It’s been a busy few months for the team at Joe’s at Sabella. After debuting their no-cheese Mexican offshoot Taco José in the courtyard of their century-old McLaren Vale church just last month, chef-co-owner Timmy Forster and partner Lilli Willoughby are showing no signs of slowing down. The pair have already rolled out their next act, this time a little closer to home. A summer pop-up wine bar championing producers who don’t have a cellar door of their own.
They’re calling it their “little guys” bar, pouring around 40 wines at a time from small and emerging producers across the region. Winemakers are invited to simply drop by with a couple of bottles and some contact details, and Joe’s will take care of the rest, offering a platform for makers who might otherwise struggle to get their wines in front of drinkers.
“It’s just a concept that we thought would work,” Forster says. “There’s not really a one-stop shop. There are a lot of wines produced in the area that people don’t get to show because they’re smaller producers and they don’t have the big, flash cellar doors.”
You’ll find everything from big, juicy Vale reds to tiny-batch experimental varieties and lesser-known alternative styles made by up-and-coming producers.
“It’s a whole bunch of different stuff that you don’t really see, a little bit of everything,” Forster says.
The pop-up will take over the outdoor space beside the main venue, with wine tastings under umbrellas and plenty of room to spread out. Visitors can order food from any of the Joe’s offerings – whether that’s a bowl of pasta from inside or a taco trio from Taco José next door – and settle in for a laid-back session in the Vale sun.
It’s a move that tracks with everything the pair have built since taking over the former Sabella Vineyard cellar door in February. Less concerned with hype or headlines (though they’ve had those too – including a near-perfect score from Advertiser critic Simon Wilkinson), they’ve continued to put community front and centre.
“McLaren Vale is a real community,” Forster says. “You know your neighbours; everyone helps each other out.”
Locals Night – the weekly pasta-and-free-BYO dinner that’s been heaving since day one – has become a no-frills ritual for neighbours. Then there’s Joe’s Deli + Soup Kitchen, the pay-it-forward venture that served comfort food through the cooler months. They even did a Thursday Community Hour, serving free hot soup and bread to anyone in need – no questions asked.
The chilli altar, the disco dunnies, the pasta specials sourced from down-the-road farms – all of it is part of the same mission. To feed people well, to make them feel welcome, and to get creative while doing it.
The pop-up bar is the newest instalment. A chance for people to try small-batch, unique wines, making sure a good drop doesn’t go unnoticed because it’s made in a tin shed instead of a polished cellar door. And if there’s anywhere to champion the little guys, it’s in the heart of McLaren Vale, one of Australia’s oldest wine regions and home to around 65 wineries and counting.
With summer on the doorstep, the pop-up is already shaping up to be the ultimate Vale hangout spot. Sip and support local “holy water” while simultaneously heading to Mexico. Grab a three-for-$20 taco from Taco Jose’s and enjoy an evening under the church lights.
If this is what the Joe’s team can pull off in a month, one thing’s certain. The “little guys” won’t be little for long. Especially now their wine has been blessed by the holy spirit itself.
Joe’s at Sabella Pop-Up Wine Bar
Where: 133 Main Road, McLaren Vale
When: Weekend evenings from end of December/early January. @taco.jose.taco and joes.sabella for updates
For the Joe’s at Sabella website, click here.
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