Toast Martinborough - NZ Food and Wine Festival

13th November - Gerlinde picked me up from home to drive to Perth for the Portavin opening of their new 6,500 per hour bottling line. In true Portavin style it was a great event. About 50 customers and colleagues took a tour of the bottling line followed by a full sit down, white table clothed, fine food and wine affair.

Mike's Mum did the honours of smashing the bottle of champagne off the bottling line to officially open the line. Even though she thought it was "a waste" it made some impact as the champagne was bottled by Portavin's competitors.

We then moved onto an Indian restaurant in the city for dinner prior to Mike, Bullant and I flying on the red eye out to Melbourne. A 2 hour stop in Melbourne then onto Wellington, what a stunning city! We met Bird-Man, Rob and Urzela and enjoyed a lovely Italian meal in town. Early night in preparation for the Martinborough Food and Wine Festival.

http://www.toastmartinborough.co.nz/

What an amazing day, we caught the train from Wellington, about and hour into the vineyards where buses were on hand to take us from winery to winery. Each with their own uniqueness, food, wine and live entertainment. A blast! Wineries included Craggy Range, Te Kairanga (WHITEBAIT & ALASKAN KING CRAB FRITTERS- yumm!), Alana Estate, Tirohana, Escarpment Vineyard, Ata Rangi (GOOD PINOT & STEAK And KIDNEY PIES!), Vynfields, Margain Vineyard, Muirlea Rise, Martinborough Vineyard, Palliser Estate. Fine wine, food and music a perfect blend for a big day out!

We met some new mates on the train on the way home who joined us for dinner in a restaurant none of us can remember, good seafood chowder and more pinot!

Now sitting in a hotel in Auckland (The Oaks Residencees, 16 Gore Street, quite close to some late night girly bars of anyone is interested) after a marathon drive from Wellington yesterday. Dinner at NSP in http://www.nonsolopizza.co.nz/ in Parnell which was not as good as last time we went there, perhaps monday night is the B team? You know something is wrong in an Italian restarant when the pasta is not cooked properly.... Met up with Nick (GM Portavin NZ), his wife Anna along with Chris Kelly (Ops Manager) and her hubby Paul.

Looking forward to another quiety tonight before a direct flight home to Perth tomorrow.

Tassy 21-24 September

Photos - Our cabin at Piermont Retreat - Swansea

Jon, Rellie and Mike at Pipers Brook Winery

Josef Chromy Winery where we did lunch! great pies!

A work trip visiting wineries in Tassy with John and Rellie was a hoot. Flying into Launceston we drove too Tamar Ridge winery, where Rellie and I kept ourselves amused tasting at the cellar door while the boys had a meeting.

We then drove on to the cute and famous Joseph Chromy winery in relbia where we had a great lunch at the cellar door. The afternoon saw us in Pipers Brook where they make all the 9th island wine, more tasting and laughs.

We stayed in town at the Clarion City Park Grand Hotel

http://www.cityparkgrand.com.au/

which was superb. The best treat was dinner Still Water River Cafe Restaurant which served possibly the best Japanese inspired food I have ever tasted. Good wine list too!

The next day we drove along the east coast, stopped in Bicheno and stayed in a stone cabin at the Piermont Retreat http://www.piermont.com.au/display.asp?entityid=1451

near Swansea, very cosey right on the beach. It was pissing with rain and really stormy so we had the fire blazing (no help from me) and cooked a lamb roast and drank loads of red wine! Bloody lovely!

Following day we were lucky not to be flooded in to accom and coast but made it through to Hobart where we took up digs at the famous Henry Jones Art Hotel

http://www.thehenryjones.com/

We had a meal with our mates Sludge and Mrs Sludge at the drunken sailor which was fun and friendly.

Next day we flew out to Perth and came home where I stayed for whole 4 weeks! loved it. I threw in the Mandurah Boat Show 10 and 11 October where I worked for Fountaine Pajot again selling yachts where we again got a few away.

We took off on 23 October bound for Hamilton Island and a big sail from Melbourne to Tassy - see above post for details.

The Great Southern Route, Mt Barker, Albany, Denmark, Margaret River

Whilst conducting more wine customer visits, we spent a few day on the road driving what West Australian's refer to as the "Great Southern Route". Leaving from Busselton, via Nannup, Mt Barker, Albany, Denmark and Margaret River we stopped to smell the roses numerous times and to take in the highlights of this facinating region.

Mount Barker:

First stop was Ferngrove Winery in Mt Barker. We visited Kim and Vanessa who are the chief wine makers. They had just completed a great vintage and were extremely excited about the wines they are currently producing.

Mount Barker is located adjacent to the Porongurup Range National Park and within easy reach of the Stirling Ranges and the spectacular southern coastline.

The town is the administrative centre of the Shire of Plantagenet and offers ample shopping and recreational facilities. It services an expansive agricultural area, where there has been successful diversification into viticulture and the cultivation of wildflowers.

Settled very early in Western Australia's European history, Mount Barker boasts a number of lovingly preserved and unique buildings, including St Werburgh's Chapel and the convict-built Old Police Station.

We also visited Plantagenet Winery and were lucky enough to look at some wines in the barrel room. Chief wine maker John Durram showed us some new reislings and chardonnays and an older shiraz and cabernet. Tasty! Keep your eye out on those.

Albany:

We then continued on to Albany and jewell in the south west coast. Long before Europeans considered the possibility of the existence of a Great South Land, the Aboriginal Mineng people had occupied the area which surrounds King George Sound and Oyster and Princess Royal Harbours. Radiocarbon dating of material exposed during archaeological excavation of Aboriginal sites near Oyster Harbour dates this occupation as far back as 18,850 years ago.

The Albany or Great Southern Region, covers approximately 40 000 square kilometres.

The region features some of the most rugged and awe-inspiring scenery in Australia. It extends west to the famous tree top walk at Walpole, to the east as far as picturesque Bremer Bay.

The region boasts some of the finest food and premium wine production and is widely recognised as one of the cleanest and most eco-diverse growing areas in the Southern Hemisphere. The ever changing coast line can be both tranquil and beautiful or intensely dramatic.

It offers superb fishing and also provides protection to pods of Southern Right, Sperm, Humpback Whales and, on occasions, the rare and endangered Blue Whale.

Moving away from the coast, the terrain evolves into a mosaic of contrasts: pastured landscape, vineyards, forests, rolling hills and the towering peaks of the Stirling ranges.

Historic venues:

Strawberry Hill Farm

Old Goal Museum,

The Fort

Amity Replica

The Albany region is blessed by a temperate and comfortable Mediterranean climate. This means beautiful, sunny winter days and cool summer nights. What's more, is that so many of the main attractions are easily accessible to the walker, cyclist or motorist.

The Albany Region offers a dichotomy of experiences, from the spectacular, towering Karri forests, pristine aqua-blue waters of the coast, sandy beaches, frolicking whales, world-class wineries, bird life, bush walks, wildflowers, native wildlife and much more.

On the other hand if you are seeking a quiet romantic interlude, you wont be disappointed. Albany is easily accessible, it takes about 4½ hours by road from Perth, or an hour by air. There are world-class tourist facilities and accommodation to suit every budget, you will be pleasantly surprised at just how affordable Albany is!

Places of interest and other things to do:

Wreck Diving/ Granite Bommies/ Caves and Shore Dives 

The Sandalwood Factory

Whale World

Wind Farm

Vancouver Arts Centre

York Street shopping

Dining out

Walk and Cycle trails

Go Taste Albany farm gate experience

Wonders of nature: 

Blowholes

The Gap and Natural Bridge

Dog Rock

Torndirrup National Park

William Bay

Greens Pool

Walpole Tree Top Walk

Bibbulmun Track

Wilderness Cruises

Whale Watching

Bush Walks

Bluff Knoll

Karri Forests

Stirling Ranges

Where we ate:

Lunch - fresh unshucked Oysters from Oyster co-op at the harbour.

Dinner - Wild Duck Restaurant

112 York St, Albany, WA 6330

Ph: (08) 9842 2554‎

food@wildduckrestaurant.com

Andrew, Chef., and Kristy, Matre-de., together have created an elegant, stylish place to relax and enjoy the meals which are more like artists creations than food to eat. The food was fantastic and the service impeccable.