International Grenache Day in South Australia

Grenache is the worlds most widely-planted red grape variety, and deserves to be celebrated.
The First Grenache Symposium in June 2010 was inspired by wine legend Stephen Spurrier. His suggestion to two Rhone producers, Domaine de Mour-chon and Chene Bleu, was to hold a Grenache think-tank in the Southern Rhone. Over 250 top Grenache producers, journalists, and retailers from 23 countries came together to celebrate Grenache, which many people consider an un-sung hero of the grape world. Versatile, velvety and voluptuous, it enhances blends, yet is capable of independently pro-ducing great wines that age beautifully. The idea was born for an International celebration of this variety - the 24th of September 2010 marked the first festivity.

This year, the International Grenache Day celebration will be held on Friday 23rd of September.

Below are a few of the GreanacheDay events around South Australia.  Let us know if we have missed any.

Kay Bros
Kay Brothers Cellar Door
57 Kays Road, McLaren Vale

Their winemaking team will be hosting 3 Master Classes on the day at 1:00pm, 3:00pm and 4:00pm (each for approx 12 participants). The focus of the tasting will include two back vintages as well as the 2010 new release and a preview of the 2011 straight from the barrel. In addition they will serve delicious finger food including cured meats, cheeses, olives and wood oven bread to test the Basket Pressed Grenache‘s compatibility with food.

Reservations for the masterclasses re essential as they have limited space available - first in best dressed! Please call Cellar Door on 8323 8201 to make a booking

Turkey Flat


Grenache Vine in Barossa



Join them for a special tasting to celebrate International Grenache Day.  Available for tasting are three vintages of Grenache selected from their museum cellar. Taste 2003, 2007 & 2009 Grenache all sourced from their ancient 100 year old bush vines.

Please contact their Tasting Room for more details.
TURKEY FLAT VINEYARDS
Bethany Rd ,TANUNDA SA 5352
PH: +61 8 85632851
http://www.turkeyflat.com.au/

Henschke
Henschke are offering a vertical tasting of three vintages of Johann’s Garden in their cellar door!  This is a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Shiraz.  Johannes Garden is produced from low-yielding, old, gnarled, dry-grown bush and trellised vines from selected vineyards. 

The cellar door can be found at;
Henschke Road, Keyneton SA 5353
9am - 4.30pm

http://henschke.com.au/profile/news/read/id/19/

Cadenzia
Is a group of independent wine makers across McLaren Vale who have got together to show of this great variety in the region. The Cadenzia group have Grenache as the dominant component in blends or as straight Grenache. The term is a musical term referring to a soloist improvised performance. And so winemakers have the creative freedom and individual expression to showcase Grenache solely from McLaren Vale.

These producers include; d’Arenberg, Olivers Taranga, Dog Ridge, Yangarra, Samuels Gorge, and Maximus. There are a number of event being held with the Cadenzia group around Adelaide.

Cadenzia Dinner at Lenzerheider
6 course degustation with matching Cadenzia wines.
Tuesday 20 September, 6pm
Lenzerheider, 146 Belair Rd, Hawthorn SA 5062 Bookings on 8373 3711

National Wine Centre
Friday 23 September
5-8pm free entre

More in depth sessions are available with two masterclasses lasting 45 minutes. Meet the makers and discuss the wines.
5:30pm & 7:00pm
$15
Further information call 08 8303 7462

The Grenache Cup
The title fight between McLaren Vale & Barossa!
Grenache was among the first varieties planted in Australia. Many of the plantings remain around Barossa and McLaren Vale. Originally used for fortified wines, they have emerged as one of Australia’s greatest fine wine assets. Come and taste Grenache wines and cast your vote in the ongoing battle of Barossa v McLaren Vale.

The Edinburgh Hotel
Saturday 24 September
12:00 to 4:00

South Australia Vintage 2011 (Pt 2)

Ask any winemaker what the best vintage is and they usually reply the one that they are currently selling. However, this past vintage in South Australia is even being described ‘challenging’ by some winemakers.

During our private tours we are meeting with winemakers, walking through vineyards and wineries. So we get to see first hand what is happening across the various premium wine regions of South Australia. With almost all fruit being picked and just finishing their ferments in the winery, it’s a good time to look at the three-quarter time score.

As previously mentioned in mid February grapegrowers were hit by bad weather just as the majority of harvesting was getting underway. The Clare Valley wine region has been among the worst affected, with heavy rainfall. In 7 days Clare received 60mm, and 65mm in Barossa.

In chats with various people we have heard many winemakers/vineyard managers in Clare and Barossa not picking whole vineyards due to a range of issues – mainly botrytis, downy or powdery mildew. Some in Adelaide Hills who would normally hand pick 2-3 tonnes per acre, have been ‘lucky’ to get 150kg of good (non-diseased) fruit. This has reinforced the importance of hand harvesting in vineyards, or sorting in wineries to exclude any damaged parcels of fruit. The image alongside show Grenache fruit in Barossa dropped on the ground due to botrytis infection.

The exception to this has been McLaren Vale – just to the south of Adelaide city. While the vintage started much later than previous years, the region didn’t have the significant rain events as other regions. A last-minute decision to pick as much shiraz as possible from March 20 - following 10mm of rain the previous day - saved much of the grapes from disease. The fruit had sufficiently ripened by the long cooler season, and to have left it any longer would have been too great a risk. Cabernet, Shiraz, Grenache and white varieties have shone through as highlights of McLaren Vale.

Overall, due to the long cool season with mild days and very cool nights, expect more restrained styles of wines. Also probably expect more discreet use of oak not to overpower the fruit that is present. With careful triaging of fruit, either in the vineyard or winery, there has been some great material coming in – just not much of it.

2011 South Australia Vintage Conditions (Pt1)

Grapegrowers in some key South Australian wine regions have been hit by more bad weather just as the majority of harvesting was getting underway, with some crops facing ruin.

The Clare Valley wine region has been among the worst affected, with heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours. In the past 7 days Clare has received 60mm, 65mm in Nuriootpa (Barossa). Luckily only 15mm in McLaren Vale over the last 7 days.

The vice chairman of the Clare Valley Wine Region's Grapegrowers Association, Anthony Koerner, says bunch rot and botrytis have already been causing serious problems.

"Quite a bit of fruit is already being rejected so it won't be picked, it will just be left on the vine because it's got too much rot in it and with this rain it would only get worse I think, it would spread more rapidly. It's not good at all," he said.

In McLaren Vale a number of growers are taking the opportunity and have decided to harvest a good proportion of fruit this coming week. While rainfall may not be a direct issue, higher levels of humidity are increasing disease preasure.

South Australia's Food and Wine events

Below is a sample of a few of the great food and wine events happening around South Australia.

Adelaide Hills Wine Festival - Crush
30 January 2011
Spend the day at the Adelaide Hill's flagship food and wine event. Crush is a fabulous celebration of Adelaide Hills food and wine, which enables you to meander between various venues around the region. You will have the opportunity to experience the best of the region's wine served with a gourmet menu featuring fresh, local produce.

Natuzzi The Parade Food, Wine and Music Festival
20 February 2011
An afternoon in the sun to enjoy the fantastic food, wine and music that make this festival so popular.

2011 Cellar Door Wine Festival - Adelaide
25 - 27 February 2011
South Australia's first state wine festival! Get your Passport... Come and discover the best wine, food and regional experiences right in the heart of the city at Adelaide biggest cellar door! Three days of wine tasting (100+wineries), master classes (with Australia's wine royalty!), food sampling and a regional farmer's market (yum!), plus you could WIN A SMART CAR!

Tastes of the Outback
1-10 April 2011
Wine and dine your way through the Flinders Ranges and Outback, indulging in fine regional food and wine accompanied by world-class entertainment. Ride a camel to an exclusive Candlelit Dinner or watch movies under the stars and regional cooking classes. Eat your way through the region trying great Outback dishes, collect the cook book and buy the Outback condiments to make these great dishes in your own home.

A Taste of Good Things
17 April 2011
Popular South Australian jazz musicians will entertain you through the day as you relax and enjoy a glass of local wine accomapnied by some great regional food - the music will get the feet tapping.

Barossa Vintage Festival
23 April - 1 May 2011 (bi-annual event)
The Barossa Vintage Festival is the largest and longest running wine festival in Australia. Enjoy tastings, twilight concerts, a festival ball, literary events and much more. This is a biennial event that runs for a full week, encompassing all aspects of the Barossa community. Wineries are joined by businesses, civic groups, churches and individuals to stage the various activities that make up the festival.

Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend
14-15 May 2011
Wear your most elegant (and stretchy) clothes and really indulge yourself with a weekend away in one of the world's premier food and wine destinations. On Saturday you'll literally get a taste of things to come with samples of the year's vintage before the winemaking process is complete - a privilege usually reserved only for vintners. Then on Gourmet Sunday you can start the day beside a bonfire, eating hand-made sausages and roasted tomatoes. Then, after a morning spent doing some leisurely wine tasting, sit down to a lunch of barbecued prawns with parmesan and saffron risotto while being entertained by a swinging jazz band.

BankSA Sea and Vines
11-12 June 2011
Want to enjoy a weekend of gourmet delights, live music and world-class wines in gorgeous Mediterranean-style surroundings? Here, South Australia's premier chefs and restaurants have joined forces with local wineries to create mouth-watering menus complemented by great wine and live entertainment throughout the region.

NAB Barossa Gourmet Weekend
20-21 August 2011
Set your taste buds free with a weekend of indulgence in one of world's best wine regions. Each of the cellar doors taking part in this event will be serving up a fine dining experience matched with premium wines and the smooth sounds of live music. Barossa Gourmet weekend is a fantastic opportunity to indulge in food, wine and music and famous hospitality in the beautiful Barossa. A range of entertainment to suit all tastes will be on offer at each of the venues.

Tasting Australia - Across South Australia
26 April to 3 May 2012

No gourmand can afford to miss this! Showcasing the world's top culinary talent, the biennial event is an opportunity to enjoy the best food, wine and hospitality that South Australia and the nation have to offer. If you've never experienced the food and wine state - South Australia - then Tasting Australia is the perfect time to discover its secrets.

South Australia's Cellar Door Wine Festival 2011

The ‘festival state’ (that’s South Australia) in conjunction with the leading wineries has put together a true state wine festival. The Cellar Door Wine Festival will showcase over 100 wineries from premium wine regions of South Australia.

This will be a great way for all those with a passion for Pinot, or are curious about Cabernet, or even serious about Shiraz to see the best regions all in one location. South Australian regions covered include; Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, Eden Valley, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Riverland.

South Australia produces most - and some of the best – of Australia’s wine. It boasts some of the oldest commercially producing vines in the world. It has a diverse range of regions and is considered to be the wine industry’s “powerhouse” state. Surprisingly we have never had a state wine celebration here. The Cellar Door Festival will be held in Adelaide over 3 days from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 February, 2011 and will be at the world-class venue the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Festival highlights include:
• Regional Wine and Food Trail - showcasing a ‘taste’ of each region... wander through at your leisure to chat with the winemakers, sample wines and regional produce!
• Top up your own cellar - purchase full bottles of wine from more than 100+ wineries and take advantage of some incredible show specials!
• Master Classes - interactive talks and tastings with iconic wine identities, local SA microbrewery tastings, wine and cheese matching... plus the launch of Wine Australia’s first consumer A+ Australian Wine Master Classes!
• A+ Australian Wine SA Varietal View - tasting area featuring grouped wine varietals from all across the state.
• Regional Farmer's Market - after sampling wines and produce on your walk through the themed regional areas, head over to enjoy regional tasting platters, barbeque plates and gourmet desserts!

Adelaide Central Market

To Adelaide locals Adelaide is just a big country town. But that doesn't do justice to this city of astonishing diversity and quality ethnic cuisine. The Adelaide Central Market is a national treasure, and Adelaideans love of welcoming, adventurous dining and their pride in regional products make it a must-visit on ever food-lover's itinerary. The Adelaide Central Market is a part of how we live, and has been since 1869.

The indoor market is owned by the city council, is open to the public and is far more than a tourist attraction. Adelaideans are pretty savvy about food- we take an interest in how it's produced, where it's from. So knowing the vendors who make or sell it is part of the social fabric. We're a multi-cultural city, with the first German immigrants arriving shortly after the colony was established in 1836. This was followed by Russians, Czechs, Poles, and Hungarians. South Australia also has a considerable Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian population. This has had a significant impact upon the food of South Australia.

Over at Sevenhill Fine Foods, Mr. Waldeck, a Polish refugee, sells traditional tastes of his homeland, including makowiec, a poppy seed bread, and regional charcuterie like mettwurst and lachshinken. Sun Mi runs a small stall offering her Korean take on made-to-order sushi, while Tony O'Connell of O'Connell's Quality Meats specializes in local product, such as lamb. O'Connell, 52, started in his family's shop at 15, and treats his customers like relatives.

At Wild Oz, you can buy native game such as emu, kangaroo, and wallaby, and feral animals eg wild pig and goat. A number of shops sell regional and indigenous "bush tucker" ingredients such as lemon myrtle, wattleseed, and quandong jam, and flaky, red, Murray River salt. House of Organic sells pristine, sustainably-grown Australian produce: Mildura asparagus, Adelaide Hills beurre bosc pears, kipfler potatoes.

At dough!, Turkish pide and Lebanese flatbread compete for space with quiche, pastry, and locally-made, whole, glaceed figs, clementines, and kumquats, and plump, dried muscatel grapes from Barossa Valley vineyards. Across the aisle is one of my favourite at The Smelly Cheese Shop, stocked to capacity with imported and Australian artisan cheeses and housemade condiments such as skordalia, oil-packed, dried tomatoes, marinated bocconcini, and other picnic and cheeseboard items.

With such a diversity of styles and broad range of items Adelaide Central Market has to be on your list of foodie things to do when next in Adelaide.

South Australian 2010 Vintage

Rain and cool weather have favoured the 2010 vintage in South Australia – in contrast to the heat and fire of last year. We've seen slower, steady ripening. It's been a much more controlled and regular vintage - a bit like 2005.

Louise Rose, head winemaker at Yalumba in the Barossa Valley said quantity was down but not excessively so, and the quality of the wines looked 'extremely strong across the board' in all regions. 'Standouts include Eden Valley Riesling and Barossa Shiraz. We had the best rains in the Barossa for five years, filling up the soils and setting up the vines for the coming season.'

Winemakers are reporting excellent quality in all varietals. 'All the crops appear balanced and the red varieties are hugely exciting,' according to Chester Osborn at d'Arenberg, in McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills. 'The skins are very thick and dark with a good level of tannin. Early picked Shiraz is peppery with elegance and lots of length. Cabernet shows outstanding varietal character and tannin and, despite low crop levels, Grenache is strong with loose clusters producing dark, concentrated wines with nearly all berries being shrivel free.' Chester said.

There was good acid development in grapes – and in a lot of fruit achieved ripeness without high sugar. Some rain during the vintage didn't hurt as the soil soaked up water like a sponge, but didn’t really get into the fruit. Further detailed assessment of the 2010 vintage will be provided as our tastings continue around South Australia’s premium wine regions.

Tasting Australia 2010 menu

A rich and lingering menu of more than 40 associated events will be on offer for all to experience during Tasting Australia. Here is just a taste of what the associated events program has to offer:

LungoVista - Chianti Classico at Longview Vineyard Friday 30 April; 12:30pm; Longview Vineyard, Macclesfield
Stunning new dishes from Chianti Classico chef Tobias Gush paired with award winning wines from Longview Vineyard will make this lunch a most sought after event.Cost: $150 per ticket including bus transportation to and from Adelaide where requested

Dinner with Ben O'Donoghue - Friday 30 April; 7:00pm; Enoteca, Adelaide
For chef and television presenter Ben O'Donoghue, cooking is a passion and a reflex, it's something he's done since childhood and it never ceases to give him pleasure or stimulate his imagination. He unequivocally believes that food should be simple and distinctive, technically and culturally correct. Cost: $155 per person

The McLaren Vale Olive Story - Saturday 1 May; 11:00am; The Producers, McLaren Vale
Celebrate McLaren Vales Olive Harvest, visit the olive grove, gain hands-on experience of olive picking and oil pressing, learn all about Oil in a hosted Olive Oil tasting, join in our shared Mediterranean lunch full of the good oil. Hear stories on the history of oil in our region and find out what makes a great oil. Cost: $140 per person

The Smelly Cheese Shop presents - The True Taste of Maturity Wednesday 5 May; 6:00pm; Say Cheese, Adelaide
Guests will be treated to a structured, educational tasting by a Master Affineur to experience firsthand the difference in taste between young and expertly matured cheese. This exciting tasting will be followed by an exclusive tour of the Maturing Room, glass of wine and nibbles.
Cost: $75 per person

Tasting Australia 2010

Tasting Australia will return to Adelaide in May 2010. It is held every two years in Adelaide to celebrate the very best Australia has to offer in food, wine and beer. Tasting Australia is designed for the nation's food and hospitality industry, local and international media and the passionate public.

British TV personalities, including a Ladette to Lady teacher, are among the international celebrities who will take part in Adelaide's Tasting Australia. Ladette to Lady cookery teacher Rosemary Shrager also presents Rosemary Shrager's School for Cooks. Italian chef and cookery writer Antonio Carluccio will make his third visit to the event.

The international celebrities will join a smorgasbord of Australian chefs, writers and TV presenters, including Maeve O'Meara, Stephanie Alexander and Simon Bryant.

Tasting Australia began 11 years ago to gain further worldwide recognition for South Australia as a food and wine centre of excellence. The past Tasting Australia was in 2007 but a change from spring to autumn means a stretch until 2010 for the next one, which runs from April 29 to May 6. The full program for Tasting Australia 2010 has been unveiled, and will include at least 40 public events for food, wine and beer lovers.

On the May 1-2 weekend a free event (the BankSA Feast for the Senses) will take over Elder Park on the banks of the Torrens River. This will include cooking shows and a chance for young chefs to work with the stars. Tasting Australia offers everyone who simply loves good food and wine the opportunity to enjoy the very best in South Australia while mixing with some of the world's culinary icons.

Rich & Lingering will be providing private tours for visitors, so they can get out into the regions to experience the best of the state and take full advantage of their visit to Tasting Australia.

Inducted into SA Great Hall of Fame

The team at Rich & Lingering have been at it again. We recently received accolades from both the regional and state tourism awards. Rich & Lingering received a silver medal at the South Australian tourism awards in the Tour Operator category.

For the third year in a row Rich & Lingering was also judged the winner at the SA Great Regional Awards for Tourism Services. The award is recognition of Rich & Lingering’s creativity, professionalism and innovation in the industry. It acknowledges our focus on providing high levels of wine and food knowledge, together with outstanding customer service.

Furthermore to this great honour, Rich & Lingering was also inducted into the SA Great Hall of Fame in recognition of our continued success in the region.

These industry honours and the fantastic feedback we receive from guests, from Australia and all around the world, continue to be great rewards for all the South Australian wine we have to drink… I mean, research carefully.

After Hours at Murray Street Vineyards

Join Murray Street Vineyards 'After Hours', where you can sit down and enjoy a wine tasting, Barossa tasting platter or a cheese plate. Whilst experiencing the ambience of the tasting room in the evening. This will commence on Friday evenings starting on November the 27th. 5pm till 7pm.

Experience Murray Street Vineyards and understand why the world's most influential wine critics are turning their attention to Greenock, the Barossa, South Australia. For more information please contact Sally sally@murraystreet.com.au or Ph: 08 8562 8373

Hentley Farm Cellar Door Now Open

Set among the rolling hills on the banks of Greenock Creek at Seppeltsfield, Hentley Farm is a boutique single estate vineyard that produces distinctive wines reflective of its exceptional site, in Barossa Valley wine region. After months of hard work the renovations and refurbishments at their cellar door are now complete! Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November will see special celebration.

To celebrate tastings and sales will be available of their entire current collection including old favorites such as The Beauty and The Beast. New releases and a limited number of back vintages will also be available.

A la carte food pairings will be available all weekend, prepared by their cuisine partner Cole Thomas from Culinary Solutions and his exceptional team. The food Cole Thomas has matched with Hentley Farm wines for the weekend are;

- Venison, cocoa, beetroot, ruby chard
- Duck breast, pumpkin, 'olive liquorice'
- Asparagus, parmesan custard, mushrooms, onion powder
- Seared scallops, cauliflower puree, beetroot jus, petite herbs

Throughout the day Andrew their winemaker will be hosting a structured tasting of Hentley Farm wines with food and wine pairing by Cole and his team. There will be three sessions on both days, beginning at 12 noon, 2pm and 4pm at a cost of $40, with the option of chewing the fat amongst the vines with their vineyard manager Greg Mader, starting forty-five minutes beforehand.

Bookings for these tastings and vineyard tours are essential; to reserve a place please call the cellar door on (08) 8562 8427, by Tuesday 27 October 2009.

Australia's Most Collectible Wine

One of Australia's largest wine cellaring companies Wine Ark has reviewed more than 3 million bottles stored by its members and come up with a list of the top 50 wines Australians love to keep.

Once again most of the top 50 wines came from South Australia (60 per cent). Shiraz was the most collected variety making up 46 per cent of the top 50. With Penfolds being the most popular producer with eight of the top 50 wines.

The full details are;

Most Collected Shiraz - Penfolds Bin 95 Grange

Most Collected Cabernet - Lakes Folly Cabernets

Most Collected Pinot Noir - Mount Mary Pinot Noir

Most Collected Chardonnay - Leeuwin Estate Art Series

Most Collected Riesling - Grosset Polish Hill

Most Collected Semillon - Tyrrell's Vat 1

Top 50 collected wines

• 1. Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz
• 2. Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz Blend
• 3. Lake's Folly Cabernets Cabernet Blend
• 4. Penfolds St Henri Shiraz
• 5. Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon
• 6. Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• 7. Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot
• 8. Rockford Basket Press Shiraz
• 9. Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 10. Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz
• 11. Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay
• 12. Petaluma Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot
• 13. Grosset Polish Hill Riesling
• 14. Mount Mary Quintet Cabernet Blend
• 15. d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz
• 16. Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon
• 17. Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 18. Penfolds RWT Shiraz
• 19. Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling
• 20. Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock Shiraz
• 21. Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz
• 22. Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier
• 23. Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz
• 24. Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz
• 25. Jacobs Creek St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon
• 26. Tyrrell's Wines Vat 1 Hunter Semillon
• 27. Howard Park Cabernet Merlot
• 28. Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz
• 29. Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz
• 30. Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz
• 31. Grosset Springvale Watervale Riesling
• 32. Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz
• 33. Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz
• 34. Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• 35. Turkey Flat Shiraz
• 36. Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot
• 37. Lindemans Limestone Ridge Shiraz Cabernet Blend
• 38. Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz
• 39. AP Birks Wendouree Shiraz
• 40. De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon
• 41. Seppelt St Peters Shiraz
• 42. Parker Terra Rossa First Growth Cabernet
• 43. Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• 44. Giaconda Chardonnay
• 45. Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet Sauvignon
• 46. Torbreck Runrig Shiraz Viognier
• 47. Hardy's Eileen Hardy Shiraz
• 48. Tyrrell's Wines Vat 9 Shiraz
• 49. Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• 50. Yarra Yering Dry Red No 1Cabernet Blend (althought why you would I dont know)

South Australia sweeps International Wine Challenge

South Australian winemakers have blitzed the 2009 International Wine Challenge (IWC), picking up 27 gold medals. The Challenge brings together the very best judges with the arduous task of tasting every single bottle of wine. Boasting more than 9,500 entries, the International Wine Challenge has cemented its place as the best and biggest blind tasting in the world. It is held every year at the Barbican Centre in London.

Out of an overall worldwide total of 304 gold, Australia scored 43, second only to France. Multiple gold winning SA wine producers were Yalumba, Peter Lehmann and Tim Adams. Barossa wines featured most prominently.

Some of Rich & Lingering’s key partners were successful at the Challenge. Those winning gold medals and trophies included; Fox Creek (2006 Reserve Shiraz), Shaw & Smith (2007 Shiraz), Peter Lehmann (2004 Mentor, and the 2003 & 2004 Margaret Semillon), Primo Estate (2007 Joseph Angel Gully Shiraz), and Wirra Wirra (2007 Dead Ringer Cabernet Sauvignon).

Regional Tourism Award Success

The 2008 SA Great Regional Tourism Services Award was recently awarded to Rich & Lingering by Catriona Rowntree, presenter of Channel 9’s travel program “Getaway”.

Catriona presented the award to Jason Miller of Rich & Lingering at the official awards ceremony at Auchendarroch House in the Adelaide Hills.

The award recognises and celebrates those individuals and businesses that have made a significant contribution to the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. This award is open to specialised tourism services or facilities that enhance the visitor experience and integrate with other tourism products.

2008 is the second year Rich & Lingering have been recipients of the SA Great award.

"It is gratifying to receive recognition from the industry of our commitment to excellence, and caps off another very successful year for us” said Jason Miller of Rich & Lingering.

Rich & Lingering were the proud winners in the 2008 SA Tourism Awards. It is recognition of their creativity, professionalism and innovation in the industry. The award highlights Rich & Lingering’s focus on providing both high levels of wine and food knowledge and excellent customer service to their guests.

Rich & Lingering provides 5 star food and wine tours for guests, focussing on Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, and McLaren Vale wine regions of South Australia.

Rich & Lingering Named Best Tour Operator in South Australia

Rich & Lingering was named best Tour Operator at the South Australia Tourism Awards gala dinner, on Saturday 22 November. Rich & Lingering will now go forward as the South Australian entrant to contest the Australian Tourism Awards, in February 2009.

The award is recognition of Rich & Lingering’s creativity, professionalism and innovation in the industry. It acknowledges their focus on providing high levels of wine and food knowledge, together with outstanding customer service.

State judging is conducted by a panel of independent industry peers appointed by the SATC. The panel comprises a cross-section of tourism industry experts. Judges are selected for their knowledge and experience of the industry.

“It is gratifying to receive recognition from the industry of our commitment to excellence, and caps off another very successful year for us” said Jason Miller of Rich & Lingering.

“We focus on the premium segment of the food and wine tourism market which requires Rich & Lingering to partner with other exceptional businesses across the regions. A big thank you to all who support Rich & Lingering and we look forward to continuing our relationship into the future.” said Mr Miller.

“South Australia is a fantastic place for food and wine, with many new indulgence seeking visitors discovering the regions for the first time. Rich & Lingering aim to be a key promoter of the state’s wonderful food and wine producers into the future.”

Rich & Lingering provides private tailor made food and wine experiences for guests, focussing on Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, and McLaren Vale wine regions of South Australia. Guests are able to draw on the knowledge of their guide of not only regional products but also international styles. Tours encourage guests to discover new products and the art and science of viticulture and winemaking.

Barossa in Top 10 Wine Regions of the World

The Barossa has been named one of the world’s top 10 wine destinations by the world’s largest online travel community, TripAdvisor. The iconic South Australian wine region was the only Australian destination to make it onto the prestigious list, alongside European regions such as Bordeaux and Tuscany.

Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says the listing is significant because it was based not just on TripAdvisor editors’ opinions, but also on the Barossa’s popularity with travellers. “The TripAdvisor website is home to more than 15 million reviews of holiday destinations and products written by real travellers who want to share their experiences with others,” she says.

“South Australia, and in particular the Barossa, is obviously being highly praised by those who have visited here for a holiday. The Internet is the place where more and more travellers are researching their holidays, and its importance as a tool to spread the word about visiting South Australia cannot be underestimated.”

In its list of the world’s top 10 wine destinations, TripAdvisor praised the Barossa as: “this scenic region in Southern Australia (which) is highly regarded for its Shiraz and its other robust varieties of red wine. Characterized by its visibly rich German heritage, along with its rolling, vine-covered hills, Barossa Valley is a uniquely beautiful destination for sightseers and wine connoisseurs alike.”

The Barossa is an important drawcard for attracting Australian and international tourists to South Australia. “The South Australian Government is committed to marketing the region through the South Australian Tourism Commission and Tourism Barossa,” Dr Lomax-Smith says.

“The South Australian Government will continue to promote the Barossa’s unique culture, heritage and acclaimed wine to the world. “Being named as one of the world’s top 10 wine destinations shows just how marketable the region is as a tourist destination,” Minister Lomax-Smith says.

For more information on Barossa Valley check here.

South Australia's Success at Decanter World Wine Awards

Australian wineries are celebrating a record medal haul in this year’s prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards. Decanter Magazine’s expert judges tasted a staggering 9,219 wines from around the world during a mammoth week of tasting in London. Australian wines scooped more trophies and medals than any other New World country with only France claiming more medals overall. Just 1.1% of the thousands of wines entered won a Regional Trophy and Australia’s 15 trophy winners will now go on to compete against trophy winners from around the world for the ‘champion of champions’ International Trophies, announced at a glamorous awards ceremony in London in early September.

Australian wines stormed to victory in the ‘Under £10’ (AU$20.50) category winning more Gold medals in this category than any other country. However, Australia’s growing prominence in top price wines was clear with 77% of Australian medal winners in the ‘over £10’ category.

As for Australia’s best wine region, naturally it was South Australia which scored a convincing victory taking home 359 medals including eight trophies and 13 gold medals with Barossa the stand-out region; including a boost for their whites with the Australian White Single Varietals Over £10 Trophy going to Peter Lehmann’s Margaret Semillon 2002 - an absolute stunner.

Rich & Lingering's private tours regularly include some of the winners, such as Shaw & Smith (Gold Medal - 2006 Shiraz), Wirra Wirra (Gold Medal - Dead Ringer Cabernet Sauvignon 2006), Penfolds (Gold Medal - Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2005), Murray Street Vineyards (Trophy - Greenock Shiraz 2006), Peter Lehmann (Trophy - Reserve Riesling 2002).

Tasting Australia during Vintage

Tasting Australia, Australia’s premier food, wine and beer festival held in Adelaide will now be held in Autumn instead of Spring, from 6 – 13 May 2010, allowing visiting media, food and drink professionals and the public at large a chance to experience the best South Australia has to offer at vintage time.

In the eleven years since its conception, Tasting Australia has become one of the nation’s most influential and best attended gastronomic festivals. The event has hosted hundreds of Australia’s and the world’s top chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs, food, wine and travel media and has attracted a wide cross-section of the food-loving public to Adelaide and South Australia.

It regularly attracts celebrity chefs of the calibre of Rick Stein, Antonio Carluccio, Nick Nairn, Rachel Allen, Paul Rankin, Sophie Grigson, Madhur Jaffrey and Claudia Roden, Stephanie Alexander, Serge Dansereau, Neil Perry, Shannon Bennett, Paul Wilson, Chris Taylor, Cheong Liew and many more.

Tasting Australia has now grown to such an extent that the last event comprised 70 events, of which 65 were aimed at the general public. 50,000 people attended over eight days. A major feature of the 2010 event will be a focus on South Australia’s local heroes – those food and drink producers, chefs, writers and educators who have raised the bar in gastronomic excellence, according to South Australian Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith.

“Over the past six events, Tasting Australia has shown the world’s food, wine and beer lovers that Adelaide and South Australia form a hub of gastronomic excellence,” Dr Lomax-Smith says. “We are not just an exporter of premium food and beverage. Our great chefs have been exemplary ambassadors for the state, with professionals such as Christine Manfield, Tim Pak Poy, Maggie Beer, Cheong Liew, and Simon Bryant, among others, making a big impression around Australia and overseas. “There is no doubt that Tasting Australia will continue to boost tourism numbers to South Australia, as well as encouraging further markets for the State’s food, wine and beer products,” says Dr Lomax-Smith. “I believe that a move to vintage time will add to the positive media coverage afforded the event.”

For more information see www.tasting-australia.com.au

World Food Exchange in Adelaide

The inaugural World Food Exchange is a unique, must attend event for South Australia's food and wine producers and the culinary tourism industry. The event will bring together leading international and Australian experts in the development of high quality food and wine themed tourism experiences to share their knowledge and expertise.

The four day event, from 21-25 September 2008, will promote South Australia as a leading culinary tourism destination and showcase South Australian primary produce industries as ecologically sustainable and among the best in the world.

The World Food Exchange regional tours provide an opportunity to introduce visitors to a taste of regional South Australia's brilliant experiences, highlighting the whole chain of wine and food experiences. The World food Exchange organised tours incorporate unique experiences only available through the World Food Exchange program. They feature a taste of the lifestyle and world-class ecologically sustainable seafood and aquaculture industry of the Eyre Peninsula as well as immersion in the food and wine culture of Barossa Valley.

It's an event not to be missed.

For more information or to register, visit worldfoodexchange.com or www.richandlingering.com.au/FoodExchange.html