Taste wines from four producers in the one place

 

Four leading West Australian wine brands will be hitting the big(ger) smoke next month - for one weekend only. 

West Cape Howe will be leading the quartet on May 23-24 at The National Hotel in Fremantle. 

They will be teaming up with Hay Shed Hill, Mount Trio and Risky Business to pour over 50 wines from vineyards from Margaret River through to the Great Southern. 

The format will be simple: grab a glass, wander, taste what you like and have a chat to the people who make the wines. 

The full West Cape Howe range will be open for tasting - and they always offer excellent value, as do the Hay Shed Hill offerings. 

Wine lovers can choose between Saturday with the wine tasting and finger food from 2-5pm ($55), or Sunday, with the wine tasting and shared lunch from 10am-3pm ($90). 

TICKETS ON SALE link to Hay Shed Hill

Mini "goon bags" offer a serious wine alternative

"It's a mini goon bag," said Jamie, one of the young servers, when I took a Greenskin wine pouch into one of my local cafés for a tasting this week.

He was right - and wrong.

The quality of wine going into the Greenskin pouches has never been better. Two new releases; a 2024 Chardonnay and 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from Western Australia are a case in point.

The sauvignon blanc is made by Japo Dalli Cani at leading Margaret River winery McHenry Hohnen, while the chardonnay is crafted by Gavin Berry at West Cape Howe in the Great Southern.

Two impressive vibrant and juicy whites for enjoying in their youth: and prices start from $106.50 for a six-pack.

Both would be ideal for enjoying chilled at a picnic, on the beach, out on the water, at a party or a sports event. The quality, I think you''ll find, is just as good as you'd find in $30 bottles.

I predict that recyclable pouches will be all the rage this year, along with half bottles and wine in cans. There is a new wine brand called Half Sister making wines only in 375mL bottles.

Convenience is everything and Greenskin offers premium wine in a 100% recylable format.

Here is their spiel: "Tired of lugging heavy, breakable glass bottles on your adventures? Are you frustrated with how long they take to chill or the hassle of disposing of them afterwards?

"We’ve reinvented the way you enjoy premium wine with our nifty 750ml, fully recyclable pouches.

"As experienced winemakers and wine packaging specialists, we hand-select premium Australian wines from renowned wineries and package them in a lightweight, unbreakable pouch.

"Forget those cringe-worthy “goon-bag” memories; this is all about enjoying premium quality wine in a convenient, sustainable package."

Some facts: pouches take 80% less energy to produce than glass; use fewer emissions in transport and are part of a free recycling program.

Co-founder Mike Davies reports: "Sales are significantly up over the past year, which is encouraging for the concept."

If you are keen to try medley packages offer whites, reds, rosés or a mix, you can place orders online. Apply the promo code MEDLEY10 to receive 10% off.

See https://greenskinwine.com/

Cellar Door in the City to pop-up in Fremantle

I'm a big fan of West Cape Howe and Hay Shed Hill wines; consistently good and always sensibly priced. 

That duo will pair with fellow West Australian producers Mount Trio and Risky Business for their annual Cellar Door in the City tastings in Fremantle on the weekend of July 13-14. 

The venue will be Harbourside Freo - just around the corner from Little Creatures - where you can enjoy uninterrupted 180-degree views of the ocean to Fremantle Harbour. 

The popular pop-up will give visitors the opportunity to taste over 50 wines from the four wineries and their siblings, to chat with the people that make them and also have access to "one weekend only" prices.

The Saturday will see a wine tasting with canapes from 2pm-5pm, while the Sunday will feature a wine tasting with substantial finger food from 11am-2pm. 

Both are standing events and tickets will be on from tomorrow from noon WST. 

Check in for tickets here: https://www.westcapehowewines.com.au/Shop-Our-Wines/CDiC

A fun-sounding Freo food and wine experience

A weekend in Fremantle? Sounds like fun.

A weekend in Fremantle with a wine tasting thrown in? Even better.

On Sunday, February 11, West Cape Howe and some of its wine partners will hold a Cellar Door In the City wine tasting along with "dim sum finger food" crafted by Emily Taylor for $70 per head at Sailing for Oranges in the heart of the West Australian port city,

The fun and frolics will run from 11am into the afternoon, and guests will have the chance to sample over 80 wines from West Cape Howe, Hay Shed Hill, Mount Trio, Kerrigan+Berry, Pitchfork and Risky Business.

To match with the wines think dumplings: lobster and truffle, scallop, oxtail and tofu, along with rendang-stuffed crispy bao, lemongrass and pepper squid and more.

Wine lovers can meet the winemakers and taste their way through both the Great Southern and Margaret River regions. All wines will also be available to purchase at exclusive one-day-only prices.

Details here: https://hayshedhill.com.au/collections/event/products/cellar-door-comes-to-perth-sunday-24th-november-tasting-lunch-11am-3pm.

And if you fancy making a weekend of it, the Warders Hotel is a small boutique hotel in the old limestone cottages that were once the Fremantle Warders’ homes.

The cottages offer a little sanctuary in the vibrant heart of Fremantle and tasting guests get a 15% discount on their stay. See www.wardershotel.com.au