Hop to it: a new way to explore the Canberra wine region

It just got a whole lot easier to explore the Canberra District Wine Region with the launch of the new Wine Hopper tour. 

This hop-on, hop-off service allows visitors to experience the wine region at their own pace.

The Wine Hopper's flexible weekend schedule includes stops at some to the Canberra region's most celebrated wineries with time for tastings and relaxation without a designated driver. 

With a loop around Murrumbateman throughout the day, there is enough time to visit three or four wineries before being ferried back to the Canberra CBD.

Wine Hopper's hop-on, hop-off tour run Saturdays and Sundays from 10am until 5pm. Tickets start from $89 per person and include round-trip transport from Canberra with expert driver-hosts, a route map, winery guide and unlimited hops throughout the day.



Hoppers can sample wines at McKellar Ridge Wines, Murrumbateman Winery Eden Road Wines, 
Shaw Estate, Clonakilla, The Vintner's Daughter, Four Winds Vineyard and Dionysus Winery. Take your pick. 

There also stops at Murrumbateman Country Inn for a lunch break between wine tastings. 

Tours depart Saturday and Sundays at 10am from 7 Akuna Street, Canberra. For more info see their website.

Images: Bus at Dionysus; tasting at Vintner's Daughter.

A weekend of food, wine and fun overlooking the vines

One of McLaren Vale's leading wineries will host a weekend of gourmet discovery at the end of August. 

Chapel Hill will host a two-day, two-night residential cooking experience that aims to blend "gourmet indulgence with hands-on culinary discovery". 

Run by Fleurieu Food & Wine in collaboration with The Retreat at Chapel Hill, the weekend from August 29-31 will immerse guests in the food and wine culture of the Fleurieu Peninsula. 

Set among rolling vineyards with sweeping views, the event celebrates seasonal produce, top-notch  wines, and the joy of cooking together.

Jackie Mazzocato, founder of Fleurieu Food & Wine, will be the event leader as attendees craft mozzarella from scratch and hand-make pasta. 

The experience, as part of the Fleurieu Food Festival, will be elevated by appearances from Andrew Fielke, Australia’s leading authority on native ingredients, and Stephen Edwards, chef and red meat expert. 

The weekend includes two nights of luxe accommodation at The Retreat at Chapel Hill, a welcome dinner reception, continental breakfasts, and three shared meals with Chapel Hill wine pairings at every sitting. There will also be a wine master class at the Chapel Hill cellar door. 

The price starts at $950.00 per person with double occupancy. The event is limited to 10 couples only.

See https://fleurieufoodandwine.com.au/cooking-classes/

How to add some spice to your weekend

So you like it a little hot? 

The Herb and Chilli Festival 2025 is set to ignite Wandin, Victoria, with a celebration of international flavours, live music, and culinary delights on the weekend of March 15-16. 

The weekend will combine innovative food offerings, spirited and spicy competitions, and non-stop entertainment to celebrates the much-loved spice.

Festival-goers will embark on a global culinary adventure under one roof, as this year's festival promises a hot mix of vendors. 

Be among the first to savour a bold, spicy twist on Vegemite with the debut of the festival’s new Vegemite Chilli by Chooks Hot Sauces. 

Or discover an Indian-accented South African hit at Durbalicious’ South African pickle stall, offering zesty pickles that bring a tangy kick to your palate. 

There will be  over 70 vendors peppering the festival grounds. 

To add to the vibrant atmosphere, six-piece band, Harmaniax will return this year to create a fun soundtrack to the fiery celebration. 

There will be cooking demos and beverages to wash down the tasty morsels. 

There will be a dedicated Chilli Express bus service from Lilydale Station to and from the event. 

Early bird ticket purchases made on the official Herb + Chilli Festival website come with a bonus - a free chilli hat on arrival. 

For more info, or to purchase a day pass or bus ticket, visit https://herbchillifestival.com.au/

Tasmanian vineyards to throw open their gates

Been meaning to visit some cellar doors in Tasmania? 

Here's a date for your diary: the weekend of February 28-March 2. 

The Southern Open Vineyards weekend showcases Tasmania’s renowned southern wine regions with 37 wineries across the Coal River Valley, Derwent Valley, Huon Valley and d’Entrecasteaux Channel, and Hobart and the south east.

Unlike many traditional wine festivals, Southern Open Vineyards features famous producers alongside wineries that are completely unknown outside of Tasmania. 

Guests are invited to wander through vineyards, chat with winemakers, and taste wines just metres from where the grapes are grow. 

Several of the producers involved do not have cellar doors and only open for tastings a couple of times a year. 

Think behind-the-scenes tours, barrel tastings, and the chance to buy back vintages and exclusive cellar door releases.

The festival will see the launch of several  2024 vintage pinot noirs, alongside sparkling wines, chardonnays, rieslings and cool-climate shirazes. 

Among the participating vineyards are Pooley Wines, Puddleduck Vineyard, Brinktop (below) and Frogmore Creek in the Coal River Valley and Derwent Estate Wines, Invercarron  and Viridian Wines in the Derwent region.

The Huon Valley & d’Entrecasteaux Channel will feature Kate Hill Wines, Cathedral Rock Vineyard, Mewstone Wines and Yellow Point Vineyard, while the Tasman Peninsula will showcase Bangor Vineyard Shed, Bream Creek Vineyard and Small Island Wines.

Southern Open Vineyards is presented by Wine South Tasmania. See www.openvineyards.about/ |

Guided tours can be arranged through The Derwent Experience, Aging Barrel Tours, or Apple Isle Wine Tours.

There are also festival discounts at top hotels including The Tasman, Hadley’s Orient Hotel, and The Old Woolstore.

Meet a delightfully quirky Tasmanian music festival

Evandale is a small town in Tasmania that is a tourism drawcard year round.

This picturesque destination is home to famous events including The Glover Prize and The National Penny Farthing Championship.

It also hosts hugely popular markets held each Sunday morning.

Evandale is just down the road from Launceston Airport and is just a 15-minute drive from downtown Launceston, the second-biggest city in Tasmania.

There ae village greens, parks, many well-maintained Georgian houses, two local pubs and the heritage St Andrews Church, a Uniting Church, with its classic bell tower and Doric columns,

There are antiques and arts and crafts stores. When you are thirsty head to the Royal Oak, dating back to 1840, or the Clarendon Arms (also home to the Broad Arrow Wines) cellar door), with a history back to 1847.

Last weekend, Evandale hosted the Verandah Festival, a two-day music event where folky and quirky acts perform at a half dozen different verandahs dotted around town. 

https://verandahmusicfestival.com/

Here are a few images to get you in the festival mood.

 

      

Go small, seriously small, at Shedfest

Shedfest, the spring wine festival in the Yarra Valley, is a celebration with a difference. 

If you enjoy events hosted by artisans and micro-producers then Shedfest might appeal to you. 

Shedfest returns over the weekend of October 12-13 with 14 members of the Yarra Valley Smaller Wineries Association opening their boutique, family-run cellar doors for wine lovers to enjoy wine tastings, matching food bites, lawn games, fire pits, views and live music.

 
Two new participant -  Yileena Park and Helen's Hill Estate - will be involved for the first time, while Six Acres and Seville Estate returning after absences of several years. 

Some wineries will also offer exclusive deals and experiences for guests, including lawn games at Sutherland Estate, a free family petting zoo at Tokar Estate, a classic car display at Steels Gate and kids colouring books at Yileena Park.

There will be a total of over 100 Yarra Valley wines to try, across all styles. 

Each winery will offer entrée-sized bites for under $25 to accompany the wines with menu offerings ranging from Sicilian barbeque, to Texan-style burgers, to pizzas and calzones, to Vietnamese banh mi and modern Thai cuisine. 

Organisers have changed the entry ticket to a flat rate of $35, rather than a day or weekend ticket.

Early bird tickets with 10% off are available to purchase now via shedfest.com.au. 

Simply capital: a novel stay in the Australian capital

Three of Canberra’s innovative women have collaborated to create a unique short-stay package bringing together art, wine and a luxurious spring stay in Canberra. 

The exclusive Great Things Come In Little Packages is aimed to appeal to lovers of ceramic art from emerging artists, cool-climate wines and boutique accommodation.  

“Great Things Come In Little Packages has been developed as a collaboration between Canberra’s tiniest gallery, Gallery of Small Things (GOST), the Little National Hotel and Lake George Winery,” said package collaborator and Director of GOST, Anne Masters.  

“We’re working together to showcase ceramic art and highlighting feature artist, Grace Brown of Oh Hey Grace on her first solo show in Canberra. And pairing her work with award-winning wines from boutique Lake George Winery and a stay at a small luxury hotel in the heart of leafy Barton, Little National Hotel. 

“We really want to support smaller businesses in Canberra including local art, wine, accommodation, transport and hospitality businesses, following a particularly tough 12  months for us all.” 

Great Things Come In Little Packages includes two nights’ accommodation at Little National with daily breakfast at Buvette Restaurant, private exhibition viewing at GOST, welcome drink with meet and greet the artist Grace Brown, a little ceramic workshop, a take home gift from the artist’s limited collection, and a personalised vine to wine tour at Lake George Winery.  

“We are confident Canberra Region advocates, and together invite visitors to experience a weekend away with our luxurious packages,” Masters said. 

 

Great Things Come In Little Packages is available  September 24-26 2021 only. The package costs $485 per person, twin share.  

For more information and to book visit www.galleryofsmallthings.com/great-things-come-in-little-packages-experience-weekend

A wine weekend with a serious but fun difference

Do you love a glass or two of wine? Fancy the idea of a gourmet weekend? But cringe at the idea of being lectured on clonal variations and diurnal rhythms. 

Two of the most knowledgeable wine people in Victoria are planning a special wine weekend in September. They promise it will be both educational and fun. 

Join Caroline Bailey & Dr Kimberley Pearce in the Macedon Ranges for their Wine Retreat from September 10-12 at Lancemore Macedon Ranges (above). 

The duo wanted to develop a wine retreat combining the best parts of a wine industry trip without the pretense. 

They have created guided tastings and course notes, wine games and discussions, local produce-focused menus, and made time to relax in a de luxe setting to immerse their guests within the Macedon Ranges. 

Local wine pro Caroline Bailey (below) opened Woodend Wine Store in 2011 having earlier worked as a winemaker at Bass Phillip and Hanging Rock and in the trade at Jimmy Watson’s Wine Bar and Florentino’s. 

Kim Pearce started her wine marketing practice Wine Brain in 2014 and has worked for Levantine Hill, Royal Melbourne Wine Show and Melbourne Food & Wine Festival as well as several vintages at her family’s Domaine Levin in the Loire Valley. 

The duo will guide tastings of over 20 wines valued at $3,000+ and compare chardonnay, pinot noir and Champagne with wines from local producers including Bindi Winegrowers, Curly Flat, Granite Hills, Mitchell Harris and Wilimee. 

Imports will include Domaine Leroy, Bernhard Huber, Taupenot-Merme, Heymann-Löwenstein, Jacques Prieur, Champagne Lacourte-Godbillon, and Bollinger.

The duo promise a lively wine panel discussion, followed by a five-course tasting menu dinner with local winemakers Michael Dhillon and Ben Rankin and importer Patrick Walsh (Cellarhand), as well as a barrel tasting at Lyons Will with Renata Morello. 

The weekend (two-nights, three-days) of wine immersion includes accommodation at Lancemore Macedon Ranges with all meals. It is limited to 30 guests with early bird pricing until June 30 at  $1,975 per person. 

See www.woodendwinestore.com.au/wine-retreat

Make a winter wine date on the Mornington Peninsula

Calling all lovers of cool-climate wines: the Mornington Peninsula Winter Wine Weekend will return from June 12-14. 

The annual three-day celebration of wine and food has been held over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June since the 1980s, with the extensive program opening with a showcase exhibition and tasting. 

The Winter Wine Festival will be held on Saturday, June 12, from 10:30am–4pm in the Pavilions at Red Hill Showgrounds. This offers a rare opportunity to experience drops from 50 Mornington Peninsula wineries exhibiting over 200 premium wines. 

Keeping crowd density in mind, three sheds will be transformed into sub-regional experiences, where groups will circulate from one shed to the next after a 90-minute stay. 

Each shed will feature two restaurants creating menus of entree-sized dishes using regionally sourced produce. Tickets will be hot with only 900 available.

The Sunday sees the launch of the Long Lunch at the Pavillion, which will bring together a collection of wineries who don’t have cellar doors, pouring wines you normally need an appointment to enjoy. 

These wines will be matched to a three-course menu and with roaming musicians. Guests will sit side-by-side with the winemakers at an event to be hosted by Richard Cornish.

Throughout the weekend the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons will, as usual, welcome visitors to their cellar doors to taste new-release wines, revisit old favourites and to experience the seasonal offerings of the region.

Pre-booked tickets only at $120 for Saturday and $170 for Sunday.

Saturday tickets include a complimentary Riedel tasting glass, all wine tastings, a tasting book and three entree-sized dishes (more food vouchers also available for purchase).Sunday’s tickets include a pre-lunch tasting, and hosted sit-down three-course winemaker’s lunch with wines to match.

Online Tickets are available at www.mpwine.com.au

Booking link https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/winter-wine-weekend-tickets-150147476143