Coonawarra to turn on the country cabernet charm

Coonawarra is an Australian wine region inextricably linked to cabernet sauvignon. 

Each spring, the sleepy South Australian district comes alive with Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations returning from October 1-18, bringing together three vibrant weekends of wine, food, music and regional experiences.

Celebrating Coonawarra’s signature variety, this year’s festival features over 40 free and ticketed experiences across the region, inviting visitors to meet the makers, explore the vineyards and cellar doors. 

Coonawarra Vignerons Acting Executive Officer Heidi Guyett says the program of events provides a perfect reason to make an effort to visit. 

“October is a fantastic time to experience Coonawarra," she said.

"The vineyards are bursting back to life, the days are getting longer and there’s a wonderful energy throughout the region.” 

One of the highlights of the Cabernet Celebrations program is the intimacy of the events and the opportunity this provides for people to meet the makers and the families at the heart of the wine community.

“Aside from tasting the exquisite wines of the region, visitors will have the opportunity to meet and dine with winemakers, viticulturists and boutique winery owners, go behind the scenes in the winery

and even sample wines that are yet to be officially released, all the while learning about the process

and the passion that goes into Coonawarra’s famed wines,” Guyett added.

The celebrations begin over the October Labour Day Long Weekend, with the Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations Golf Day teeing off at Penola Golf Course on Friday,  October 2.

The event combines golf with sparkling cabernet, regional food and wine, with teams competing for the coveted Champion Team red jackets. 

Across the long weekend, visitors can also roll up their sleeves for past making and lunch with the DiGiorgio Family, take a guided vineyard tour at Rymill Coonawarra, enjoy sparkling cabernet at sunset at Balnaves, or settle in for live music, pizza and family-friendly festivities at wineries across the region.

New to the festival in 2026, the Coonawarra Community Markets will make their Cabernet Celebrations debut on Sunday, October 4, showcasing fresh local produce, hand-made and hand-crafted goods, artisan wares and Coonawarra wines. 

The weekend of October 9-11 sees visitors invited visitors to Blend It Up, with Cabernet Gin in the spotlight at Parker Estate, Cocktails on the Deck on offer at Brand’s Laira, and a relaxed afternoon of pizza and live music at Zema Estate among the diverse offerings.

The festival culminates with a feature-packed final weekend, led by the Cabernet Decade[nce] Tasting and Dinner on Friday, October 16.  Around 15 Coonawarra producers will come together at Wynns Coonawarra Estate for a one-night-only tasting showcasing cabernet sauvignon with age, followed by an optional degustation dinner at the excellent Ottelia Restaurant.

Saturday, October 17 offers reasons to linger, with Yalumba’s cooper demonstration at the Menzies Coonawarra property set to be a highlight among traditional offerings including Bowen Estate’s En Primeur, a special Decade of Majella Cabernet vertical tasting and Prof’s Paella at Majella.

Making it easier to explore the region, the Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations hop on-hop off shuttle bus will operate each Saturday. 

Visitors are encouraged to book early, particularly for ticketed events and accommodation. 

For the full program of events and to book tickets, visit https://coonawarra.org/ccc-october-2026/

Discover an authentic Hunter Valley wine experience

Ian and Suzanne Little at the Little Wine Company in the Hunter Valley are keen on giving visitors an authentic winery experience. 

Here the tastings are held in the working winery on Milbrodale Road, Broke, while standing among the barrels and tanks, in the middle of the space's daily rhythms. 

Guests now taste where the wine is actually made by the family-owned boutique producer. 

"Wine is made here, not just poured here,” says Suzanne Little. 

“Every glass now comes with the full story - the barrels, the tanks, the equipment. It's the most honest way we know to share what we do.”

The winery is nestled against a mountain overlooking Broke Fordwich, one of the Hunter Valley's quietest sub-regions, just 15 minutes from tourism central in Pokolbin.

Little Wine Company - which recently celebrated a quarter of a century - offers a range of "new wave" varieties incuding albariño, pecorino, vermentino, sangiovese, barbera, tempranillo and montepulciano. 

Visitors can also order an optional charcuterie board of local cheeses, quiches and olives, or go behind the scenes with a Winery Tour & Taste, learning about the winemaking process from grape to glass, and even try wines straight from the barrel before they aren bottled.

The adventurous can get hands-on with a Barrel & Blend Workshop, crafting, labelling and taking home a custom red blend. 

On Friday evenings, the cellar door is open till 8pm with a rotating weekly food offering, ranging from artisan pies to paella and wood-fired pizzas.

Visit Friday 11am–8pm, Saturday 11am–5pm and Sunday 11am–4pm. 

Bookings are essential for tours and experiences. 

See thelittlewinecompany.com.au

Cape Mentelle brings benchmark cabernet tasting back to Sydney

Cape Mentelle's International Cabernet Tasting is returning to Sydney after 15-year absence.

The founding Margaret River winery will bring the tasting back to the east coast on Friday, October 16 - a major event for cabernet lovers.

To be held at Watersedge at Campbell’s Stores, with views of Sydney Harbour, the annual benchmark tasting is a hallmark event on the Australian wine calendar, featuring a line-up of some of the world’s finest cabernet labels.

Tickets are $750pp and include a blind tasting of three brackets followed by a long lunch paired to the wines from the tasting. 

There will be commentary from experts and the tasting is followed by a Champagne palate cleanser before lunch.

The Cape Mentelle International Cabernet Tasting is one of Australia’s longest running international wine benchmark tastings, established in 1982 by Cape Mentelle founder David Hohnen.

The tasting initially began as a process to help Hohnen finesse each vintage by benchmarking his own releases against globally recognised expressions.

Today, the tasting has expanded to invite wine lovers to join the Cape Mentelle team to taste and benchmark great cabernets from across the world alongside home-grown examples from the same vintage.

“I’m excited to bring this much-loved wine tasting experience back to Sydney for the first time since 2011,” says Cape Mentelle Chief of Winemaking & Viticulture David Moulton.

“Each year, the tasting reveals the ever-evolving landscape of cabernet sauvignon, as seen through the lens of some of the world’s best winemakers. Not only do we see how our own cabernet is looking against an array of other Australian releases, but we get to see how Margaret River Cabernet continues to define itself against regions from around the world.

"I can’t wait to see what the tasting unveils.”

The tasting will feature iconic Australian expressions alongside cult-status international producers from Italy (including Super Tuscans), the US, New Zealand, and France.

Adding to the event’s prestige, this year offers an Australian exclusive first look at wines from the 2023 Bordeaux vintage prior to their official local arrival. 

Tickets and details here: https://www.capementelle.com.au/Events/International-Cabernet

Meet a new Mornington Peninsula wine and food experience

Fancy a top-notch wine and food experience without having to worry about driving?

Mornington Peninsula standout Ten Minutes by Tractor offers its Mornington Peninsula Escape for $295 per person every Thursday as part of its membership of Ultimate Winery Experiences.

With return transfers from Melbourne CBD included, wine tasters with a hunger can leave the city behind for a hosted day at the winery and its restaurant.

The experience begins with sparkling wine on arrival, followed by a six-course lunch in the two-hatted eatery.

After lunch, guests continue to the cellar door for a guided tasting, exploring a selection of cool-climate wines and the stories behind them.

The group departs Malebourne at 10.30am and returns at 3:30pm, leaving plenty of time for tasting.

I've added this to my "to do" list for next time I am in bleak city. 

The wines of Ten Minutes by Tractor are always outstanding. Unfortunately, they no longer send me samples. Hint, hint. Maybe I somehow offended them?

See https://www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au/Experiences/Peninsula-Escape

A chance to explore some of NSW's top drops

Calling all Sydney wine lovers. 

The Winter Cellar Door will be returning to Carriageworks in Eveleigh this winter. 

After the success of last year's NSW Wine X Carriageworks festivities, the event will return to the Blacksmiths Workshop at Carriageworks on July 5. 

Organisers promise a relaxed afternoon of wine and food under one roof and the chance "to meet the passionate people behind the labels". 

There will be over 20 wine producers from across New South Wales pouring a range of wines from "familiar favourites to exciting new releases and some undiscovered gems".

The full line-up of wineries will be announced later this month, but tickets are on sale now.

Potential imbibers can also pre-purchase tasting cups to enjoy fast-track entry on the day as well as going into a draw to wine a mixed dozen case of wine. 

The first 300 tickets purchased will also receive a free NSW Wine tote bag. 

The Sunday event will run from 11am-5pm. 

You can book here: https://events.humanitix.com/winter-cellar-door?c=nswwine

Fancy an autumn weekend in the Yarra Valley?

Fancy a couple of autumn night away in the vineyards of the Yarra Valley? 

Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley has unveiled a new Winery Retreat Package, designed to bring together wine, dining, relaxation and luxury accommodation in one experience. 

The resort is located just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne CBD and has 70 accommodation options ranging from comfortable rooms to luxurious suites.

The Winery Retreat Package includes overnight accommodation in a premium room or suite; daily breakfast at Restaurant 1309; a  hosted wine tasting at the cellar door; a dining credit for the seasonal menu at Restaurant 1309, two bottles of Balgownie Estate wine and an in-room cheese plate, along with an endota spa voucher for use during the stay.

 “This package brings together everything guests love about visiting the Yarra Valley, without needing to plan each element separately,” said Rachel Caldwell, marketing, brand and business development manager at Balgownie Estate. 

“It’s about creating a seamless, high-value experience that feels considered from arrival through to departure.”

Stays start from $539 for two nights. Only available for direct bookings, from now until the end of September.

See https://www.balgownie.com/experience/winery-retreat-package/

Cool event to showcase cool-climate wines

Lovers of cool-climate wines might want to put Piers & Pinots into their calendar. 

 
Twelve producers from the Mornington Peninsula will be showcased at the immersive afternoon event on May 2. 

The venue will be Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron and offers the chance to meet some of the talented winemakers behind some famous labels, offering insights into how the region’s maritime influences from Western Port, Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait define the local wines. 

There will be over 40 wines to taste, along with a charcuterie and cheese station. 

Detailed tasting notes will be provided and there will also be a live acoustic singer-songwriter performance (somewhat distracting I would have thought). 

The event will run from 2pm-5pm and tickets are $120 per person (includes GST, plus booking fee)

Participating wineries are Baillieu, Dexter, Elgee Park Wines, Foxey’s Hangout, Handpicked Wines, Kyberd Hills, Ocean Eight, Portsea Estate, Pt Leo Estate, Rahona Valley, Stonier and Yal Yal Estate.

See www.mpwine.com.au

Sip and soar above Tasmania's east coast

 

So you'd like to splurge on a special experience when visiting Tasmania? 

Devil’s Corner has unveiled Soar and Savour, a one-of-a-kind Tasmanian experience combining a scenic helicopter flight over the Freycinet Peninsula with a premium cellar door tasting on the state’s east coast.

Designed as an intimate small-group experience, Soar and Savour offers visitors a new way to explore Tasmania’s coastal landscapes before returning to Devil’s Corner cellar door for a hosted wine and food experience.

Soar and Savour begins with sparkling wine and oysters at Devil’s Corner before guests board a scenic helicopter flight, taking in aerial views of the Freycinet Peninsula including the Hazards mountain range, deserted beaches and crystal-clear waters.

After the flight, visitors return to Devil’s Corner cellar door to enjoy a premium wine tasting paired with local produce from the recently opened Devil’s Corner Kitchen.

Devil’s Corner senior winemaker Tom Wallace said the new offering responds to growing demand for premium, experience-led travel in Tasmania.

“We’re seeing strong demand for immersive, high-quality visitor experiences along Tasmania’s east coast,” he said.

“Soar and Savour is designed to showcase the best of Devil’s Corner and the surrounding Freycinet region in a way that feels personal, elevated and distinctly Tasmanian.

“With limited numbers per flight, the experience offers an intimate and memorable way for guests to discover this remarkable part of the state.”

The cost is from $635 per person for the 2.5-hour experience, so it is not for everyone. 

Bookings: https://devilscornertasmania.rezdy.com/740576/savour-and-soar-the-ultimate-tasmanian-experience

Images: Jacob McKay 

Hunter Valley vineyard escapes discounted for the cooler months

With the peak summer season now in the rear-view mirror, canny travellers can pick up some autumn and winter travel bargains.

The Lane Retreat, Bimbadgen, in the Hunter Valley has just launched a Signature Stay package offering savings of up to 25%, inviting guests to slow down and savour wine country.

Set on 15 hectares of vineyards and natural bushland, The Lane Retreat offers a country escape paired with premium food and wine experiences. The new package is available for stays until August 31.

The Lane Retreat Signature Stay package includes two nights in a premium king or twin studio, continental breakfast provisions, a $100 restaurant and beverage credit available to use at Bimbadgen Cellar Door, Bimbadgen Pizzeria, Esca Bimbadgen, Alter Wines at Emma's Cottage or The Lane Retreat's Pantry, a signature wine tasting of five wines with paired Cocoa Nib chocolates at Alter Wines Cellar Door, Emma's Cottage and a gourmet picnic with a bottle of wine, as well as a late checkout.

It is priced from $319 per night (two-night minimum),  

Developed by property and hospitality group Mulpha Australia in the grounds of Bimbadgen’s 50-year-old vineyards, The Lane Retreat offers 60 luxe studio retreats with outdoor decks that offer views of the Broken Back Range or Bimbadgen vineyards.

Each studio retreat has king bedding, a bathroom with double rain head showers and Hunter bathroom amenities, a kitchenette with coffee maker, toaster, microwave and mini bar, and gourmet breakfast provisions supplied daily.

The property now features a new swimming pool and amenities and guests enjoy VIP access to Bimbadgen’s flagship restaurant Esca and associated eateries.

Book online at www.thelaneretreat.com.au

Artworks enliven the streets of South Africa's wine capital

Fancy combining tasting some fine wines with some al fresco art?

Stellenbosch in the heart of South Africa's Cape wine region might be worth a look.

The streets of the historic university town are alive with creativity and a diverse cultural spirit.

Stellenbosch’s streets and public spaces have just come alive with Dreamscapes, an outdoor art exhibition featuring over 250 works.

Visitors can stroll through the town to explore sculptures that transform sidewalks and building walls into playful encounters.

 Through everything from larger-than-life forms to functional artworks, Dreamscapes celebrates imagination and community.

The artworks focus on diverse themes through storytelling in concrete, bronze, wire and other materials.

  
You can check out the full route at www.sost.co.za.

Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust (SOST) is a non-profit organisation supported by patrons, foundations, and corporations. It brings contemporary art to a broad audience in Stellenbosch by mounting free, annual exhibitions that offer the public powerful experiences with art and the urban environment.

* Stellenbosch is 50km from Cape Town and dates back to 1679. It sits on on the banks of the Eerste River at the foot of the Stellenbosch Mountain. It is home to many historic buildings that are typical of Cape Dutch architecture.

It is the primary location for viticulture and viticulture research in South Africa and the surrounding region is known for its many wine farms and tasting rooms.

Meet a sparkling new venue in Champagne

Anyone planning a trip to Champagne might want to make note of a recently opened wine destination.

Champagne Thiénot has marked marked its 40th anniversary this year with a move into wine tourism as it opens a boutique hotel, bar and spa, and tasting experience in the heart of Reims.

Called Le 3, after its address in pedestrian alley 3 Rue du Marc in the city, the new offering occupies a historic building not far Veuve Clicquot’s Hôtel du Marc.

Maison Thiénot - well known to Australians for its collaborations with Penfolds - was founded by Alain Thiénot in 1985, and is now run by by his children, Garance and Stanislas.

Thiénot describes Le 3 as “an immersive journey through Champagne tradition and innovation, with restored cellars, interactive exhibits, and an open-air garden”.

The venue also includes a vinothèque with Champagnes going back to the first vintage expression made by the house from the 1985 harvest.

Le 3 - a 10m-minute walk from Reims Station - also has a Champagne rooftop bar and spa, and an upcoming  boutique hotel with 12 rooms, news hub drinks business reports.

Maison Thienot says its purpose is to "provide an immersive and educational wine tourism experience centred on Champagne Thiénot".

The target audience is anyone interested in Champagne, from novices to aficionados, with options for both guided and self-guided exploration.

Check out this link: https://www.champagne-thienot.com/en/wine-tourism-experience/cellar-tours-at-champagne-thienot/

Where to try wines from some of Tasmania’s best small producers

Want to taste wines from some of Tasmania's best emerging wine producers?

Or to sip on releases from small winemakers that often fly under the radar?

Budburst Wine Collective, headed by Joe Lenck, is holding its first Tasmanian Wine Expo in Hobart on on Saturday, December 6.

The event at RACV Hobart Hotel will feature 10 local winemakers and Lenck hopes it will become a regular fixture.

So if you haven't tried wines from the likes of Alice Davidson from Wines by Aunt Alice, from Marco Lubiana, or from newish labels like Future Perfect, or Cave Wines, here is an opportunity.

"We've gathered a group of 10 of the best young and talented local winemakers with their emerging brands," Lenck says.

With a few more vintages under their belt are Jonny Hughes from Hughes & Hughes, Kate Hill, Frieda Hensekens from sparkling specialist Henskens Rankin, Keira O'Brien from Rivulet Wines, Todd Goebel from Brinktop and Greer Carland from Quiet Mutiny

"With so much talent in one room, you won't want to miss this one and get amongst the future leaders of our Industry," Lenck says.

And each attendee gets to take home a free tasting glass.

# Budburst Collective is an online retail portal. Joe Lenck has worked for several of Australia’s leading wine wholesalers over a long career in the industry.

Tickets are $32 per person, plus booking fee. Go to https://www.oztix.com.au/ and search for Tassie Wine Expo.

Popular Hunter wine festival off the menu for 2026

 

Lovedale Long Lunch, one of the most popular food and wine festivals on the Hunter Valley calendar, will go into a hiatus next year. 

 

After 31 years, the event is being reimagined and will return with a new format in 2027. 

The Lovedale Long Lunch is the Hunter’s longest running food and wine event. 

It is a progressive lunch that sees some of the Hunter’s leading chefs team up with six of Lovedale’s best wineries to offer guests wine, food, and live entertainment. The 2025 in May event attracted more than 10,000 people.

Wineries including Allandale, Emma’s Cottage, Gartelmann, Tatler, Sandalyn Estate, Saltire Estate, and Wandin have hosted thirsty and hungry festivalgoers over the years. 

This decision comes as part of a strategic re-engineering process to align the event with evolving consumer trends. The organisers are taking an opportunity to re-think and refresh the experience. 

“We are incredibly proud of the legacy of the Lovedale Long Lunch and grateful for the amazing support from our community, sponsors, and visitors over the past three decades,” said Matt Dillow from Gartelmann Wines. 

“While the event will not take place in 2026, we are excited about the opportunity to develop a new format that better meets the changing tastes and expectations of our audience.”

Organisers acknowledge this news may disappoint many loyal guests who have made the Lovedale Long Lunch part of their annual calendar. 

Attendees are encouraged to stay connected via the event’s website and social media channels for the latest updates as plans for the re-imagined experience unfold.

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

Punt Road opens a new wine destination

Visitors to the Yarra Valley have a new wine experience to enjoy with the recent opening of the new cellar door for Punt Road Wines.

Next door to Meletos restaurant and surrounded by vines and orchards, the new space has a barrel hall for tastings, and a new small plates menu.

It is just 400 metres from the former home of Punt Road, the new facility also offers The Farmhouse accommodation, and Il Massaggio day spa, creating an all-in-one destination surrounded by vineyards.

Bookings for the new cellar door at 12 St Huberts Road, Coldstream are now open. You can book your visit here.

Punt Road has an almost 40-year history and makes wines under the Punt Road and Airlie Bank labels.

The Napoleone family-owned and -operated cellar door offers two wine tasting experiences: the Classic Wine Tasting for $15 per person, or the Food and Wine Experience for $65pp (two-person minimum) featuring five estate-grown wines paired with a seasonal selection of local and international cheeses and small bites.  

Famous wine family unveils new Barossa cellar door

 

The Burge family, famous names in the Barossa wine business, have opened a new cellar door showcasing wines made under their Corryton Burge label.


Located in Krondorf, it boasts a sun-drenched cellar door space offering a range of tasting experiences along with views of the estate's grenache bush vines and the valley floor.

The new site marks a homecoming for Corryton Burge owners the Burge family, consisting of parents Grant, Helen and children Trent, Amelia and Toby as it is located on a property they purchased back in 1978 just across the road from their family home.


“We are thrilled to be welcoming the next chapter of the Corryton Burge story at a space that is so special to us all as a family and is home to cherished memories of my childhood,” says Trent Burge.

The Burge family - which no longer owns the Grant Burge business - is moving from its current location at Underground Barossa.


Sixth-generation Barossans Trent, Amelia, and Toby and their parents are the driving forces behind Corryton Burge.


The new tasting facility offers a Discovery Tasting for $10pp, which showcases six wines across the Kith and Kin ranges, plus its inaugural Sparkling Collection which launched last year.


Guests can also choose to enjoy the Paired Tasting Experience ($20pp) which includes six wines from the Corryton Burge portfolio to taste alongside locally produced snacks.


Group bookings are also available with a dedicated private tasting room which holds up to 15 guests.




“We are thrilled to be welcoming the next chapter of the Corryton Burge story at a space that is so
special to us all as a family and is home to cherished memories of my childhood,” says Trent Burge.


“We want everyone who walks into the Corryton Burge cellar door to feel that instant warmth of our
Burge family hospitality and enjoy everything our space has to offer.”


For over 160 years, generations of the Burge family have worked to build one of the most
recognisable names in the wine industry.


What began as door-to-door fortified wine sales evolved over each generation to see the Burge family now own over 300 hectares of vineyard across the region.

The new Corryton Burge Cellar Door building was first renovated by Helen Burge in 2013-2014 but was then leased out for several years.


Now the building is back in the hands of the Burge family.


“I have worked in the wine industry for many years, but nothing has made me prouder than building
Corryton Burge, which encompasses the passion and dedication of the whole Burge family,” says
Grant Burge.


“To mark the next chapter in the Burge family winemaking legacy at a location that has played a role in our family upbringing just couldn’t be a better fit - it’s great to be home!”


The Corryton Burge portfolio spans red, white, and sparkling wines grown from sites in the Barossa
Valley, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, and Tasmania’s Derwent Valley.


“For as long as I can remember I’ve been amongst the vineyards in the Barossa, it’s a special place,
and every wine we craft here at Corryton Burge attempts to reflect that and share it with the
drinker,” says Trent Burge.


“We focus on showcasing only the best parcels of fruit from this exceptional winemaking region, to produce wines with a sense of place.”

The Corryton Burge Cellar Door is located at the corner of Krondorf and Lilyfarm Roads, Krondorf,
South Australia and is open daily from 10am to 5pm except Good Friday, Christmas Day and
Boxing Day.

See www.corrytonburge.com

Discover a wine show with a major point of difference

PULP is a wine show/tasting with a difference. 

The Yarra Valley-created event is billed as "The People's Wine Show", where wine lovers become wine judges. 

You can help choose 'Bougiest Bubbles' and 'Most Chillable Red'. 

So if that sounds like your bag put Saturday, February 15, at the Music Market, Collingwood Yards in Melbourne in your diary. 

The highlights will include "small-batch creations, unique blends, alternative tasting experiences, and bold collaborations that define the next generation of wine".

It might be an event that rewards popularity rather than traditional excellence. 

But that is a welcome change from the overloaded calendar of events where judges are supposed to choose the best of, say, 150 shirazes.

Participants at PULP get to sip, swirl, and savour dozens of wines created by the young and hip among Yarra Valley producers.

That might well mean a stinky, cloudy, "natural" offering is a winner in one of the six categories.

So be it. 

PULP tasters can sample dozens of wines, vote for their favourites, meet the makers, take home a wine cup and enjoy canapés while tasting.

Get Tickets Here

Individual tickets cost $59 with dual tickets $110 and tickets for a group of six $295. The evens runs from 3.30-6pm. 

PULP is organised by Wine Yarra Valley, the peak industry body representing the Yarra Valley Wine Growers Association. 

How to avoid making a fool of yourself at cellar door

Winemaker David Lloyd tells it like it is. 

He recently posted on LinkedIn a notice that he used to have displayed when he owned and operated Eldridge Estate on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. 

Lloyd is now semi-retired in Tasmania, making small batches of the Odd Couple pinot noir in partnership with Michael Twelftree, but his words remain as relevant as ever. 

As someone who occasionally helps out at a cellar door, I can assure you that if you follow this guide you will have a much better tasting experience. 

Open your eyes, perhaps, to styles that you think you don't like. And make friends with the person pouring.    

But, most important of all, just don't be a dick.   

Maribor - and the oldest grape vine in the world - call out to wine lovers

Regular readers of GoTR will know we are big fans of Slovenia and its burgeoning wine industry.

Wine lovers who find themselves in the country’s second city of Maribor might want to take note of The Old Vine House, a local favourite for 18 years.

Last week the city greeted the revitalized Old Vine House, with work completed over five months with support from the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport and the Municipality of Maribor.

The destination now offers an expanded offering with more than 200 wine labels from over 50 Styrian winemakers.

And the venue will be open 365 days a year - as befits Maribor’s most-visited tourist attraction and a symbol of Slovenian heritage.

The space has been reimagined with sandy tones and dark furnishings to highlight the largest floor mosaic in Slovenia, as well as an impressive wine library.

A new long tasting table allows for group tastings, complemented by digitalized content that guides visitors through the local Podravje wine region.

Artworks by renowned local artists bring the region’s history and culture to life, I am told. 

Several flights of wines are on offer, as well as wines by the glass and a selection of finger foods. 

But in addition to tastings, visitors to Maribor must check out the 450-year-old zametovka, or modra kavčina, grape vine outside.

It is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest grapevine in the world which still bears fruit annually. It was, remarkably, planted at the end of the Middle Ages.

See https://oldestvinemuseum.si/

A spring festival in the southern vineyards of Tasmania

If you love cool-climate wines and have been meaning to escape to Tasmania for a few days then the weekend of November 1-3 might be the perfect opportunity. 

No fewer than 37 wine producers from the Derwent Valley, Coal River Valley and the Huon Valley/d'Entrecasteaux Channel are teaming up for Spring in the Vines, the fourth edition of a weekend of tastings and entertainment. 

They range from big names like Frogmore Creek, Pooley, Derwent Estate, Nocton and Bream Creek to tiny wineries like Yellow Point, Premaydena Hill, and Saltwater River Wines, perhaps making just 100 dozen cases off the beaten track. 

Spring in the Vines is presented by Wine South Tasmania who have teamed up with several top Hobart hotels and local wine tour guides to show off the wine trails across the south of the island state.

Tasmania is known for its pinot noir, chardonnay, sparkling wines and riesling, but there are also adventurous producers including Kate Hill Wines, who produce shiraz from the coldest and southernmost shiraz vineyard in the country. 

Plan your visit at https://www.winesouth.com.au/events

You can drive yourself, or join a chauffeured wine tour with The Derwent Experience, Ageing Barrel Tours, or Apple Isle Wine Tours. 

Hotels offering discounted rates of up to 15% for the weekend include The Tasman, Hadley’s Orient Hotel, The Old Woolstore and MACq 01. 

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.