Italian varieties shine in Mudgee half a century on

Carlo Corino was a winemaker ahead of his time.

Five decades ago Corino identified then relatively obscure Mudgee as an ideal region for growing Italian grape varieties in Australia.

Corino produced several outstanding wines under the Montrose label made from then unknown Italian grape varieties - but his work went largely unrecognised.

Corino, who died in 2007, left Australia and returned home to Italy, where he helped create some of the first attention-grabbing wines from Sicily.

Today, Italian varieties are shining in Mudgee, as shown by two new releases from First Ridge.

The duo is made from barbera, a native of northern Italy, and montepulciano, which thrives in central and southern Italy.

Both are from the standout 2023 vintage, an First Ridge vigneron John Nicholas says they showcase the depth and elegance of Italian varieties grown in Mudgee’s elevated vineyards. First Ridge is at 520 metres.

“The 2023 harvest period saw ideal conditions, with little to no rain, mild weather and slow ripening, producing grapes with perfect colour, concentration and tannin profiles, albeit later than normal,” says Nicholas.

“We are very proud of these new wines. Our winemaker, James Manners, knows the vineyard well and continues to highlight the power and finesse of these Italian varieties and their suitability to our site.”

The First Ridge vineyard is home to a range of premium Italian varieties, including montepulciano and barbera, along with pinot grigio, sangiovese, vermentino, prosecco [glera] and fiano.

“We are extremely grateful to the work that the late Dr Richard Smart did for us in the early days when we established the vineyard,” explains Nicholas. “He had the experience, foresight and fortitude to build on the work of Mudgee vinicultural pioneer Carlo Corino, who established these varieties in Australia in the 1970s.

“We continue to be optimistic about these varieties. Our customers at the cellar door and in the trade are curious about the wines, and keen to taste them."

The montepulciano was my favourite of the pair, matched with a mushroom pizza, but both wines offer interesting savoury drinking for $45. Both would be great with a pasta and a ragu sauce. 

See www.firstridge.com.au

Going underground: A seriously different outback escape

 

It can be stiflingly hot in the Australian outback during summer, so where better to stay than in the cooler air underground?

The outback is home to three underground motels where you can sleep under the earth, but the largest, with 48 subterranean rooms, is the White Cliffs Underground Motel in the wild country of New South Wales.

Until November, 2025, guests can descend below the desert sands to you room and save money with a special, two-night package that has just been launched.

Offering one of the quirkiest hotel stays in Australia, the ‘dugout’ motel bills itself as the largest underground hotel on the planet. 

The property offers a comfortable, year-round temperature of 22 degrees underground as well as a licensed restaurant, café and bar, its media release tells me.

Located in the rugged opal mining hamlet of White Cliffs, you will find yourself 1025km from Sydney and 781km north-east of Adelaide - thankfully there is a sealed road all the way.

With a population of just 150, White Cliffs is certainly quirky, with a lunar-like landscape (below) dotted with thousands of opal diggings made by treasure hunters seeking their fortune ever since opals were discovered here in 1884.

The White Cliffs Underground Motel is owned by the outback NSW accommodation group Out of the Ordinary Outback, which is offering a two-night ‘Experience White Cliffs’ package that includes two nights’ underground accommodation, a drink on arrival, continental breakfast each day, an underground opal mine tour with a local opal hunter and a tour of White Cliffs with a local expert.

The two-night package is available for $545 per couple - a saving of $160 on full pricing. The price for solo travellers is $455 - a saving of A$90. And for a family of four, the package is priced at $725 - a saving of $300

* The package is available until November 30, 2025, and there is no booking deadline. 

The offer is subject to availability and conditions apply. Book through Out of the Ordinary Outback on 1300 679 688 or visit www.undergroundmotel.com.au.

Here is the direct link to package; www.undergroundmotel.com.au/explorewhitecliffsnsw 

Do you have a Burning Love for Elvis?

Calling all lovers of The King. Elvis Presley, that is, not Wally Lewis.

Head to country New South Wales for the 2025 Parkes Elvis Festival, which will run from January 8-12.

The 32nd annual festival will pay tribute to Elvis (Presley not Costello) with a 1960s Easy Come, Easy Go theme, offering fans a program of concerts, dancing, markets, and a few surprises.

The event is expected to attract 25,000 Elvis lovers, more than doubling the population of the town.

Festival favourites like the Evolution Mining Street Parade, Renewal of Vows Ceremony, bustling markets, and performances on the Cooke Park Main Stage and Memphis Stage all return.

A highlight of 2025 will be the launch of the Gates of Graceland, a full-sized replica of the iconic Graceland gates, located at the Parkes Visitor Information Centre.

Jack Gatto, one of Australia’s leading Elvis tribute artists, will perform a live solo show.

This year also introduces six new ticketed shows at the Parkes Services Club, featuring top Elvis tribute artists from Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland (who knew?).

“Each year we work to capture the essence of Elvis, and the 2025 Festival will be no different," says Joel Ulbricht, the festival producer.

"This year’s program offers something for everyone—whether you’ve been rockin’ with us since the early days or are discovering the King’s magic for the first time.”

For details and tickets see www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

Vivid: Celebrating humanity at a time of peak inhumanity

Vivid Sydney, the southern hemisphere's largest multi-artform festival, has unveiled its program for 2024.

Among the highlights: 40km-long laser beams to be projected from the city's tallest structure, Sydney Tower and 2023 Archibald Prize winner Julia Julia Gutman to transform Sydney Opera House for .Lighting The Sails.

Vivid Fire Kitchen returns in a brand-new space, Budjerah, Mos Def and Air will headline Vivid Music and, bizarrely, there will be an exploration of sex work in Australia's notorious red-light district of Kings Cross.

The run from May 24 to June 15, the festival runs over 23 nights exploring the theme of 'Humanity' through Light, Music, Ideas and Food.

There will be light installations and 3D projections from Circular Quay to The Goods Line; genre-spanning music performances and creative showcases; a Vivid Ideas program and the popular Vivid Food program.

John Graham, Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy (hell of a job title John) said: “Vivid Sydney is an important event every year that Sydneysiders and visitors alike have come to love.

"It's not just a light show, it's a celebration of light, music, ideas and food - a program full of rich cultural experiences that resonate with locals and visitors alike.

“Vivid Sydney brings together important parts of Sydney's culture - Light, Music, Ideas and Food. It celebrates what's great and unique about our city, and our state and creates a uniquely Sydney experience. That's why it's been so popular over so many years.

“This year's festival will have a variety of free and cost-effective events on offer to provide many opportunities for people to come together and celebrate."

In 2023 the vent drew over 3.48 million attendees generating more than $206 million in visitor expenditure.

Vivid Sydney festival director Gill Minervini said this year's festival looks at how creativity fuels our interconnected world.

“Humanity is at the core of everything we do [duh], and this year Vivid Sydney is diving deep into what makes us uniquely human,” Minervini said.

“We have curated a diverse program that explores the human spirit, designed to foster connections, spark imagination and showcase the multitude of ways creativity enriches our lives. Everyone is invited to be part of this global event in the world's most beautiful city to connect, create and celebrate.”

Staged across Sydney, Vivid Sydney festival locations and venues include Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, State Library of New South Wales, Walsh Bay, Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, University of Technology Sydney, The Goods Line, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and Carriageworks.

Tickets are now on sale. For more info see vividsydney.com.

Veteran winemaker shows he has some new tricks

 

David Lowe has been making wine for some time. Back in the 1980s, I drink shedloads of the delicious wines he made at the late lamented Rothbury Estate in the Hunter Valley.

But Lowe is also a winemaker who keeps abreast with consumer trends, hence the release of his Bio-Logical range of wines that very much capture the zietgeist.

For the past couple of decades Lowe has been based in Mudgee, sourcing fruit from the across the various regions of the Central West of New South Wales, but mainly from his own organic and biodynamic vineyards. 

The Lowe Family Vineyards Bio-Logical wines, which retail for $45 a bottle, and are preservative free, vegan friendly and, except for the white, certified organic.. 

The range comprises a very crunchy and vibrant 2023 Bio-Logical Red, made from shiraz, a dashingly youthful and very drinkable 2023 Rosé, also crafted from shiraz, and a 2023 White made using fruit from the Murray Darling region in Victoria. 

The red is unoaked, just grape juice and wild yeast. It doesn't even see oak and is probably best enjoyed in its youth, well chilled. All three wines share a wild spirit; a sense of "otherness".

Interestingly, the white is made from what Lowe calls ansonica, a white variety from Sicily that is probably better known as inzolia and is still rare in Australia. 

If you are heading to Mudgee, a tasting at the Cellar Door and lunch at the Zin House eatery operated by Lowe's partner Kim Currie is de rigueur. See https://lowefamilywineco.com.au/ 

    

Discover Basalt: new luxury escapes in a cherry orchard

The Orange wine region in the central west of New South Wales is about to gain a new luxury accommodation option.

Three studios designed for couples will open on February 1 at Basalt, a local cherry farm.

"We couldn't be happier with how our three beautiful studios have taken shape over the past 12 months and now they are finally complete (albeit lots of cleaning & furniture items still to come)," say the Rollin family, who have farmed here for four decades.

"We felt it was time to diversify and make use of a few acres at the top of hill that no longer supported fruit trees. With Orange now firmly on the map for both tourists and corporate travellers, the concept for planting luxury studios into our Basalt soil was born."

Initially bookings will be open for dates February through May with winter 2023 bookings to be released on the first day of autumn.

Opening rates start from $480 a night with a two-night minimum.

Every booking comes with some surprises - and some optional extras.

The three new studios are named Chaser, Drifter and Yonder, and come with fast wifi, a kitchenette, a a bath with views, king beds with premium sheets, Reverse A/C, internal wood fire and outdoor firepit, Smart TV with bluetooth speaker, a telescope for skygazing, and continental breakfast provisions. 

For details and bookings see https://basaltorange.com.au/

Mudgee winery shines with new-release rieslings

 

Mudgee is not a region that Australian wine lovers would automatically associate with fine rieslings. 

The Clare and Eden valleys in South Australia, for sure. The Great Southern region of West Australia, yep, and also Tasmania. 

But Robert Stein Wines in Mudgee has built a formidable reputation for two stellar rieslings made in very different styles. 

The family can can trace their winemaking history back to 1838, when the famous Macarthur family brought Johann Stein to Australia with the country’s first cuttings of Rhine Riesling. 

These vines flourished at Camden Park - in western Sydney - under Johann’s careful watch. 

Then, 138 years later, in 1976, Robert Stein purchased 75 acres in Mudgee and renewed the Stein passion for viticulture. 

Jacob Stein is the third-generation winemaker and he has an unashamed love affair with the grape variety as well as picking up multiple show accolades.

The releases of his latest wines, the 2022 Robert Stein Dry Riesling and 2022 Robert Stein Half Dry Riesling, are both outstanding, managing to be both varietally correct and have palate complexity. 

“We are quite excited about the release of these wines, after another tough season in the vineyard due to high rainfall,” says Jacob. “The challenging conditions, however, created the ideal opportunity for our vineyard to shine, and we grew clean and high-quality riesling in a tough year.

“The cooler season, with slow ripening, produced crisp and higher acidity levels with no sunburn opportunity, meaning we have excellent quality with very age-worthy attributes.”

More riesling vines have recently been planted. 

“The2.5-hectare extension to our riesling vineyard is in response to the growing demand for our Mudgee riesling," Jacob says. "The new plantings are on a south-west facing slope at an elevation of 580 metres in shale and quartz gravelly soil.

"The east-west running rows are closely planted with our favourite riesling clones. It’s an exciting time for our little family winery. While we have struggled with drought and Covid, our vineyard and winemaking team are excited for the future.”

The 2022 Robert Stein Dry Riesling ($40) is an ideal match for seafood dishes, perhaps pan-fried flathead, while the 2022 Robert Stein Half Dry Riesling ($50) is the second from the Angullong vineyard located in Orange at an elevation of just over 600 metres. It would pair brilliantly with Thai or Vietnamese cuisine. 

See robertstein.com.au

Sydney comes alive in November

 

Sydney has a busy November events calendar with something for everyone: from culture vultures to football fiends.

Here are a few of the highlights, as provided by Destination NSW:

Sydney International Art Series: Do Ho Suh From November 4

The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) is hosting the southern hemisphere’s first major solo exhibition by internationally renowned South Korean-born artist Do Ho Suh (above) as a Sydney exclusive for the Sydney International Art Series 2022-23. https://www.mca.com.au/artists-works/exhibitions/do-ho-suh/

Come From Away November 5 to February 12, 2023

Come From Away returns to Sydney this November! Playing at the Theatre Royal Sydney, Come From Away shares the real-life stories of air passengers grounded in Canada during the wake of 9/11, and the Newfoundland community that invited them into their lives. https://comefromaway.com.au/tickets/sydney/

Sydney Super Cup November 16, 20, 23

The inaugural Sydney Super Cup will feature matches between English Premier League club Everton, Scottish Premier League champions Celtic (using players not on World Cup duty) and local teams Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers. www.sydneysupercup.com.au

Opera on Cockatoo Island: Carmen November 25 - December 18

Opera Australia’s new open-air event, Opera on Cockatoo Island, launches with a new production of Bizet’s Carmen under the stars with harbour views. Visit www.opera.org.au/productions/carmen-on-cockatoo-island

AUSX Triple Crown Supercross November 26

Head out of town for round three of the FOX Australian Supercross Championship to be held at McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle. https://www.australiansupercross.com.au/events/round-3/

Meet some new places to imbibe around New South Wales

Tourism is back, with several new places to drink opening this month in country New South Wales.

Among the highlights listed by Destination New South Wales: 

Circular Quay Gem

Bar Mammoni (above) https://barmammoni.sydney is a newcomer at Quay Quarter just back from the Sydney waterfront. It is the latest arrival from restaurateur Scott Brow, who also operates eateries Lana and Grana and cocktail bar Apollonia. It switches from an espresso bar in the morning to a cocktail bar after dark. No bookings.

Raise the Bah  

Wine time in Cootamundra just arrived as Bah Bah Food & Wine opened its doors on the town's main street, serving local Riverina wines, a selection of craft beers and expertly made cocktails. A menu of share plates also showcases the region's seasonal ingredients. 

Wake-up call 

The Early Opener is the latest place to start the day in Narrandera, an hour's drive from Wagga Wagga on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. The early-morning café (doors open at 4am) serves great coffee, decadent pastries and cakes, and fresh salads to the Riverina town. 

Beach brews 

Adding to Newcastle's growing craft brewery scene, Modus Brewery offers a bright and breezy 300-person space in the seaside suburb of Merewether. Thirty-six taps offer a rotation of the Modus core beers, including their non-alcoholic NORT range and limited-edition sour, lager and dark beers.

Pretty in Printhie 

One of Orange's best-known wineries, Printhie Wines, has just launched a new restaurant and cellar door. The new venue provides premium 'beyond the cellar door' experiences, including a range of tastings, vineyard picnics and a sparkling masterclass.

Image: Steve Woodburn, Destination NSW

Milestone for an iconic Australian wine

A trend-setting Australian wine, De Bortoli's iconic Noble One, is celebrating 40 years of continued success. 

Since its first release in 1982, Noble One has been awarded over 182 trophies and 505 gold medals globally. 

It is one of the most awarded wines in history.

Darren de Bortoli created Noble One at the family winery at Bilbul, in the Riverina region of New South Wales in 1982. 

Today the "sticky" remains the benchmark of Australian botrytis dessert winemaking.

"It feels like only yesterday that Dad and I were asking the local growers to allow their grapes to go rotten." Darren recalls. 

"They thought we were both mad, yet here we are celebrating 40 years of Noble One and what a journey it has been. 

"One of my favourite memories from the early days of Noble One was being awarded the trophy for best sweet wine in the world at the International Wine and Spirit Awards in 1984 by Madame Odette Pol Roger. 

"At the time it was like a dream." 

 
One fascinating fact about Noble One is that there is no sugar added into the wine, the sweetness is all natural and comes solely from the semillon grapes. 

This makes it an ideal wine for pairing with blue cheese and pates, with the salty/savoury characters of the dishes balanced out the natural sweetness of the wine. 

See www.debortoli.com.au/

Elvis Festival brings Memphis to regional Australia

There's a whole lot of shakin' going on. 

The reason: the Elvises are back in the building. 

Motors are revving in Central West New South Wales with the Parkes Elvis Festival set to return on April 202-24 with a program jam-packed with rockin’ n’ rollin’ fun.

It's now or never for bookings, so forget your suspicious minds and grab your blue suede shoes. 

 
The itinerary boasts over 200 Elvis and speedway-inspired events, including much-loved festival favourites Northparkes Mines Street Parade, a Renewal of Vows Ceremony, Goodsell Machinery Miss Priscilla Dinner, the free Cooke Park Main Stage Entertainment and an Elvis Gospel Service.

The Festival will host new events, including a speedway exhibit of rare and classic race cars, meet-and-greet racing stars and virtual reality simulators. 

A Pin-Up Pageant will be hosted over three days of the Festival for rockabilly and vintage fashion lovers. 

For the theatrical, Sons of Sun is a wild rock 'n' roll play about Sun Records, Memphis, featuring songs from Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison.

And for the first time, fans will enjoy four days of free entertainment from the impressive new performance stage at Cooke Park.

Having started as a small get-together between like-minded Elvis fans in 1993, the festival has grown into a phenomenon, attracting over 24,000 fans.

This year’s Festival theme is Speedway, dedicated to Elvis’ 1968 musical hit about a race car driver with a heart of gold. 

Festival attendees are encouraged to dress in theme. Think go-go dancing girls, overalls, racing suits and red, white and blue. Top Australian tribute artist Mark Anthony will also stage a one-off special Speedway Show to celebrate the festival theme.

Festival director Cathy Treasure said: “The festival is so excited to return next year, bigger and better than ever with a huge program of activities. 

"Although we can’t celebrate on Elvis’ birthday like we normally do, we’re planning a big party regardless and look forward to sharing this iconic festival experience with locals and visitors coming to Parkes.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the NSW Regional Events Acceleration Fund will help next year’s Parkes Elvis Festival deliver a bigger program of events.

“The multi-award-winning Parkes Elvis Festival will attract huge crowds of locals and visitors across five fabulous fun-filled days,” Toole said.

“The NSW Government is proud to support this event through Destination NSW, our tourism and major events agency. This event will provide a significant injection into the local visitor economy by attracting music lovers to the region from all over the country.

“We are delighted to be back in business, celebrating such an exciting festival with the people of Parkes, after a challenging time for regional NSW. Events like this are vital to the recovery of our regions.”

Tickets to all events are on sale now, including the Feature Concert Series which will see the USA’s 2019 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Champion, Taylor Rodriguez, make his Australian debut with four shows performed across the festival. 

Country singer Adam Harvey joins the festival line-up for Elvis Country Special, performing a tribute to Elvis’ many country music hits.

For all programming and ticketing information, visit www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

Cool-climate, elegant and affordable: a rare wine trifecta

The phrase "cool-climate" and the word "elegant" combined are often wine industry code for "expensive". 

Not so with the new Quilty & Gransden range of wines from Cumulus Vineyards in Orange - a region that is just about as cool climate as it gets in New South Wales. 

The Quilty & Gransden range - five varietals in all - is promoted as "premium quality, affordable wines". It is certainly rare to find wines from Orange which retail for just $15 a bottle. 

The single varietals comprise a 2020 sauvignon blanc, a 2019 chardonnay, and a 2018 merlot, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon using estate-grown fruit managed by Orange region vigneron of the year Russell Quilty and Nuffield Scholarship recipient Martin Gransden.

“Our purpose is simple; we want to get as many people drinking the great wines from Orange as we can," says Cumulus Vineyards CEO Tim Jones. 

"Quilty & Gransden wines are an affordable entry point for people to enjoy the elegant wines that Orange is becoming famous for."

Vineyard manager Quilty says: “The wines from Orange are outstanding, but they should also be affordable.”

All the grapes for these wines are sourced from 25-year-old vines that sit at a cool 600 metres above sea-level where the fruit enjoys intense, high-elevation sunshine, resulting in flavourful medium-bodied wines. 

Viticulturist Gransden says: “We are not interested in making big, heavy alcohol wines, we want to make elegant, food-friendly, savoury wines.” 

At $15 a bottle all represent reasonable value but it was the cabernet sauvignon, pleasingly medium-bodied and varietal with blackcurrant flavours and subtle oak, and the crisp, tropical and refreshing sauvignon blanc that stood out for me. 

“Shiraz, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are the varieties that people like to drink here,” says Gransden. 

“We think that our core offering coupled with Orange’s reputation for producing quality wine will really be appealing to consumers.” 

It's certainly nice to see a wine range named after those who grew the fruit rather than the name of a vineyard or a winemaker. 

“We decided to name this range after Russ and Marty,” says Jones. “They are two of the most talented vignerons in New South Wales and have spend a combined 30 years looking after our magnificent vineyard.

“Orange is one of Australia’s most exciting wine regions, but the majority of wines from here are too expensive for everyday consumers.”

See www.quiltyandgransden.com.au for details.