Wine

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Introducing ... Regan Drew your local Tassie Gourmand!

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G’day There,

My name is Regan Drew and if you're lucky enough to be part of the upcoming Tassie Gourmand tour, we'll get to know each other well, but if not, here's a little bit about me and Tassie.

I worked in bars, bottleshops, nightclubs and pubs for around 13 years in Tasmania from the mid 1990s. Then I landed a real day job in Sydney, but I could never shake the association with quality wine. I undertook Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 Award studies and passed with Distinction, have been an Associate Judge for the Citi New South Wine Awards in 2013, been a Steward/Assoc Judge for the Royal Sydney Wine Show. The academic side is fine, but I love the agricultural aspect and had a couple of stints helping out in the Hunter Valley during vintage with Andrew Thomas of Thomas Wines. After being exposed to all this good wine, I've contributed writing wine review content for Cracka Wines and Sunshine Coast based wine hub The Grapehunter. After starting my own blog, vinonotebook.com, I was invited to be the "Weekend Magazine" wine columnist for the APN ARM stable of newspapers, with a readership of over 500,000.

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Hiding behind a mask. Wine varieties by another name.

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Hiding behind a mask. Wine varieties by another name.

In show business, names are as interchangeable as romantic partners. Reginald Kenneth Dwight? Try Elton John. Chaim Witz? That's Gene Simmons. And Norma Jean Mortensen? Marilyn Monroe. Let's not even start talking about Prince.

Did you know in the world of wine names can be interchangeable too? It's usually geographical, but sometimes just to mess with you, there's more then a few Norma Jean's on the shelves of your local bottle shop or on a wine list, moonlighting as Ms Munroe.

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Made in Mudgee

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Words by Gregor Stronach I received an invitation a couple of weeks ago, by email – and it took me all of about 20 seconds of frantically stabbing at my keyboard to type “Yes please, of course, I would love to be there, it sounds amazing!” to lock in my seat at the Crow Bar for the Made in Mudgee event on August 25.

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How to UnWINEd on a Friday Night...

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"Sumptuous food with complimentary wine choices. A fun, relaxing and educational evening." - Matt Slee, Tulloch Wines

TGIF! After a long week, there is nothing better than settling in with a glass of wine... Our guests at The ArtHouse Hotel were lucky enough to do just that last Friday!

Lounging on the Chesterfields with a Tulloch Cuvee in their hand, our guests were well and truly “UnWINEd”ing into their weekend. As the last guest arrived and the last of the bubbles disappeared... our first “UnWINEd” dinner began.

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A night of indulgence... with life's guilty pleasures...

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Wine was breathing, cheese bubbling on the stove and you could faintly see your breath in the air when you spoke... yes, Winter was here and so was the Fondue Feast! As the last candle was lit, the first guests started to filter in up the stairs...

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Guillaume - elegant, refined and well worth the wait...

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As eagerly anticipated by Guillaume and his team as it has been by diners! I finally set aside a night to experience it for myself!

The website was yet to launch, so the excitement about the menu was the topic of discussion in the cab ride over...

"What do you think he'll keep from Bennelong?" "Ohh I hope the Tuna is still on the menu!!" "Can't wait... so hungry!!"

With rumbling tummies and the 9 months of waiting... 'we couldn't wait', is an understatement.

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Alpaca, truffle, shimeji... all discovered along "a foodie trail through the Southern Highlands"...

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The smell of freshly baked bread wafts around the room... as the Tertini 2009 Sparkling Cuvee Pinot Noir Chardonnay is being poured. A wintery night, reminiscent of my drive down to the Southern Highlands just a few weeks ago... you could faintly make out your breath as you spoke..

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Indulge your senses with a "Taste of Mudgee"…

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A hint of frost on the windscreen… rows of naked vines line the side of the road… rolling low hills in the distance… Yes, it is early Winter in Mudgee.

A region that is not defined by any one Wine or grape varietal, but is “good at many wines” Rob Black, Winemaker - Bunnamagoo Wines. This historic town is oozing with character which is reflects in its winemaking.

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Food, wine and a 'Taste of Orange'...

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A warmth fills the room as guests filter in to the bar... the hum of conversation and laughter steadily grows, casually interrupted by the pop of a cork followed with a gentle clink of a champagne flute... an event is definitely underway here.

The scents are ambient - a waft of blue cheese, venison stewing on the stove from the kitchen, a yeasty fragrance from the flow of sparkling wine.. the recipe for a great night out!

Upon arrival at The Far North, our host venue for the evening, guests are greeted with a glass of Printhie's sparkling range "NV Swift Cuvee" and a canape of House sugar cured Ocean Trout Crostini with Tzatziki caviar. The Cuvee complemented the oily fish on the Crostini nicely with the richness from the pinot.

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Nomad

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"Friends, like wine, get better with age..."

This week's favourite... Nomad, Surry Hills

After receiving the brief: "I want you to take me somewhere hidden away with good food and wine... I will leave it up to you..."

I started perusing the internet for reviews, blogs and Sydney's best kept secrets... After sifting through countless websites, one restaurant jumped out at me.. Nomad.

I was drawn to the concept, the wine list and most importantly.. the FOOD! A seasonal, ever changing menu that encouraged diners to share.. perfect! After receiving the OK! from my good friend and dining companion for the evening.. I called, booked and penciled it into the diary...

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Dinner for Two

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"...the pleasant hours of our life are all connected by a more or less tangible link with some memory of the table" Charles Pierre Monselet

Sometimes it is nice just to stay in on New Year's Eve.. share a nice dinner, a bottle of wine or two with someone you care about.

Away from the hustle and bustle, the crowds, the long waits to get home... just the two of you.

This was my New Year's Eve...

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DAY 3 - Foodie Gourmet Escape to the Margaret River, W.A.

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DAY THREE

Today was about food. It was a day of grazing, hopping from one gourmet delight to the next.

Starting with breakfast at the very quaint "Margaret River Bakery". We started the day well with homemade Granola, Eggs Benedict, orange juices and a couple of coffees. While sipping on our coffees we studied the map... circling the "must go" places. We mapped our route and we were off...

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DAY 2 – Foodie Gourmet Escape to the Margaret River, W.A.

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DAY TWO ...waking up to the soothing sounds of the rooster's crow... not ideal... but we weren't going to let that dampen our spirits...

Today was going to be a big day of eating and drinking!

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.”

- Paulo Coelho, Brida

Starting at the top - Fraser Gallop Estate! We had a tasting booked for 11am in the winery itself. This was hands down the best tasting of the weekend.

DAY 1 - Foodie Gourmet Escape to the Margaret River, W.A.

“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.” - Ernest Hemingway

... driving amongst the vineyards, sipping on award winning wine and looking savouring some of the best produce Australia has to offer!

Yes, I had the pleasure of spending two amazing weeks in the Margaret River region of Western Australia.

What brought me here? A bit of work, and a lot of PLAY. Having celebrated my birthday whilst onsite working I decided to extend my stay and explore the amazing region for myself.