like Penfolds, Peter Lehmann, and St. Hallett. The Barossa Valley also has many smaller, artisanal producers to choose from. Visit one of Banville & Jones’ s great friends, Rick Burge, of Burge Family Winemakers, who will tell you the history of the Barossa and share his amazing estate-grown wines. Charles Melton offers Australia’ s best Rosé and amazing Shiraz, and the iconic Nine Popes( see Behind the Label for Charles Melton’ s story). Torbreck’ s line-up of wines has something for every palate, and Dutschke Wines offer great value.
The wine regions of Austrailia provide a wealth of experiences. Even though it is a large country, the regions are surprisingly accessible from any large centre. When I return to Austrailia, my next challenge will be to visit Perth, Margaret River and beyond, in Western Australia. As a seasoned Prairie traveller, it isn’ t their wide open spaces that are daunting— it’ s finding the time to explore every nook and cranny of this rich wine country. b
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The stunning Cellar Door at Giant Steps / innocent bystander, Yarra Valley
THE CELLAR DOORS OF AUSTRALIA In the Old World, small wineries sell their bottles right out of their kitchens( or out of the“ cellar door”). From this tradition, New World wineries have forged their own: building stunning Cellar Doors that house tasting rooms, and even restaurants, where their wines can be purchased directly. Australians love a good gathering and so it is no surprise that they have some of the most vibrant Cellar Doors in the world. These are among my favourites:
Innocent Bystander / Giant Steps, Yarra Valley www. innocentbystander. com. au
Torbreck Wines www. torbreck. com
Charles Melton, Barossa Valley www. charlesmeltonwines. com. au
Burge Family Winemakers, Barossa Valley www. burgefamily. com. au
Kay Brothers Amery Wines, McLaren Vale www. kaybrothersamerywines. com
Fox Creek, McLaren Vale www. foxcreekwines. com www. soireeplanning. ca 204.477.5450 Andrea Mancini, Lead Consultant