Family-owned Yarra Valley wineries to open their sheds

 

Enjoy visiting smaller wineries? 

Make a note of the upcoming Yarra Valley Shedfest 2025. 

The event will be held in the Yarra on the weekend of October 11-12. 

Lovers of cool-climate wines can bring friends, kids and even your fur babies to 13 family-owned Yarra Valley producers. 

Each winery will offer its own twist on food, tastings, music and entertainment. 

The entry ticket is a flat $35, which gives access to tastings at all participating wineries on one and/or two days.

Tickets can be purchased at an earlybird rate until October 1 to save 10%.

A diverse selection of dishes under $25 will be available at each participating winery.

Menu offerings will range from authentic Sicilian barbecue from Melitta Next Door head chef Lorena Corso, Texan-style burgers, pizzas and pasta, Vietnamese bao, and Japanese curries. Kids and those with special dietary requirements won’t miss out either, with most wineries catering for both.

The wine producers involved are: Billanook Estate, Boat O'Craigo, Fin Wines, Helen's Hill, Seville Hill, Six Acres, Soumah, Steels Gate, Sutherland Estate, Tokar Estate, Whispering Hills, Yering Farm and Yileena Park.

 

The event will run from 11am-5pm on each day. 

Discover more at http://shedfest.com.au/

A uniquely Tasmanian gourmet treat to celebrate winter

Are you heading for Hobart this winter?

Would you like to experience an authentic food and wine experience that is a collaboration between two esteemed Tasmanian family producers?

If you fancy enjoying fresh wild-caught sustainable bluefin tuna from the Mure family paired with outstanding cool-climate wines from the Pooley family then you might want to get your name on the list.

Owner Will Mure’s parents Jill and George established Mures Fish House in Battery Point in Hobart in 1973. When they struggled to get the best fish, George went fishing,

Over 50 years and three generations the Mure family continue their commitment to both catching and selling fresh, quality seafood and operate several outlets in their waterfront complex.

I was one of the very fortunate gourmet guinea pigs last week when Mures Upper Deck (in collaboration with Pooley Wines) launched its new pop-up dining experience, the Southern Bluefin Carving Ceremony, as part of Tasmania's Off Season festivities.

The giant whole fish was presented and expertly carved by Jock Mure, who also caught the fish, Guests first sampled raw fish off the bone before being treated to a four-course degustation menu prepared using various cuts from the freshly carved fish (above).

Tuna is known for its vibrant colours, texture, and rich umami flavour, and each course showcased the versatility and freshness of the various cuts.

All the dishes were paired with cool-climate Pooley Wines bottles selected to complement the courses and will be presented by third-generation family member and brand ambassador Matt Pooley, whose father John (below with Matt) was also in attendance for the first run.

Pooley Wines is this year celebrating its 40th year in the wine business and has two estate vineyards in the Coal River Valley.

Think pairings like tuna with nori seafood and soy paired with 2021 Pooley Matilda Sparkling; three cuts of sashimi with Pooley 2023 Butchers Hill Riesling; tuna tataki with sesame crust and Pooley's superb 2019 Cooinda Vale Chardonnay; tuna steak with Pooley 2013 Pinot Noir. Finished off with a hot-smoked tuna dip with a luscious 2024 Butchers Hill Cane Cut Riesling.

Matt Pooley tells some behind-the-scenes stories as part of a delightful seafood and viticulture feast.

The first public session will be on Tuesday, May 6, followed by three other feasts on the first Tuesday of each month.

The events are part of Tasmania's Off Season festivities and also run on  June 3, July 1 and August 5.

The price is a very reasonable $190 per person (I guessed at least $225 after the trial run and before doing my homework).

"This is the kind of Off Season offering that only two traditional Tasmanian family businesses can pull off," said Mures restaurant general manager Shaun Baker. "Every day the challenge on the water is different, but the aim of producing quality seafood is always the same."

For more details and bookings see https://www.mures.com.au/the-off-season

# Pooley Wines will hold 40th birthday celebrations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on May 13-14-15 as well as June public tastings with the Huon Hooke and the Real Review. Contact cellar door for details.

Images: Supplied, John Pooley, Winsor Dobbin 

# The writer was a host of Mures Upper Deck and Pooley Wines