Tickets are now on sale for the 2010 Bank SA    “Sea and Vines Festival” – McLaren Vale. 

This is truly a highlight on the annual social calender and a fantastic day out with friends …

This year ticket prices are $20 per person which gets you entry to 4 wineries, a wine glass and a glass of wine at the first winery. 

For bookings go to www.mclarenvale.info

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Winery sold sultanas as chardonnay

IT HAS taken seven years, but the largest case of wine deception in Australian history has finally reached a conclusion.

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2009 wine favourites … announced

I have short listed my favourite wines that I discovered in 2009 , these wines stood out as highlights from the many cellar doors I was fortunate to visit last year.  It has been noted that the list has a strong McLaren Vale presence, this is mainly due to the fact that most of my wine trips were to this region in 2009. In 2010 I would like to pay some more attantion to the boutique wineries in the Barossa.

Favourite Cellar Doors

Samuels Gorge

Primo Estate

Best Cellar Door experience & staff
Wirra Wirra

Favourite Red Wine
2007 Tempranillo (sold out) – Samuels Gorge

Favourite White Wine

2008 Pinot Grigio d\’Elena – Primo Estate

Favourite Sparkling Wine

2006 Vouvray sparkling – Kilikanoon

Favourite Sparkling Red

JOSEPH NV Sparkling Red – Primo Estate

Favourite food/atmosphere at a winery
Coriole

Favourite Overall Winery

Pikes Winery

• 2009 ‘LUCCIO’ PINOT GRIGIO BLEND

• 2008 THE WHITE MULLET (sold out)

• 2007 LUCCIO SANGIOVESE RED BLEND

• 2007 THE RED MULLET

Note worthy mentions

Mitchells – 2001 McNicol Shiraz

Kilikanoon – 2006 Oracle Shiraz, 2006 Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006 Prodigal Grenache

Coriole -2009 Fiano, 2007 Sangiovese

Hentley Farm – 2007 “The Beast” Shiraz

Two Hands – Sophie’s Garden Padthaway Shiraz

Charles Melton – 2006 Richelieu