Top 5 local products tourists should not go home without

One of the best things about Mildura and the wider Sunraysia region is that you can do more than just see it, you can taste it too. From paddock to plate, vineyard to distillery, we punch well above our weight when it comes to local food and drink.

And with all that our region has to offer in this category, this was a hard list to put together.

There are plenty of local producers around here making quality gear, so choosing just five was no easy job. But if you’re visiting Mildura and want to take a real taste of the region home with you, these five would be a very good place to start. 

1. Trentham Estate Frizzante Maestri

This is the sort of bottle that feels made for a Mildura getaway. Trentham Estate describes its Frizzante Maestri as a light, spritzy red with fresh cherry and spice, balanced sweetness and zest, and best enjoyed young and chilled. They even suggest pairing it with antipasto, curries, spicy Asian dishes or desserts, which tells you straight away this is a fun, easy-drinking drop rather than something stiff and serious. For tourists, it is a terrific take-home because it feels a little bit different, a little bit Italian, and very much at home in our part of the world. (trenthamestate.com.au)

2. Murray River Truffle Salt

If you want one product that screams “gourmet Sunraysia,” this would be right up there. Murray River Salt’s truffle salt combines its naturally pink salt flakes with pieces of Western Australian black truffle, and the company describes it as intense, delicate in texture, and full of pungent flavour. This is the kind of thing tourists can toss in the car or suitcase and instantly lift their cooking back home — chips, steak, eggs, roast veg, even popcorn if you’re feeling fancy. It is a small product with big bragging rights. (Murray River Salt)

3. Mannes Desert Honey Apple Bush Honey
This one feels beautifully local. Mannes Desert Honey says its Apple Bush Honey is sweet, light in colour, and has caramel-like flavours, with the Apple Bush flowering only about once every five years. That alone makes it feel pretty special. Mannes also leans heavily into showcasing the flavours of Sunraysia through its honey range, which is exactly why this belongs on a list like this. For visitors wanting something that tastes like the bush and the region, this is a ripper choice. (deserthoney.com)

4. Robinvale Estate Caramelised Tomato Balsamic

This is one of those products that makes people say, “Why didn’t I buy two?” Robinvale Estate says it is among its most popular products, made by cooking down balsamic vinegar with tomato paste to create a rich, complex glaze. The broader Robinvale Estate range is built around boutique gourmet products from its family-owned grove on the Murray, and this one really sounds like a standout. It is easy to imagine drizzled over roast veg, meats, salads or even used to add a punch of flavour to cooking. Tourists chasing something a bit different from the usual bottle of wine should absolutely have this on their radar. (Robinvale Estate)

5. Fossey’s Shiraz Gin

You could almost call this Mildura in a bottle. Fossey’s says its Shiraz Gin captures the essence of the Shiraz grape and marries it with gin to create something robust and unique, while also describing it as smooth and full-bodied. Fossey’s is a boutique distillery based in the heart of Mildura and says it aims to showcase the best of local produce through craft distilling. That is exactly why this makes the list. It is local, it is clever, and it has that conversation-starter factor that makes it a brilliant souvenir or gift. (Fossey's)

Honourable mentions
This is where it gets cruel, because there are plenty more that could have made the cut. Sunbeam Foods has been part of the Mildura story since 1926 and remains one of the region’s big names in dried fruit and nuts. Mildura Brewery is pouring award-winning brews in the old Mildura Asta Theatre building. Varapodio Estate has a long list of locally produced olive oils and gourmet products. And really, that is the beauty of this region — you can taste your way across it and still leave with a shopping list longer than your arm. 

Wrap-up
So yes, choosing just five was hard. Probably too hard. But if you’re visiting Mildura and want to take home more than just a few photos of the Murray, these are five local products that would give you a proper taste of the region long after the trip is over.