AUSTRALIA

Sydney

We had a day off from tasting and driving and took a look around Sydney and Bondi. Sydney had a a great vibe going on. A young vibrant place which was not too busy and had a nice safe and cosmopolitan feel to it.

Telescope at Sydney Sky Tower. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Bondi Beach Australia. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Sydney Opera House. © Montager Productions Ltd
Seagull and Sydney Harbour Bridge. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Street in Sydney. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Bird in Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Colourful buildings in Sydney. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Sydney St Marys Cathedral. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

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You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

AUSTRALIA, Southern Highlands

Sallys Corner

This trip was about visiting places of all shapes and sizes. We literally pulled up outside Sally’s Corner on spec after making a call 20 minutes earlier as there was no website. Inside we met Allen Davies who at 78 yrs old is still looking after the vineyards at the back of his property and selling the 720 cases of wine made locally. You cannot buy his wine outside of this region never mind outside the country.

Allen talked to us about his wine and what it was like to run a small operation. In 2012 a hailstorm wiped out his whole vintage so it can be a precarious game. Even though this was a short stop it was great to speak to someone whose passion for making wine was still so strong after many years after retirement from his earlier career as a solicitor.

Amidst all the complexities of wines and the knowledge of his subject Allen made us smile when he said “There are only two types of wine. The wine you like and the wine you don’t like.”

Our favourite wine here was the Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012.

Allen Davies of Sallys Corner. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Life is too short. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Chalk board at Sallys Corner. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Sallys Corner Wines in Southern Highlands. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Sallys Corner photo of Allen Davies. © Montager Productions Ltd.
An old caravan by the vines at Sallys Corner Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest.

You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

AUSTRALIA

Charles Sturt

Our journey took us off the normal winery and vineyard track today as we dropped in to the Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) in Wagga Wagga.

We interviewed Professor Alain Deloire who is the Director of the NWGIC and he talked about their international cooperation and research into low alcohol wines. We also got some great footage for the film when shown around the winery by Campbell Meeks.

Where there is an experimental winery you are never far away from a tasting. In fact CSU have their own small commercial operation and a cellar door based on the university campus. We of course obliged and got out the tasting note book for some sampling. Our favourite wine here was the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2010.

Alain is a very nice gentlemen with heaps of experience. Amongst other things he has worked in viticulture at Moet & Chandon as well as 14 years as professor in grapevine physiology and biochemistry at Montpellier SupAgro, France.  Alain is passionate about wine and viticulture and can be followed on Twitter.

Wine bottles on the rack. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Campbell Meeks and Alain Deloire. © Montager Productions Ltd.
CD Blake Experimental Winery. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Campbell Meeks at work in the laboratory. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Water Spill. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Cleaning the barrel. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest.

You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

AUSTRALIA

Tahbilk

The estate at Tahbilk is pretty big and they have a large range of wines. We spent time with Alister Purbrick who chatted to us about the history of the estate and how the harvest has been going for 2016.

The unusual thing about Tahbilk is they run old traditional winemaking techniques and practices for the red wines but have a new world approach for the white wines. The feel of history is everywhere around Tahbilk from the vines to the cellar and it makes a great visit to absorb this history as you roam around.

The favourite wine on this tasting was the Tahbilk Marsanne 2015. Tahbilk holds the largest and oldest single holding of the Marsanne variety in the world.

Tahbilk Winery Australia. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Tahbilk Estate sign. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Party at Tahbilk. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Eye in the cellar at Tahbilk. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Old vines Shiraz at Tahbilk.
Vines planted in 1860. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Barrels in the cellar at Tahbilk. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Old machinery on display at Tahbilk. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Lunch on the bridge at Tahbilk. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest.

You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

AUSTRALIA, Pyrenees

Summerfield

We received a recommendation to drop into the Summerfield winery when in the Pyrenees region. Summerfield are located in the small town of Moonambel and we were glad we dropped in even though it was a brief stop.

We had a very warm welcome from Mark Summerfield who on the last day of their 2016 harvest showed us around the winery and let us taste his wines. We saw the last bin of Shiraz come into the winery for processing. Even in the short time we spent with Mark and his team it was obvious there is a real passion and love for making wines. This is demonstrated by the family series Mark created and which is only available to his wine club members.

Our favourite wine here was the Family Series Sahsah Shiraz 2014.

Falling grapes at Summerfield. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Summerfield Winery Australia. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Last delivery of the harvest for Summerfield. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Summerfield Merlot. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Owl at Summerfield Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Summerfield Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest.

You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

AUSTRALIA, Pyrenees

Dalwhinnie

Before arriving we read about Dalwhinnie and its amphitheatre setting and it didn’t disappoint. The spectacular rolling hills and views make it a pretty stunning place to park yourself at the cellar door for a tasting on the terrace.

David Jones, the owner, spent time with us and walked around the undulating vineyards where we sampled some of the individual wines nestled within the actual vines that created the wine. David kindly talked us through the differences of each block and answered our questions.

Our favourite wine here was The Eagle Shiraz 2012. Tasting it next to the vines with David was such a great experience. David also let us try his son’s first barrel of wine in the cellar. It was a Sangiovese and was also fantastic. Great winemaking is obviously in the blood.

View across the vines at Dalwhinnie Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
David Jones in a vineyard at Dalwhinnie Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Old Eagle Shiraz vines at Dalwhinnie Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Dalwhinnie grapes. © Montager Productions Ltd.
A Shiraz vine post at Dalwhinnie. © Montager Productions Ltd.
David Jones in the Dalwhinnie cellar. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Colours from a Dalwhinnie wine label. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Dalwhinnie wine bottles. © Montager Productions Ltd.
The Eagle Shiraz at Dalwhinnie Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
View from Dalwhinnie Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest.

You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

AUSTRALIA, Coonawarra

Bellwether

We had a tip off from a winemaker in Margaret River to go and see Sue Bell at Bellwether Wines when we got to Coonawarra so we did. It was well worth it. The onsite campsite enabled us to get stuck into helping as well.

There is a really good vibe about her arty cellar door and winery. As well as making a Coonawarra Cabernet she is producing some rare Australian variety wines such as Bianco d’Alessano which she said will only make 100 cases.

The cellar door is all open plan with a tasting area as well as a dining area that opens up into the cellar where barrels are aging and wine is fermenting. She occasionally hosts artist exhibitions which gives this unique cellar door a very warm and creative touch. Her hard work has paid off she was the ASVO Wine Maker of the Year 2014. We are talking true boutique wine making here which we were fortunate to see at full speed when Sue, Steve Brown (winemaker) and Graham (volunteer) were pressing her 2016 grapes with a manual pressing machine .

Sue not only makes wines she runs a campsite, art and cookery events and is mum to a 6 year old. She likes a good laugh and we had a great evening with her, Steve and Graham. Sue’s great character, big smile and superb wines will mean her wines will be harder to get hold of as time goes by.

Juice from the press at Bellwether Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Squished in the press. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Lighthouse tea cosy. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Bellwether banner. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Art all around Bellwether Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Sculpture at Bellwether Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Corn in the sun. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Nice light at Bellwether Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Windmill at Bellwether Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Inside the winery at Bellwether Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

AUSTRALIA, Coonawarra

Wynns

After a stay in the quiet town of Coonawarra we headed along the A66 Riddoch Highway and visited winemakers Sue Hodder and Sarah Pidgeon at the well known Wynns Coonawarra Estate.

We did an interview with Sue and then Sarah spent time with us out in the vineyards and specifically looking at the terra rossa soils. John Riddoch planted the first vineyards here in 1891 and the Wynns brothers, Samuel and David, purchased the original vineyards and winery in 1951.

The cellar door here is set up well for visitors and you can even put on a white lab jacket and make your own blend.

Our favourite wine at the tasting here was the John Riddoch Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon 2012.

The Gables. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Sarah Pidgeon. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Cabernet Sauvignon. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Soils and stone. © Montager Productions Ltd.
Soil types. © Montager Productions Ltd.

You can buy our images here on the Alamy stock photo agency page.

More info on the film is at www.vintagesixteen.com 

You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram 

You can also visit our favourite wines page.