Travis Bush Senior winemaker for Sticks wines in the Yarra Valley talks here about his range of wines. Stylistically the wines are fruit driven and show true varietal characters and where oak is used it is more complimentary than the driving force. Varieties include Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Cabernet.

A new addition to the Sticks range is a Dessert Wine a Botrytis Semillon which shows all the marmalade characters of botrytis but has a good acid structure that stops the wine from being too sweet and cloying.

No29 Cabernet Sauvignon is only produced in exceptional years when the fruit reaches the quality level required, one of those vintages was 2006 and Travis is expecting to produce this wine from the 2010 vintage. For those reasons there is not too much of it about so when you see it in retail take the opportunity to buy one to try and a couple to cellar for a few more years.  Approachable now the full dark berry flavours, spicy fruit characters and fine grained velvety tannins will also reward your patience.

Travis also clears up some common questions regarding the differences between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris which is a variety that to a lot of people is still an unknown. Sticks Pinot Grigio is about the fruit -made similarly to Sauvignon Blanc in stainless steel texture is developed through lees contact.

Pinot Gris is made in a similar way to a lot of chardonnay with oak fermentation (sometimes partial) which gives it a rounder mouth feel. Now over to Travis for a more in depth look at his range of wines:-

The Hunter Valley in New South Wales is one of the oldest wine producing regions in Australia. Keith Tulloch as a fourth generation Hunter Valley wine maker  has been producing traditional Hunter Valley varieties under his own boutique label since 1997. This small scale operation prides itself on producing wines with individuality, style, balance and the structure that gives his wines the ability to drink well now and also have the potential for cellaring.

Check out this initial video as Keith has a wealth of knowledge which he was willing to share with us. There will be more from Keith on his role as wine judge & consultant, plus a final clip on his perception of the industry now and into the future.

More from Travis soon where he talks us through his range of wines

One planet winepak is designed to make a difference and this packaging is certainly trying to help consumers to help the planet. The tetra prisma packs are a benefit to the environment, produced from renewable and sustainable resources they are light weight, recyclable and shatter proof. The Op Winepak produces 80% less greenhouse gas emissions and uses 92% less packaging to deliver the same amount of wine.

This boutique wine company has been created by a small group of friends who while still producing premium wines were looking to make a difference to the impact on the environment of their industry  and so the quest began to find convenient, environmentally friendly packaging whilst not compromising the wine itself.

After 5 years of research and consultation the inaugural release of the One Planet Wines is a very smart Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc made by Sarah Fletcher from Alta Wines. This is a fresh and vibrant wine with lively acidity and is all you would expect from this variety and region. A McLaren Vale Shiraz made by Tim Burvill who established Rockbare, Mojo and in later years Barossa Babe. This is a typical rich McLaren Vale shiraz, intense with dark ripe fruits and well balanced oak nuances. I was impressed with the quality of the wine after being a little surprised by the packaging. 

Phil Reedman Master of Wine and regular wine judge both nationally and internationally has come on board as the Brand ambassador for One Planet so expect to hear and see more from this innovative group, I am sure this team will be looking to expand their range.

Australia has always been proud of its ability to combine tradition with new ideas and while this packaging has an obvious advantage in specialised markets such as airlines, cruise ships and out door events etc there is an ever increasing number of consumers who are making more environmentally friendly choices when shopping,  could be a winner? Will keep you posted

 Orange Region situated in the Central Ranges of New South Wales Australia is an emerging award winning wine region  Planted with grape vines 20- 25 years ago the district is producing some distinctive cool climate wines and gaining recognition for the chardonnay and shiraz coming from this district.

The aptly named Rolling, Climbing and Cumulus Range with their quirky, whimsical labels give an immediate insight of the terrain from which they originate. The elevations in the area provide a perfect environment for many varieties. At the higher elevations the aromatic whites have found their niche and the reds at a lower elevation.

The Cumulus Chardonnay 2009 has a delicate creaminess from partial malolactic fermentation which supports good acidity around a ball of lemon & grapefruit flavours. The Cumulus Range also has a spicy black fruit shiraz with a warm lingering finish. The Cumulus wines are low volume hand crafted and retail around $30.00 . Senior wine maker Debbie Lauritz talks about the region and her wines.

“Legends of Wine” or “Old Farts” as they may be referred to in some circles were all out and about for the Hyatt Regency Coolum weekend of fine wine and food. After a challenging afternoon out on the golf course the “Legends” dusted themselves off and were ready for the evenings event at Eliza`s restaurant.  As to whether some of these guys should be considered amongst the “Old Farts” or still over with the “Young Guns of Wine” was a matter for humorous debate. Between the six wine makers at the dinner they had just over 200 years experience, so many interesting stories and insights to reflect on.

After a trip down the coast with a glorious full moon reflecting on the ocean, a walk through the grounds of the Hyatt to the welcoming lights of Eliza`s the o`leary walker hurtle sparkling 2004 served on arrival was just what was needed.

Chef Gareth Collins and his team presented us with eight courses which were a delight both visually and to the taste buds.  The team obviously enjoyed preparing and presenting a culinary feast to stimulate both the appetite and create a few conversation pieces. The wines were well matched and with the wine maker on hand to talk us through the wines & with some of their funny and interesting wine stories it was an insightful evening.

The Menu

corn & golden shallot cappuccino w pure hazelnut oil matched with:-

barossa valley estate eden valley riesling 2009

pikes the merle riesling 2009

beetroot stained king salmon, white balsamic steeped dutch cream potato

wood roasted baby beet - yandina cress :-

tahbilk marsanne 1999, tahbilk marsanne 2009

barramundi w roasted rice - tamarind - pineapple broth, steamed bok choy:-

geoff merrill rose 2009

truffled egg custard - bendelle duck & pumpkin scone

pike and joyce adelaide hills pinot noir 2007

double beef consomme w yorkshire pudding & horseradish:-

john`s blend cabernet sauvignon 2005, tahbilk ESP cabernet sauvignon 2004

wild goat pie - celeriac & sweet potato w baby lansbourough zucchini

geoff merrill reserve shiraz 2001, johns blend shiraz 2001

“jelly & ice” - carles roquefort- granny smith apple

o`leary walker clare reserve shiraz 2006, barossa valley estate ebenezer shiraz 2005

Chefs Alfresco

The turn out for the Chefs Alfresco Sunday session was a capacity crowd who all enjoyed an abundance of good food and wine. There was a wine to suit even the most discerning of wine drinkers, with region and terroir being the main focus. Forty eight wine stands strutted their stuff to an enthusiastic crowd who were more than willing to taste from the abundance of styles and varieties.  The “sparkling garden” was a new addition to the event and judging from the response another crowd pleaser has been created.

The A Team enjoying their day out

Augello`s has recently been awarded top honours at the Global Pizza Challenge, for their Hot Smoked Salmon Pizza. The main ingredient is Tasmanian red gum smoked salmon which is layered over a disc of dough that was dill and parmesan infused, The red onion jam, cheese, baby spinach and finish of salmon caviar (from the same smoked salmon) caper and lemon juice aoili was a great match with the FDW Chardonnay and the Virgilius Viognier. Yalumba have been producing Viognier for many years now and their dedication to the variety and attention to detail are paying off as this wine can hold its own on the world stage.

The 2005 Signature and the 2004 The Reserve (both are Cabernet Shiraz) went down a treat with a pizza displaying a delicious combination of peppercorn infused dough, strips of eye fillet, garlic roasted mushrooms, peppercorn cream sauce, Romano cheese and topped with a rocket and horseradish mayonnaise. The Reserve showed power and elegance, the key here is the use of older oak so the tannins are there but not too aggressive.

The  2005 Octavius (Shiraz) with its elegance and length went down a treat with the Meat Lovers Pizza.

Wild Rocket & Pear pizza was also a real treat with wild rocket, blue cheese, prosciutto, tomato, walnut and pear. These discs of thin dough with their delicious fresh produce are certainly an awarding winning combination.

Thanks to all for this opportunity to taste great wines with gourmet pizza, should be more of it!!!!

The Hellyers Road Distillery has gone on to become Australia`s largest distillery. Named after the early European explorer Henry Hellyer whose tenacity opened up the rugged interior of the North West Coast of Tasmania. A fabulous paper sculpture which represents Henry has been crafted by hand made paper artists Ruth Rees and Pam Thorne and is on display at the entrance of the complex. Look out for other examples of this great craft by Handmade Paper Artists on display around the Burnie district.

The first cask of whisky was created in 1999, at that time the distillery consisted of the factory and bond store area.  First bottled in 2006 the distillery now has all the trappings of an interpretation centre, gift shop and cafe.

By law a whisky needs to be in cask for at least two years, but at Hellyer they go for a longer time to maximise flavours and textures. No food colouring or additives in this drop. American white oak casks, previously used for bourbon impart their own unique flavours into the mix.

The Interpretation Centre, gift shop and cafe has a stunning rural backdrop which includes Emu Valley, farmland and the Dial Range.  There are guided tours which are a unique insight into all things whisky from the grist mill to the distillation process.There is the opportunity as part of the tour to fill a bottle from cask which has 65% - 69% alcohol. Delicate flavours but enough umph to bring tears to your eyes!!!  

Quality ingredients and quality equipment all sourced locally. There are three essential ingredients for a single malt whisky, barley, water and yeast. The barley used by Hellyers comes from the midlands of Tasmania and is sent to the Cascade Brewery to be malted. The abundance of clean fresh water available in Tasmania is certainly an advantage. The whisky from Hellyers is all single malt (a single grain - barley) they produce four flavours, the original has floral flavours with hints of vanilla and citrus, a warming palate with 46.2% alcohol. There is a small batch of whisky which is spending its last six months in old pinot noir barrels which will give it a kind of toffee honeyed smooth finish and will impart some of the pinot flavours into the whisky. Also a small amount of 95% peated whisky which will have an element of smokiness. The Whisky Cream is lower in alcohol 17% still a single malt with the addition of fresh local cream.

The distillery is also producing a small amount of premium vodka which is triple distilled and charcoal  filtered and 42% alcohol.

Bernadette was on hand at the Noosa Food and Wine Festival, where she took two master classes through a range of champagnes and their compatability to food, her passion and knowledge an inspiration to her classes.  Congratulations to Bernadette on having her beautiful book Champagne & Chandeliers which is about Grand Dining Celebrations, included as one of the six finalists of the Best Book Category in the 2010 Le Cordon Bleu media awards. This is a great result for the book which has been a labour of love for Bernadette and her impeccable attention to detail has been well rewarded. It is always a pleasure to chat to Bernadette and managed to capture her on video this time, so with joyous bubbly abundance I will let Bernadette tell her own story.

The new winery/cellar door was completed in February 2010 in time for harvest. From June 18th 2010 the cellar door will be open to the public.  Following is a release from the team at Yangarra  to let you know what is going on. If you are in the area it would be great opportunity to check it out first hand.

Welcome!!

We are happy to offer you two different ways to experience our wines at Yangarra.  
Option 1:   Single Vineyard Wine Tasting $10

This option allows you to taste through our range of wines. Wine is supposed to be relaxing
and fun so either take a seat in the cellar door or move outside to a seat on our deck. The wine tasting
will include our current releases as well as our High Sands Grenache and Iron Heart Shiraz wines
when available.  At the end of your tasting you will receive a Yangarra Estate Vineyard wine glass.

 
Option 2: The Yangarra Wine Experience $25 (Please Book in Advance)

The “Wine Experience” is a guided tour of the winery, vineyard and cellar door.  The tour is
conducted by a member of our staff and assisted by our vineyard and winemaking team. This
opportunity offers behind the scenes access to Yangarra Estate Vineyard and a glimpse into what it
takes to make our wines. We encourage that you bring your questions and cameras for this wine
experience.
The “Wine Experience” starts with a tour of select blocks within our single vineyard.  You’ll
see first hand the natural life cycle of the vine and learn about the significance of terroir. You’ll walk
away with a better understanding of different soil types, grape varieties and why elevation matters.
Depending on the season, you will be able to see different aspects of vineyard operation.  The vineyard tour will also allow you to see our “High Sands” old bush vine Grenache and enjoy spectacular views
of the Adelaide Hills and the Gulf of St. Vincent.  
Following our time in the vineyard, we’ll walk you through our new winery. You will see how
we make grapes into wine, as well as see some of the latest in wine technology.  You will experience
what goes on in a working winery and catch a glimpse of the hard work that goes into each bottle of
wine we make. The winery tour will end with a few barrel samples in the barrel shed.  This is a great
opportunity to experience what our winemakers get to taste before the wine goes to bottle. 
After the tours of the vineyard and winery, the experience will end in our cellar door.  We will
taste through all of the current release wines and to remember your experience, you will receive a
Yangarra Estate Vineyard wine glass.

Yangarra will be hosting its first BankSA Sea & Vines festival on June 13 and 14. Yangarra has
teamed up with the Organik Store and Café to offer wine and food pairings over both days. Plus, two amazing bands will be playing, the Yearlings will be performing on Sunday and the John Baker Duo will be
entertaining on the Monday. Bookings for the event can be made at
www.mclarenvale.info

Thanks for the news Tom

It is an all star line up of wines at this winery and the old bush vine Grenache is certainly a wine to look out for as is the Rousanne which make up part of this eclectic range. The wine making focus is on achieving concentration, complexity and texture and from what I can tell they are well on their way to achieving just that.

Igor took the time to talk to me about his passion for chocolate and his long association with confectionery, icecream, pastry and his training in Belgium at a patisserie.  As part of his culinary skills Igor learnt the art of handling chocolate from Roger Geerts - world renowned confectioner and master craftsman. On his arrival in Tasmania Igor worked for a bakery for many years before turning his attention back to confectionery. His dream and vision fulfilled with the opening of “House of Anvers” whose home is a stylish “Californian Bungalow”  set on 1.12 hectares of beautiful old tree gardens and plants from all over the world which are all named thanks to the input from the Tasmanian Arboretum.

A small museum dedicated to the history of chocolate has been incorporated along with viewing areas to watch the  chocolate process.

What I learnt from delightful chocolatier Igor is that  Cocoa has a long and colourful history, the earliest evidence of cocoa bean is from the Forests of the Amazon four thousand years ago. The Mayan and Aztec cultures started to drink cocoa as a beverage about two thousand years ago. They worshipped the sacred tree and believed the pods were Gifts from the Gods hence the term “Food of the Gods” . The Mayan god Ykchaua was the Patron of Cocoa and no doubt a few sacrifices were made in his honour as well as being used in ceremonies and rituals the beans were also a form of currency.

The early Conquistador Cortez took the bean to Europe where it eventually spread through Spain, France and Italy where Napoleon being a man of the people took it from being a beverage for the elite to a drink for the people, still quite bitter and spicy. The science of chocolate is a very complicated one and there are many secrets to success.

It was not until 1828 when Dutchman Van Houten revolutionised the industry by inventing a hydraulic press that squeezed out the cocoa butter leaving the cocoa powder which was much more easily made into a palatable beverage. At this stage the cocoa butter was being discarded.  It was Henry Nestle who on his quest to develop a formula suitable for babies developed condensed milk. The next step was taken mixing cocoa butter with condensed milk and milk chocolate was established.

After fermentation of the cocoa bean, it is dried, cleaned, roasted and the shell removed to produce the cocoa nibs which are then ground and this is pure chocolate in rough form.

It was Rodolphe Lindt chocolatier who helped unearth the secrets of chocolate by developing the conching method which transformed what was still a crumbly some what bitter product to a melt in the mouth world of pleasure. This saw a shift from being mostly a beverage to solid chocolate which in turn has become a favourite food type for many. The conching process of agitation promotes flavour development and the more the product is conched the finer the particles become, 35 microns being used for block chocolate and 18 microns for extra fine melt in the mouth chocolate.

Central and South America, West Africa and parts of Asia are now the areas producing the most Cocoa beans, and like a fine wine the basis of the the beans individual character is shaped by it origin”terroir”. Different cocoa has different characteristics and the roasting and acidity levels define the chocolate. Trinitano is a hybrid from Trinidad and has the characteristics that suit the team at Anvers. The dark chocolate has a cocao content of 64% and the milk 38% and is conched to a very fine stage. Add to this the Tasmanian cream, pure butter, exquisite natural flavours and you have a premium product.

The popularity of premium dark chocolate with high cocoa content has increased but as with wine there is a chocolate for every occasion and taste preference. Igor as a master artisan is continually creating flavours and fillings for specific matches for chefs for their menus.. Anvers situated at Latrobe on the highway between Launceston and Devonport is a chocolate taste sensation so food lovers drop in for an enjoyable experience as there is lots on offer here and a liquor license now allows people to also enjoy a delightful Tassie wine or beer either inside or out in a beautiful garden setting. At present you may prefer to be inside by the fire!!!!

Tasting Chocolate

Become a chocolate connoisseur. When tasting chocolate use all 5 senses.

Seeing - Look at the chocolate check  the colour, consistency and silky sheen

Touch  - Feel the surface of the chocolate - you want smooth, sleek and firm

Hearing - Listen for the snap which tells a firm compact structure, look for the edge of break to be smooth

Smell -   Breathe deeply for full range of aromas you may get caramel, vanilla, cocoa and others

Taste - Melt in the mouth slowly check for harmonious blend of sweet and bitter, you may get dried fruits, and liquorice.

Whatever else you may taste there is bound to be an array of flavours and that bit of magic that makes chocolate so special to so many of us. 

What do you love about chocolate?

This year has been a difficult one for many growers of grapes and  soft fruits,  as the ripening season saw an increase in the infestation of European wasps which penetrate the soft fruits for the juice and in some areas effected up to 30% of crop.

Meadowbank Estate is at Cambridge in the Southern part of the island and is so much more than just a vineyard.  The vista across the vineyard and lake  make this a great place for a stopover to enjoy a meal, coffee, or of course wine tasting.  There is a shop, art gallery and I am sure a roaring fire in winter time. The winery has received many trophies and recommendations not only for their wine but for their contribution to the Tasmanian Wine Industry. 

The floor of the upstairs gallery is a walk on mosaic of artworks as you can see in the photos and there is also an interactive aromatics section where you can test your “nose” to pick the aromatics associated with various grape varieties.

Wicks Estate is an up and coming state of the art winery from the Adelaide Hills. The first release was in 2005 and with Tim Knappstein at the helm wine making, this winery has gone from strength to strength . Good food and wine with good company is always an enjoyable experience and the Wicks Wine Dinner at the local yacht and rowing club certainly fit the bill. A glass of the new release sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir on arrival set the tone for what was to be a very pleasant evening.  Wicks Estate Winery is  family owned and operated, moving on from their Orchard and Nursery operations to the wine industry in 1999.

Tim Wicks was on hand to chat about the families dedication to producing quality cool climate wines, giving insights into each variety as the evening unfolded.  

Chef excelled himself presenting five courses with flavours and textures each complemented by the wines matched. 

First up was :-

Fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto with fried haloumi and lemon vincotte matched with Wicks Sauvignon Blanc

Seared Hervey Bay scallops with cauliflower and blue cheese puree, crisp pancetta and black caviar   - Wicks Chardonnay

Tartlet of roast rabbit with a salad of watercress, apple and walnut with sweet aged balsamic reduction - Wicks Riesling

Spiced Quail served on char grilled zucchini, red grapes,  agresto and verjuice a great match with Wicks Cabernet Sauvignon

Venison fillet with roast parsnip, caramelised baby beetroot and blueberry jus - Wicks shiraz

Finally assorted cheeses with quince paste and lavosh - Wicks Eminence Shiraz Cabernet.

A delightful presentation of interesting combinations of flavours and well considered wine matches all came together for a  memorable dining experience.

Environmentally responsible vineyard management and sustainable farming practice are going a long way in improving quality of fruit and achieving optimum flavours. Paul Easden from Clairault talks to us about the Clairault range of wines including that Margaret River favourite blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. What to expect from Western Australia  2010 vintage and also his present favourite food and wine combination.