Taste of Summer returns to the Hobart waterfront

For food and wine lovers in Hobart over the holidays a trip or two to the Taste of Summer festival is de rigueur.

With a range of new experiences locked in for the fifth edition in its current guise, the Taste showcases dishes and drinks from around the island state, along with a range of entertainment.

Held at Princes Wharf 1, next to where the Sydney-Hobart yachts finish, the event formerly known as the Taste of Tasmania is one of Australia's longest-running gourmet festivals, spanning four decades.

The Taste starts on December 27 and runs through to January 3. It is always a great event with a fun, family vibe. New Year's Eve festivities often sell out.



Over 30% of the stallholders will be making their debuts, says food and wine co-ordinator Jo Cook, who predicts this year's event will be the best yet.

Stalwarts including Clover Hill sparkling wines and Willie Smiths cider will be joined by several innovative new operators.

Among the highlights will be Season & Fire, a new restaurant showcasing indigenous seafood dishes, including abalone, and the barbecue spectacle at The Smokeyard.

The new Winemaker Series will offer booked guided wine tasting sessions with local winemaking stars including Nick Glaetzer from Glaetzer-Dixon Family Winemakers, Keira O'Brien from Rivulet Wines and Alice Davidson from Aunt Alice Wines.

For spirits lovers. &K Distillery will offer bookable VIP tasting experiences.

Other wineries involved include Beautiful Isle, Clover Hill, Derwent Estate, Haddow and Dineen, L'Appel, Ponting and Meadowbank and Sonnen, along with star brewers, cider producers and distillers.

Food highlights will include dishes from around the globe: from Ethiopia to Chile. And I hear there might be some free taste treats when you enter the gates. 

For bigger plates think the likes of Bruny Island Cheeses, Formosa Bites seafood, Katsu burgers by Lilly Trewartha and Tantuni Turkish cuisine. 

There will also be a new sports bar. 

For full details, times and tickets see https://www.tasteofsummer.com.au/

The most wonderful time of the year in Hobart

This is the most wonderful time of the year to be visiting the Tasmanian capital of Hobart.

Not only is the Sydney to Hobart yacht race fleet zeroing in on Hobart, the sun is (hopefully) shining, and the locals are celebrating food and drinks at the annual waterfront festival The Taste of Summer.

Until January 4, the Taste celebrates Tasmanian wines, whiskies, coders and local produce.

Whether you choose to sit on the waterfront with a dozen freshly shucked oysters and a bottle of Tasmanian sparkling, or grab an ice-cold beer and some barbecued meat and watch the kids play and explore in the dedicated children's play area 'Little Hobart', there really is something for everyone.

 There are over 75 food and drink stalls, as well as roving entertainers, with the Hoodoo Gurus the headline act on New Year's Eve, when guests can enjoy prime viewing spots for the traditional firework displays.

I visited on the opening day was impressed by the increased amount of seating spaces and smaller crews. 

Naturally, I took the opportunity to taste from wines with Jeremy Dineen from Haddow and Dineen (above) and Luke Andree from Sonnen (below), as well as enjoying some seriously good seafood and some delightful fresh air.      

From signature seafood and farm-to-table delights to world-class wine and spirits and artisan cheese, every bite promises tells a story of Tasmania’s farms and pristine waters. And food styles range from Ethiopian to Taiwanese and Turkish. It's a top-notch day or night out.

 

Try Ricky Ponting's wine, perhaps with some Bass Strait scallops, or maybe a dram of local whisky.

There is also an eclectic line-up of performers and musicians on the Taste of Summer Stage. Get along, you'll enjoy yourself 

See https://www.tasteofsummer.com.au/ 

  

Vintage & Vinyl returns to the Adelaide Hills

Food, wine, cider and music. 

It sounds like the perfect ingredients for a weekend treat, and Sidewood Estate’s Vintage & Vinyl is back again for a fourth year. 

For one weekend only, at Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, the event will run on April 20-21. 

The festival will be curated for adults only on Saturday, and for families on the Sunday. 

“From the moment you arrive, you will be spoilt for choice," says Sidewood Estate ambassador Serena Moorghen. "Delicious food choices, amazing wines and cider and entertainment, all to the cool tunes! What’s not to enjoy?”

The annual Grape Stomping Comp is back again, giving guests a chance to show off their stomping skills and win prizes.

Gourmet offerings will include wood-fired pizzas, paella and spit-roasted meats, along with Sidewood wines and ciders, along with guests Uraidla Brewery and Glen Ewin. 

Tickets start at $12 for kids and $33 for adults. For more info visit www.sidewood.com.au. 

Image: Frankie the Creative

Hospitality heavyweights hatch some big plans

Two hospitality heavyweights have combined, aiming to create bigger and better booze festivals.

A new partnership agreement between the Schwartz Family Company, owners of some of Australia's highest-profile hotesl, and Spectapular Enterprises - organisers of the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS) - is designed to lift the energy of several regional craft beer and wine events.

Under the agreement, the Schwartz Family Company’s Hunter Valley, Canberra and Gold Coast events will come into the GABS stable, providing greater national exposure for the regional wine and beer festivals.

The agreement also sees hotelier Jerry Schwartz take up a board appointment and partnership equity in Spectapular Enterprises.

Schwartz is director of the largest privately- owned hotel group in Australia with some iconic hotels in his 14-property portfolio, including Mercure Canberra, the venue for the annual Canberra Craft Beer & Cider Festival (above).

GABS currently operates some of Australia's largest national beer events, and with the GABS/Schwartz partnership, GABS will now be able to offer exceptional craft beer consumer experiences in regional areas, with the addition of the Schwartz Family Company's Hunter Valley, Gold Coast and Canberra events.

The Canberra Craft Beer & Cider Festival and the Hunter Valley Wine & Beer Festival have been operating for over a decade, while the Gold Coast event was added two years ago.

“I am really delighted about incorporating our Canberra, Hunter Valley and Gold Coast events into the Spectapular calendar,” said Schwartz.

“It is a fantastic platform that will help take these events to new heights over the next 10 years and beyond.

"We’re also looking to introduce some new premium events and products, the first being Finer Drop, as we continue to grow and provide consumers and exhibitors with more world-class experiences."

The Finer Drop, a new premium drinks experience, will launch this November at the Winx Stand at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

Mike Bray, managing director of GABS, said: “The partnership with Jerry is a natural fit on all levels. He brings a wealth of experience in providing local and international guests exceptional experiences every day.

"I see huge potential to build on the incredible work the SFC team have done with the Canberra Beer & Cider Festival and Hunter Valley Wine & Beer Festival over the years.”

Spectapular’s flagship event, GABS Festival, is recognised as being one of the premier beer festivals.

Renowned Tasmanian cider maker produces its first RTD

Willie Smiths is one of a number of trailblazing cider producers in the Huon Valley, the southernmost part of Tasmania.

Over the past decade the fourth-generation business has made a national impact with a number of cider releases, including its regular lines, seasonal releases and single-apple varietals.

Willie Smiths also hosts the annual Huon Mid-Winter Fest, coming up next month, where anyone visiting should try to sample the family-owned company's first RTD, which goes by the name Dark River Stormy Seas.

The name is a tribute to the Huon River, which flows beside some of the company's organic apple orchards, and the wild seas off the Tasmanian coast.

The super-refreshing pre-mixed cocktail is blend of twice-distilled apple spirit, which has been spiced and blended with brewed ginger beer and lime zest. Best enjoyed well chilled, or over ice it packs a zingy kick. 

The new cocktail weighs in at 6.0%ABV and a case of 16 x 335ml cans costs $95 (or much less for cider club members).

For details see https://www.williesmiths.com.au/product/dark-rivers-stormy-seas

Beer pressure: get set for the first Gold Coast Beer & Cider Festival

 The Gold Coast is gearing up for a Festival celebrating Australia’s best brews with the announcement of the first-ever Gold Coast Beer & Cider Festival on Saturday, October 23. 

The festival will be staged in the Broadwater Parklands between 11am and 5pm, with over 40 premium craft beer and cider producers expected to participate.  

The event is being organised by the Schwartz Family Company, which has operated the Canberra Craft Beer & Cider Festival for over a decade, as well as the Hunter Valley Wine & Beer Festival. 

 

Tickets will cost $20 per person for online pre-festival bookings or $30 per person on the day and will include entry into the festival, tastings from local and interstate craft breweries, gourmet food vendors, live music, and other festival activities. 

As with all Schwartz Festivals, the family-friendly atmosphere will include free activities for children. Children under 18 years old will be admitted free of charge. 

 

Announcing the new Festival, organiser Dr Jerry Schwartz from the Schwartz Family Group said that with the Gold Coast’s climate and the growth in local craft brewers, it was the perfect time to launch the inaugural event. 

 

“This is a golden opportunity to celebrate the Gold Coast’s reputation for hospitality,” said Dr Schwartz. 

 

“We have seen the positive reaction to both our Canberra and Hunter Valley events, with the relaxed, friendly and sophisticated environment.  

 

“The craft beer sector has matured rapidly in recent years with an emphasis on distinctive, fresh and innovative brews with real character. And the characters behind the brews will be available throughout the festival to share their stories and provide tastings across their product ranges. 

 

“We are looking forward to welcoming both locals and people from further away who want to make a great weekend of their visit with special packages at two of the Gold Coast’s most popular hotels.” 

 

The Schwartz Family Company is offering special accommodation and festival packages including accommodation, breakfast, festival tickets and a four pack of Sydney Brewery craft beer at its Gold Coast hotels – the Hilton Surfers Paradise and Paradise Resort Gold Coast, both within easy access of Broadwater Parklands. 

Rates start from $287 (per room, per night) at Hilton Surfers Paradise and from $425 at Paradise Resort Gold Coast. Conditions apply. 

 

See www.gcbeerciderfestival.com.au/ 

Smiling faces on the Tamar Valley Wine Route

In March, I spent a couple of days in the Tamar Valley wine region. 

I was struck by the number of smiling Tasmanian faces I encountered - and I also made a side trip to Deloraine, where I popped into Red Brick Cider. 

If you happen to find yourself in Tasmania over the Easter Weekend you might want to visit Moore’s Hill, Cabbage Tree Hill, Holm Oak, Holyman or Red Brick Cider. 

For details visit www.tamarvalleywineroute.com.au/