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.

Appellation Restaurant Reopens

Appellation restaurant in the Barossa has recently reopened it’s substantially expanded and upgraded facilities following its annual July closure. While maintaining an intimate, romantic feel, Appellation’s nightly capacity for guests has increased from 28 to 48 seats with the addition of a new dining room adjoining the existing venue. Investment in this expanded space has been guided by continuing demand for bookings which could not be met in the original restaurant.

Appellation’s cellar, housing South Australia’s top wine list, has doubled in size and features a glass walled wine display. Likewise, the lounge has tripled in size and features an upbeat contemporary décor, allowing for additional seating for pre- and post-dinner drinks in luxe surrounds. And, in the coming warmer months, Appellation will open a new outdoor terrace for sunset drinks with one of the most appealing vineyard vistas in the Barossa.

The restaurant, co-located with The Louise luxury vineyard retreat on Seppeltsfield Road in the north-western Barossa, is open daily from 5pm for drinks and from 7pm for dinner. Both the signature Wine Flight Tasting Menu and À La Carte Menu are available every night, each demonstrating Appellation’s ongoing commitment to seasonal evolution of ingredients and regionally sourced, wine-friendly food.

Reservations are essential on (08) 8562 4144

Barossa Slow 2009

Barossa Slow, 1-4 October 2009

The Barossa has long been known as a food haven, a place where the evolution of the ‘waste not want not’ principle has simmered into an industry in its own right.

Welcome to 2009 Barossa Slow which proudly highlights the traditions and transitions of the region's rich food culture. Participants in this event have a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in the very heart of these customs, to meet the makers and savour the exciting elements contributed by insightful newcomers.

Share meals with local artisans, take tours with primary producers, get into the minds of those who exemplify small-scale production, meet the locals and make new friends with like-minded food lovers. Share exquisite wine and discuss the intricacies of long held beliefs and time-honoured rituals.

This is how we do things here - slowly but surely, lovingly and carefully. It's about mixing tradition with the now, progressing but withholding, being commercially viable but maintaining integrity. Bringing it back, moving it forward. Keeping it real. Slowing us down.

Highlights include:
• The Long Table Dinner – everyone will gather for a warm Barossa welcome with great food, wine and conversation
• The Producers Table – a behind the scenes look at the food artisans of the Barossa
• Torbreck Terroir – Take a walk in Torbreck Winemaker Dave Powell’s world of terroir
• The Cellar Table - Intimate dinners around the Barossa with a chef or a winemaker

Full details of the event are available here.

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)

Barossa Gourmet Weekend 2009

Warming, hearty winter food with world famous wines - the NAB Barossa Gourmet weekend is on again Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August in the beautiful Barossa Valley. With a winter harvest as the culinary theme, participating wineries will be selecting the best local produce to match with their delicious wines, highlighting the best the Barossa has to offer.

With 22 participating wineries, picturesque views, cosy cellar doors, and great toe-tapping music, there is something for every taste and every age. Exploring new Barossa wineries or visit old favourites, this weekend has something for everyone and incorporates special winemaker breakfasts and dinners along with the well-loved concept of food and wine matching.

The event is child friendly with activities across many wineries to keep the whole family engaged. And don't forget the Barossa's fantastic accommodation to suit all budgets for those who would like to immerse themselves in the whole Barossa experience.

So, shed off the winter blues and warm your senses with great wine, food, music and that famous Barossa hospitality.

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).