Real People - Real Wine

With so many wineries to choose from, views to take in, shops to visit and generally “things to do” a weekend hardly seems enough time to take in what the Barossa has to offer. Thankfully I was seeing the Barossa through the eyes of a very dear friend who lived in the Valley for a few years, so, he was well versed with the must-do’s. Our itinerary last weekend included the below:        

• Tasting at Rockford Wines https://www.rockfordwines.com.au – the winery where the best of traditional winemaking is alive and kicking! Do a guided tour of the winery while you're there.

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A winters drive through the Adelaide Hills on a sunny afternoon is something that any Adelaide local should treat themselves to. Hills dwellers like myself know this all too well, so meandering through the southern end of Stirling was almost enough in itself - but that I was destined for Deviation Road Winery. The winery is nestled in one of my favourite pockets of the Adelaide Hills with rolling vistas, farming land, vineyards with a touch of the Australian bush. As I pulled up the drive to the winery I was aware of a buzz at the back of what was once an old dairy shed. I'd arrived just as the bottling machinery was being switched over to bottle a number of Magnums of sparkling. I for one, love being at wineries. They're exciting places where things are born, blended, bottled and enjoyed, so when it involves Kate Laurie, one of Australia's premier sparkling wine makers, the excitement level doubles almost instantly. Kate is extremely hands on during the process, with several staff under

Often, there are just too many places to visit. Here are a few that Ali visited with some interstate friends last weekend, which also included a trip to Victory Hotel, Sellicks Hill to raid their cellar too.. Battle of Bosworth - love their Best of Vintage Samuel's Gorge - always a favourite Chapel Hill - to compare their straight Mouvedre with that of Samuel's Gorge Coriole - hadn't been there for a while and had a longer than anticipated stop there with so many interesting varietals to try, and the Cellar Door person we had serving us was brilliant, so rediscovering Coriole was the highlight The General featuring Mr Riggs and Zonte's Footstep - more business than otherwise... Even after this list we barely made a scratch on the bucket list of places to visit..

We often get asked for our favourite wineries and cellar doors to visit across SA. Here's what Elspeth has to say about The Lane Vineyard. When it comes to cellar door experiences in South Australia, we are spoiled for choice. One of my go-to regions is the Adelaide Hills. Without question there are some gorgeous wineries we have so close to the city which always deliver. I like to soak up all there is on offer at a cellar door which is why The Lane Vineyard on Ravenswood Lane in Hahndorf is difficult to go past. Set in a location that offers spectacular views across the rolling Adelaide Hills, it is well worth planning ahead with booking a table so that you can enjoy the delicate morsels

We often get asked for our favourite wineries and cellar doors to visit across SA. Here's what Darryl has to say about Coriole. There perhaps is no prettier cellar door in the Vale than Coirole’s, situated in the rolling hills the quaint cottage oozes charm and romance, the views south to the vale are spectacular and there’s more than enough room on lawns outside to grab a quick kip after an afternoon of tasting and eating. Which brings me to the real reason to stop there, the wines are spectacular and with everything from vibrant Italian Barberas and Sangiovese to super elegant Shirazes.

I discovered my love of the grape in my early 20s while working as a wine steward in a restaurant in New Zealand. The wine industry in NZ back then was really in its infancy compared with today and so what was on offer was very limited. The Pinot Noir revolution was years away, and the Central Otago and Hawkes Bay regions had yet to start any major production of quality wine. I started buying imported French and Spanish wines at auctions and exploring the differences between the various varietals and winemaking styles that are so different in Europe than the Antipodes. I was lucky enough to be trained as a chef in London when I was 18. I remain a committed foodie enjoying paring wine with great food and challenging the old standards of Red with red and White with white. I love that wine is a living, changing thing that, if treated right, will evolve and delight - from young, fresh modern creations to the aged, silky smooth, long palate styles. Wine has been a passion for nearly

A well-constructed cheeseboard can become the eye candy of any event. The great thing about them is that they are so easy to put together and there’s something to please everybody’s taste. Here are some tips to turn you into a cheese board master.

The 'cheese' to your board

Different shapes, sizes and textures look great and work wonderfully together when put together on a board. The possibilities are endless and somewhat overwhelming when selecting cheese. Here’s an easy guide. Pick something soft such as camembert or brie; something firm such as parmigiano-reggiano or cheddar; a blue cheese or gorgonozola and a crumbly number such as chèvre. (One of my favourites is the Woodside Cheese ‘Goat on a Hot Tin Roof.’ It’s like a crumbly dream!)

The ‘fresh’ to your board:

Leading into summer and the Christmas season, it’s all about what’s

As a young girl I used to sit with my Dad when he opened up a bottle of wine, trying to pick up on the flavours, textures and aromas. I may have been far too young to be sipping Shiraz but this tradition has followed us throughout my life and will always be something special that we share. As an adult, wine has played a huge role in my social world. Wine tastings, wine tours, food and wine pairings and even a casual dinner at home with friends enjoying a nice bottle of red, you name it I love all things wine! All of these experiences have developed my appreciation for a great wine. For me, wine is an experience, when paired with family, friends and a beautiful ambiance it can be somewhat magical. I am a people person. My interest in helping others saw me through a Bachelor in Psychology and a Masters in Counselling Practice and my career has always been within the communications arena. I now consider myself very lucky to be able to combine my passion for people and my love for wine.

To aerate or decant – that is the question! I have been asked by a number of people recently, so here’s my take on it. Why do either in the first place? Well I would say quite simply to get the best from the wine. The mission when opening a wine is to determine if it needs to be aerated or decanted, or not at all. Don’t confuse the process as it spoil the wine. Like most things that have been couped up in a confined space for a significant amount of time it wants to get out, stretch it's legs and get some air. Sometimes the wine doesn’t need either, but often it does and this is where a breather is helped along with a decant or an aeration. Exposing it to oxygen can improve its taste and help to maximise the full potential of the wine. There are a number of ways to aerate a wine. The simple 'swirling the wine around in a glass' may achieve all that is needed to bring out the best in the wine – releasing its aroma and complexities, and at the same time

My journey with wine began with a trip to the Barossa with my olds when I was a poor uni student. My realisation that wine as a thing, maybe even a joyous one was a Grant Burge's cellar door, tasting the 89 Sauvignon Blanc. Now that I think back, in hindsight there's not too much right about that equation..   Barossa Valley - tick Barossa Valley & 1989 - be-bow! Barossa Valley & Sauvignon Blanc - be-bow! Hear me out though, it was the first wine I bought, and also the first wine I properly tasted. The next stop on the family trip was to Rockford and I bought a couple of bottles of Basket Press Shiraz and a bottle of Vine Vale Riesling ... this was definitely a steep learning curve in tasting and exploration and from that point onwards I was hooked and by the time I’d finished uni I realised I needed to work in the wine industry. Whilst selling wine in a couple of retail outlets, I blagged my way into doing a vintage at Domaine

My first taste of wine seems like yesterday when Dad described to us four kids how the wine smelt like mushrooms, berries and dirt. Little did I know that this seemingly odd thing that he was describing and I was trying would end up being something I developed a real passion for. With some informal education along the way from very special people I have managed to grow my love of this wondrous fluid! Of course great wine goes hand in hand with great food and like many of my colleagues I love sharing both with friends and family. My 30 plus years of sales have included selling everything from pantyhose to two-way radios. There has been some management of great people and buying of fun stuff like Christmas decorations and Music for John Martins, and travelling interstate and overseas to visit mining, oil & gas, film production, construction companies and many government departments. Here I am now working with some more great people who share the same love of wine that I do, that I

Maybe it’s my Barossan German heritage, but ever since I can remember I’ve been fascinated with wine. Varietal, region, colour, vines, flavour, food matching, you name it. I’ve primarily worked as a professional musician since I was way too young to perform at the venues I was working in and have been fortunate enough to have travelled around the country and to many parts of the globe as part of my work. Working as a musician has also meant I’ve had a parallel career in hospitality (sort of), having been to countless wineries, cellar doors, pubs, wine bars and everything in between, whilst still being based in Adelaide amongst some of the greatest vines in the world. I’ve made friends with winemakers, wine sellers, wine drinkers and the best, and all encompassing: wine lovers. I’m constantly tasting, reading, watching and learning about wine and its magical magnetism and one day would love to grow my own grapes, all whilst secretly (some say loudly)