnB accommodation option at their home, adding another element to a guest’s visit.
“We want to add a comfort level and maximise their time in the town,” Ms Meares said.
The wine tour will be available in the region within the next few months.
