Discover warming winter treats at Yalumba

Winter may have arrived but there is still a busy calendar for wine lovers at one of the Barossa's most popular destinations.

Yalumba's historic Wine Room is ready to welcome visitors indoors for a season of warmth, flavours and fine company.

The winter events begin with The Signature & Museum Release Tasting Lunch on Friday, June 14.

Held in the Signature Cellar, this is an intimate tasting experience hosted by former chief winemaker Louisa Rose.

Guests can enjoy a three-course lunch from Vintners Bar & Grill chef Peter Clarke with paired wines including the new release The Signature 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz along with a previews of the 2025 museum releases.

The SALA Festival at Yalumba runs in August.

South Australia’s Living Artists (SALA) will hold two exhibitions in the Wine Room.

First, the Vintners Art Prize - an annual collaboration with Vintners Bar & Grill - showcases local talent with artworks exploring themes of food, wine, and place. Open to residents and workers of the Barossa and Light Regional Council areas, entries close July 18, with the winner announced on July 23.

There will also be a solo showcase by Yalumba’s own Lisa Tekell. Inspired by Australian fauna and flora, Lisa’s finely detailed oil paintings are connected to the natural world.

Her works this year focus on native flowers in full bloom, as seen in her travels, and will be on 
display throughout the month. Book a wine tasting and explore these local works at the same time.

Winter Wine & Whisky at Yalumba will run on August 8-9 and is a mid-winter celebration of flavour, fire, and craft at Yalumba - including the release of a new Smith’s Angaston Whisky.

Guests can enjoy a guided tasting of the new limited-edition whisky along with a behind-the-scenes look at the Hill-Smith family's historic pot still and fistillery and live cooperage demonstrations with barrels being hand-charred for whisky maturation.

Acoustic music on the Terrace and a hearty fireside meal by Howard’s Fire will also be on offer.

Tickets include a glass of Yalumba wine, the whisky tasting, and a meal.

The Yalumba Wine Room is open daily 10am-5pm at 40 Eden Valley Road, Angaston.
Bookings recommended. www.yalumba.com

How Oxford Landing is endeavouring to do its bit for the environment

 

Australia’s leading liquor retail group has teamed up with Oxford Landing as part of a campaign to plant more trees during Earth Month.

Endeavour Group is working the Oxford Landing brand to support native revegetation efforts across Australia throughout April. 

Oxford Landing will commit to regenerating one square meter of bushland for every bottle of its One to One brand sold during April.

Centred around Earth Day on April 22, Earth Month is a global celebration, with more than one billion people advocating for the environmental health of the planet.

Dan Holland, director of corporate affairs and sustainability at Endeavour Group, said: “Earth Month is a powerful reminder for us all to consider the collective action needed to protect our planet.

“We’re proud to be teaming up with Oxford Landing, a supplier committed to leading change.

“Partnering together, will help us talk to our customers about the impact small, individual choices can make collectively.”

This initiative invites Endeavour customers to be part of the change by purchasing select One to One products at Dan Murphy’s or BWS, online or in-store.

Oxford Landing has been devoted to the replanting and regeneration of native flora and fauna at its Riverland home, to date planting over 200,000 native trees and shrubs on 6.6 million square metres of dedicated conservation area. 

At the time of launching One to One in 2023, Oxford Landing partnered with Greenfleet to plant the One to One Bushland, allowing customers to directly track the impact of their wine purchase.

Louisa Rose, head of sustainability at Oxford Landing, said: “Every bottle of One to One sold has a positive impact on the planet. Restoring and enriching habitats and regenerating ecosystems with one square metre of bushland for every one case sold - that’s our One to One promise.

“We love working with Endeavour Group on our Earth Month campaign, as we know customers are looking to support planet-positive initiatives.” 

I'm working through some of the wines right now, and the 2022 Merlot is a standout with its bold favours and smooth finish. Recommended. I also very much enjoyed the very quaffable shiraz.   

See oxfordlanding.com and greenfleet.com.au

Big change at Hill-Smith Family Wines

 

Big news from Hill-Smith Family Estates, whose labels include Yalumba, with the announcement today of the appointment of Sam Wigan as the new head of winemaking ahead of the 2024 vintage. 

Wigan, the son of former Peter Lehmann chief winemaker Andrew Wigan, takes over from Louisa Rose.

Wigan has worked for the Hill-Smith family for 22 years. 

He completed his first vintage in 2000 at Peter Lehmann Wines before travelling to the Sonoma Valley for the northern hemisphere vintage.

The following year, he commenced a traineeship at Yalumba and studied oenology at Charles Sturt University.

He subsequently worked vintages in Marlborough, Rioja and Beaujolais.

Fifth-generation family member and chair Robert Hill-Smith said: “Louisa Rose has mentored and led a strong winemaking team, and now under a new leader in Sam Wigan, we have the chance to showcase and express those experiences in a very tangible and exciting way as the 2024 harvest looms. 

"Sam has shown excellence in his craft and embraces the balance of tradition with innovation across our folio. 

"It is a challenging but exciting time. We have a strong, intelligent team with diverse thinking and a strong belief in crafting fine wine with personality and expression of place." 

Wigan said he was excited to be entrusted with custodianship of the collection of wine brands.

“I have always been deeply passionate and excited by wine,” he said. 

Louisa Rose (above) will remain with the company in "a new leadership role", supporting the wine, sales and marketing teams as head of sustainability and brand ambassador.

Rose has worked for the Hill-Smith family since 1992and was appointed head of winemaking in 2006. 

“To have talent and leadership of Sam’s calibre come through our ranks has filled us with confidence and opportunity," she said. 

“It has been a pleasure working alongside Sam for 22 years; we still have many years working together ahead of us.” 

Hill-Smith Family Estates incorporates Samuel Smith & Son, Negociants Australia, Negociants New Zealand, Negociants International, Free Run Juice, Yalumba Nursery, and wine brands and vineyard estates including Yalumba, Jansz Tasmania, Dalrymple Vineyards, Pewsey Vale Vineyard, Heggies Vineyard, Nautilus Estate of Marlborough, Oxford Landing, Running with Bulls, Winesmiths, Opawa, Smith & Hooper, Ringbolt. mesh, La Maschera, Rogers & Rufus, earthworks, Twin Islands, Hill-Smith Estate, and Parish Vineyard