Month / Aug 2017

by brandsa2018

Top five Barossa Gourmet Weekend picks

By Melissa Keogh

It’s no secret that the Barossa Valley is a mighty fine region, scattered with wineries that stand tall among the world’s best.

Barossa Gourmet Weekend from September 1–3 will feature the region’s world-class drops alongside culinary delights for what is bound to be a pretty darn good way to start spring.

Festival director Andrew Dundon says that while the focus for the Gourmet Weekend has always been on the wine, 2017 will also celebrate authentic food.

“While the traditional focus for Gourmet Weekend has, and always will be on the wine, this year is about celebrating the strong, authentic food culture that underpins the Barossa lifestyle,” he says.

The 2017 program features 44 free and ticketed events including intimate tastings, exquisite dining experiences, masterclasses, brunches, garden parties, picnics, platters and flame-grilled feasts.

Here’s a list of the top five happenings at Barossa Gourmet Weekend.

1. The Young and The Restless

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A new breed of Barossa producers will unleash a selection of culinary food and wine delights on Friday September 1.

The new kids on the block will be lured from their back shed into the limelight, to seduce foodies and wine lovers with their wares.

Participants include Arno Wine Co., Brothers at War Wines, Bruno & George Wines, Durand Distillery, Eperosa Wines, Forage Supply Co, Geyer Wines, Rasa Wines, Rock of Wisdom, Sigurd, and Yetti and the Kokonut.

When: Friday September 1, 6pm–midnight.

Where: Tanunda Showhall, Elizabeth Street, Tanunda.

Tickets: $30.

2. Adelaide Crows Breakfast

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Food, wine and footy will be merged together for this nostalgic event at Seppeltsfield Wines.

Seppeltsfield executive chef Owen Andrews will cook up a Barossa breakfast while a replay of the 1997 Grand Final hits the big screen.

Two-time premiership player Darren Jarman and fellow ’97 premiership teammate Peter Caven will join the stage from 10am to reminisce on former glory and ponder what 2017 could hold.

2017 marks the 20th anniversary of the Adelaide Crows’ 1997 premiership win.

When: Sunday September 3, 8.30am–midday.

Where: Seppeltsfield Vintage Cellar, 730 Seppeltsfield Road, Seppeltsfield.

Tickets: $42.50 (including brekky and first glass).

3. Barossa Brewers’ Tap Take-over 

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Although the Barossa is renowned for its quality wine, it’s also hitting the right notes when it comes to beer.

Head along to Stein’s Taphouse to taste some innovative froths from Rehn Bier, Greenock Brewery, Ministry of Beer and Western Ridge Brewing Collective.

When: Saturday September 2, midday–10pm, Sunday midday–5pm.

Where: Stein’s Taphouse, 18-28 Barossa Valley Way, Nuriootpa.

Tickets: Free!

4. Poh, Pizza and Paella

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This trifecta of delights is one of the nine Gourmet Trail events to unfold across the weekend.

Poh, Pizza and Paella is hosted by Lindsay Wine Estate, featuring the much-loved Poh of JamFace and MasterChef fame.

A new tempranillo – The Bull Fight – will be matched with Poh’s famous seafood paella and rustic pan-fried pizzas.

Food and wine will be available daily from 11am, while a DJ will be cranking the tunes both days as well.

When: Saturday September 2, 11am–5pm and Sunday September 3, 11am–5pm.

Where: Lindsay Wine Estate, 15 Vine Vale Road, Tanunda.

Tickets: General entry to a Gourmet Trail event is $10, which gets you a souvenir glass and access to all Gourmet Trail events. Can be purchased on the day or pre-booked here.

5. The Gin Sessions

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This food and gin matching experience presented by Durand Distillery and Elli Beer (cookery queen Maggie Beer’s daughter) Catering is one not to miss.

From 11am Spanish style G&Ts will be matched to freshly shucked oysters.

The midday session is all about the Singapore sloe gin sling and fresh crushed lime along with hirasama king fish gin ceviche with chervil and ruby grapefruit.

At 1pm the focus will be on the classic shaken martini with Barossa fried chicken pieces with rosemary salt.

Millennials, you haven’t been forgotten. From 4pm espresso martinis will roll out with all things chocolate.

When: Saturday September 2, 11am–5pm.

Where: Tanunda Town Square, 66-68 Murray Street, Tanunda.

Tickets: Free!

For more Barossa Gourmet Weekend info, including shuttle bus services, visit the website.

by brandsa2018

Riverland students gain wisdom from Aboriginal elder

By Melissa Keogh

Students at St Joseph’s School Renmark have expanded their knowledge by being treated to the wisdom and teachings of a local Aboriginal elder.

Respected mentor Howard ‘Uncle Barney’ Lindsay visited the Year 3/4 class recently to engage children in traditional values such as respect and trust.

Uncle Barney is from the Gerard community and regularly visits Riverland schools to inspire students with history and dreamtime stories.

Uncle Barney inspired students with his didgeridoo.

Uncle Barney inspired students with his didgeridoo.

Gerard is a small Aboriginal settlement near the town of Winkie and was the final resting place of well known tracker Jimmy James who helped police track criminals for decades.

During Uncle Barney’s visit, St Joseph’s students painted artwork using ochre, a red earth pigment from the Spring Cart Gully Quarry between Renmark and Berri.

“It really caught my eye, and not only my eye but by heart,” Uncle Barney says.

“Ochre is really important to my culture. If you have red ochre it is like gold.”

Uncle Barney also played the didgeridoo, told dreamtime stories and shared tales of his upbringing.

Students made paintings using ochre, a natural earth pigment.

Students made paintings using ochre, a natural earth pigment.

The support worker and school bus driver never learnt to read or write but has instead engaged students in storytelling for many years.

Year 3/4 classroom teacher Greg Reeks says engaging students with a respected member of the community brings a realisitic aspect of learning to the classroom.

“It’s not just learning with a (computer) screen, it adds a whole other level to their knowledge of the Riverland,” he says.

“These people live right next to us and are so valuable to the community, so we’re trying to tap into that.”

Students wrote letters to Barney Lindsay to express their gratitude over his visit.

Students wrote letters to Howard ‘Barney’ Lindsay to express their gratitude over his visit.

Greg says students recognised the importance of respect for nature and fellow classmates.

“Barney grew up in an area where everything he ate was virtually from the bush and that’s where he learnt respect for the land and the importance of caring for nature,” he says.

“Respect and trust are one of our main focuses at school.”

Aside from Uncle Barney’s visit, St Joseph’s students were also treated to one of Adelaide’s best sporting experiences – an AFL game at Adelaide Oval – in June.

The Port Adelaide Football Club donated to the school 57 tickets to attend a clash between Port and North Melbourne.

Greg says the trip helped lift the spirits of the children, some whose families are suffering from huge loss of fruit crops due to hailstorms in 2016.

“And with the drought a few years ago there have definitely been hard times,” he says.

“It’s about trying to teach children to have confidence and believe in themselves.”

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by brandsa2018

Adelaide pops the lid on Ferment the Festival program

By Melissa Keogh

The natural, funky process of fermentation will be celebrated at the first festival of its kind in Australia come October.

The country’s leading chefs, food producers, educators, and winemakers will gather in Adelaide for the inaugural Ferment the Festival from October 19-22.

The official program will be unveiled tonight (August 17).

Cheese queen Kris Lloyd, of Woodside Cheese Wrights, is behind the celebration that will see masterclasses, bars and ‘ferment labs’ take place in Rundle Park.

Fermentation is the process responsible for making many foods and beverages, such as cheese, bread, smallgoods, beer, wine and gin.

It’s also behind the latest trendy foods, kimchi and kombucha.

On Saturday October 21, the Brand South Australia team will celebrate I Choose SA Day at Ferment, encouraging festival-goers to support the myriad of local food and beverage innovators.

Fermentation is the magical process used to make many of life's necessities, e.g. wine, cheese, and chocolate. PHOTO: Duy Dash.

Fermentation is the magical process used to make many of life’s necessities, e.g. wine, cheese, and chocolate. PHOTO: Duy Dash.

Award-winning Adelaide chef and festival patron Jock Zonfrillo will kick off Ferment with an exclusive eight-course feast under the stars.

Attendees will also learn to make butter, kimchi, sauerkraut and other fermented treats with chef Simon Bryant, MasterChef finalist Jessie Spiby, cheesemaker Mitch Lloyd, cultured butter expert Pepe Saya and author Rebecca Sullivan.

Wine writer and marketer Paul Henry will lead a VIP wine tasting masterclass.

Beverage legends NOLA, Applewood, Hills Cider and 23rd St Distillery, among others, will offer a hands-on insight into the fermentation and brewing of wine, beer, cider, tea, whisky, brandy, espresso martini, and gin and tonic.

Kris Lloyd says the event will showcase how South Australians are leading the way with food.

“It is an exciting time to be bringing fermentation to the forefront, while the concept of fermentation might be new to some it has actually been going on for thousands of years,” she says.

“We look forward to entertaining and educating people about it, especially seeing all the recent commentary around the health benefits of eating fermented food.”

Ferment the Festival is an evolution of Cheesefest which ran for a decade until 2015.

For tickets and further information visit the website.

by brandsa2018

From Mt Gambier to NYC: SA milliner a head above of the rest

By Melissa Keogh

The dazzling lights of New York City are a world away from the idyllic country side of South Australia’s South East.

But Mt Gambier milliner Ashlee Kalantarian is about to give New Yorkers a taste of what SA style is all about.

In September, the mother-of-two will showcase her Ashlee Lauren headwear at one of the world’s biggest celebrations of style – New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

It’s a big achievement considering five years ago she began crafting the bespoke headpieces at home from her garage.

Ashlee Kalantarian has turned a passion for craft into a business which will enjoy the spotlight in New York and the upcoming Adelaide Fashion Festival.

Ashlee Kalantarian has turned a passion for craft into a business which will enjoy the spotlight in New York and the upcoming Adelaide Fashion Festival.

The accessories will also hit the runway at the Adelaide Fashion Festival (AFF) in October, giving Ashlee the chance to rub shoulders with established and emerging SA designers.

“I create my pieces all from my garage which I have transformed into a studio,” she says.

“It’s a slow process … it takes hours to complete one piece.”

With the South East’s social scene thriving on horse racing events, Ashlee launched her first race-wear collection in March this year.

The headpieces take about six weeks to design.

The headpieces take about six weeks to design.

“That’s what blew me out of the water and that’s where NYFW picked me up from,” she says.

Ten Ashlee Lauren pieces will be showcased through NYFW’s Fashion Palette, a platform that elevates Aussie designers and connects them with the big players.

She will share the spotlight with eight other designers, while Adelaide hair care company Davroe is the official hair partner.

The Mt Gambier community helped raise $22,000 to help cover the costs of the stint, while $11,000 was raised through an online crowdfunder.

Ashlee Lauren will hit the SA fashion scene on October 12, for the AFF Couture Culture runway show.

“I’m really fortunate to go to New York but (AFF) will connect me to local people,” she says.

Many social media gurus have been snapped wearing Ashlee's accessories, including fashion and travel blogger Jasmin Howell who has a following of 252,000.

Many social media gurus have been snapped wearing Ashlee’s accessories, including fashion and travel blogger Jasmin Howell who has a following of 252,000.

Ashlee began her love affair with design while studying visual communications at university before catching the travel bug and living in London, Canada and Dubai.

Dubai was where she became a flight attendant for Emirates and met her husband, Ali.

After falling pregnant with their first child, the pair relocated to Mt Gambier to be closer to Ashlee’s family and raise their children in the country.

The Ashlee Lauren label took flight when she made a brooch bouquet for her own wedding in 2012.

Word of her talent soon spread and her accessories were selling on popular online marketplace, Etsy, and featured in Bride Australia magazine.

Now 20% of her customer base is from overseas while her accessories also retail at Adelaide couture label Alexis George.

“Living here has given me so much love and support, I don’t know if I would have been able to get that anywhere else,” Ashlee says.

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Country coffee lovers lifting the game

By Melissa Keogh

Two years ago Port Lincoln’s Richard Scott borrowed the kids’ popcorn maker in a DIY attempt to roast coffee beans.

Now the Eyre Peninsula local, along with his wife Sue, has adopted a much more sophisticated roasting technique, honing his craft under the auspices of some of Australia’s most decorated coffee creators.

The couple is behind Boston Bean Coffee Co which has been delighting speciality coffee appreciators across their region in the hope of lifting its coffee game.

Richard and Sue Scott are dedicated to serving good quality coffee in Port Lincoln.

Richard and Sue Scott are dedicated to serving good quality coffee in Port Lincoln.

Specialty coffee is recognised as being made from high quality coffee beans which can be easily traced back to their origin.

The awards have also been rolling in for Boston Bean Coffee Co recently, with the business winning a bronze medal at the 2017 Australian International Coffee Awards for their Symmetry – Specialty coffee blend.

The coffee company also took two silver medals and three bronze, and was awarded Reserve Champion at the 2017 Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards.

The Scotts say specialty coffee is hard to find in country towns, but holds the potential to luring more tourists.

“We thought, why don’t we start educating people in our regional area so that when people come to visit from all over the place they can go, ‘wow’, we went to the Eyre Peninsula … and we got a great coffee,” Sue says.

The Boston Bean Coffee Co’s blends and single origins are sold to individuals, cafés and businesses, while the company also often hosts pop up cafés at events across the region.

The couple research and experiment with beans sourced from premium coffee growing regions including El Salvador, Brazil and Ethiopia.

Boston Bean Coffee Co has won a

Boston Bean Coffee Co has won a swag of medals at the Australian International Coffee Awards and the Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards.

“I think our coffee journey started to a large degree in Melbourne, the epicentre of coffee in Australia,” Richard says.

“I know a lot of people in Adelaide don’t like that but it definitely is, and we really loved what they (Melbournians) were doing over there with specialty coffee.

“We just wanted to bring that quality of coffee into the Eyre Peninsula.”

Boston Bean Coffee Co uses a Loring coffee roaster – a “clean, green machine” which retains the flavour of the beans while having a lower impact on the environment than traditional roasters.

The Scotts also use compostable ‘Vegware’ cups, which break down within 12 weeks and wreak less havoc on the environment than typical takeaway coffee cups.

Australians are estimated to churn through one billion disposable coffee cups each year.

Boston Bean coffee can be found online, and at events and cafés across the Eyre Peninsula.

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Boutique wine gem adds to Riverland’s diversity

By Melissa Keogh

In a region that thrives on mass production, the Riverland’s Eric and Jenny Semmler are striving to ensure the area’s small producers stand out from the bunch.

The duo is behind family-owned boutique winery 919 Wines in the small town of Glossop and want the Riverland to be recognised as both a commercial winemaking centre and a premium wine region.

The hot, inland region is renowned for its big-name wineries and its grapegrowers who produce half of South Australia’s annual crush and a third of the nation’s entire harvest.

But according to former Winestate Winemaker of the Year Eric, small producers and cellar doors are on the rise and hold the key to diversifying the Riverland’s profile.

If only making wine was as easy as reeling in a fish.

Eric and Jenny Semmler fishing among the 919 vines. If only winemaking was as easy as reeling in a fish!

Small winemakers running the Riverland’s small-medium winemaking scene include Mallee Estate, Bassham Wines and Whistling Kite.

“It’s starting to be recognised as a diverse wine region with high quality commercial wines, but there’s also a number of small producers who are putting out high end wines,” he says.

“It’s an exciting time because it’s gone from zero (small winemakers) to half-a-dozen and it adds diversity.”

As advocates for the Riverland’s smaller producers, the Semmlers have won awards and shared their drops at consumer events and industry tastings in a bid to lift the region’s profile.

Eric says large producers, such as Berri Estates, will always be the “engine room” and main economic driver.

According to the SA Winegrape Crush Survey, Riverland growers produced $162m of winegrapes in the 2017 vintage, up $48m on last year.

“But the small producers are all about tourism and visitor experiences and they give a snapshot of the exciting stuff happening in the region,” Eric says.

The Riverland is renowned for its large-scale grape growing efforts, but small producers like 919 Wines add another dimension to the industry, with intimate cellar door and tasting experiences.

An intimate cellar door experience at 919 Wines.

After both honing their craft at a number of big and small wineries in Victoria and SA, the Semmlers founded 919 Wines in 1999 as a “project that we did in our spare time”.

The first vineyard was established in Glossop by 2002, with the mediterranean-style vines proving ideal for the Riverland’s hot climate and low rainfall.

“When the wine started to sell we realised we could make very good wine using the right horticultural techniques,” Eric says.

The winery is now self-sufficient, growing 95% of its own fruit and, as an Australian certified organic winery, practices organic and biodynamic techniques.

Check out the array of Riverland wineries here.

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Solar thermal power plant secured for Port Augusta

By Andrew Spence

A 150MW solar thermal power plant will be built in South Australia by global company SolarReserve.

The Aurora Solar Energy Project located in Port Augusta, about 300km north of Adelaide, will incorporate eight hours of storage or 1100 megawatts-hours, allowing it to operate like a conventional coal or gas power station.

The $650m plant – the biggest of its kind in the world – will have a capacity of about 135MW under normal operating conditions with the ability to increase that output in favourable conditions.

It will be situated about 150km northwest of Jamestown, where Elon Musk will install the world’s largest Lithium-ion battery at Hornsdale Wind Farm.

The project will create create 650 local jobs during construction and 50 ongoing positions.

Aurora will deliver 495 gigawatt-hours of power annually – providing fully dispatchable baseload electricity to the network.

The plant will go ahead after SolarReserve was awarded a contract with the SA Government.

In September 2016 the State Government launched a tender process to procure 75 per cent of its long-term power supply in order to attract a new competitor into the electricity market, increasing competition and putting downward pressure on power prices.

The offer from SolarReserve was the lowest-cost option of the shortlisted bids with the Government paying no more than $78/MWh.

SolarReserve CEO Kevin Smith says energy storage technology was an excellent fit for the SA electricity system and would create jobs and stimulate long-term economic development.

“Aurora will provide much needed capacity and firm energy delivery into the South Australian market to reduce price volatility,” he says.

SolarReserve will establish an Australian headquarters in Adelaide by the end of the year with construction of the Aurora plant on a vast pastoral station, pictured below, about 30km north of Port Augusta.

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The project will use thousands of mirrors (heliostats) to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a central receiver on top of a tower.

The process heats molten salt, pumped to the top of the tower and flowing through the receiver, to 565 degrees Celsius.

The molten salt provides a stored heat source that is used to generate steam to drive a single turbine that generates electricity.

The facility can generate power at full load for up to eight hours after sunset.

The project is a big win for the Port Augusta community, which is still recovering from the closure of a major coal-fired power station in the town last year.

SA Premier Jay Weatherill says the Port Augusta story was a stark example of the transition of the SA economy.

“The Aurora Solar Energy Project will enhance South Australia’s reputation as a leader in clean, cheap renewable energy,” he says.

“This is a terrific result for the people of Port Augusta who have campaigned hard to deliver this outcome for their community.”

Australian Solar Council and Energy Storage Council chief executive John Grimes says the project is a huge win for SA, which has faced a difficult 12-months of power outages and electricity price increases.

“Solar thermal in Port Augusta means jobs for regional South Australia. It means zero emissions baseload power,” he says.

by brandsa2018

Brand Confetti to unleash secrets to social media

By Melissa Keogh

Two SA born entrepreneurs will combine forces this weekend (August 19 and 20) to deliver an arsenal of social media hacks aimed at increasing businesses’ online influence.

Emma Kate Codrington and Sonia Bavistock will host Brand Confetti, a two-day workshop in the CBD, to explore the power of social media and how to navigate the online world.

After a few years of living and breathing social media, the women now have a combined following of more than 100,000.

Emma Kate, a designer and travel influencer, is the chief of stationary and lifestyle brand Emma Kate Co.

Sonia is a lifestyle blogger at Sonia Styling and chief storyteller of social media management and copywriting business, Scribe+Social.

Brand Confetti will share social media and online tips and tricks.

Brand Confetti will share social media and online tips and tricks.

On Saturday, August 19, the ladies will share tips on having a strong online business presence and will also cover all things Facebook and Instagram.

On Sunday, August  20, a half-day workshop will explore the art of hand lettering, photography tips, editing tricks and how to create engaging social media content.

Sonia built up her social media following of more than 35,000 “slowly and steadily” over the past four years.

She says social media gives businesses a chance to tell their brand story, engage with customers and create brand loyalty.

“The key is to be on the social media platforms your customers are using, to post good quality content frequently and to be timely when responding to your audience,” she says.

Brand Confetti is also being held in Melbourne, where Emma Kate is currently residing.

Her story involves travelling and working around the world before eventually returning to Adelaide to truly find her feet.

Emma Kate and Sonia have a combined social media following of more than 100,000.

Emma Kate and Sonia have a combined social media following of more than 100,000.

Emma Kate says she couldn’t have launched Emma Kate Co, which produces notebooks and diary planners, anywhere else than Adelaide.

“I felt very held and very supported every step of the way and I’ve really leveraged what Adelaide has and made that work,” she says.

Emma Kate, who has an Instagram following of almost 72,000, says the key to nailing the platform is ensuring quality content.

“People are on Instagram to be inspired and to escape into a world,” she says.

“You can bring a real dreamy kind of ethereal, wanderlust – that’s what I try to do anyway.”

What: Brand Confetti

When: Saturday, August 19, business and social media workshop. Sunday, August 20, creative workshop. (Participants can choose to attend one or both workshops.)

Where: Austin Bloom, Flinders Street, Adelaide.

Tickets: https://brandconfetti.eventbrite.com.au

by brandsa2018

Prancing Pony gallops to success … again!

By Melissa Keogh

Almost a year since its glory win at the International Beer Challenge (IBC) in London, and Prancing Pony Brewery in the Adelaide Hills is again a nose ahead of the field.

In 2016 Prancing Pony’s India Red Ale was crowned the world’s best beer by IBC judges, who have this year slapped the Totness Brewery’s beers with five medals.

Among the accolades is the Black India Pale Ale (IPA) – The Hunt for the Red Velvet – which took a gold medal.

Prancing Pony co-founder and head brewer Frank Samson says the strong brew tastes “just like a black forest cake” and is reminiscent of rich chocolate.

It also packs a wild punch at 9.6% abv (alcohol by volume), meaning it’s not for the faint hearted.

Prancing Pony beers are becoming regular award-winners.

Prancing Pony beers are becoming regular award-winners.

“The idea was to create an improbable blend of a fruity double IPA with a Russian Imperial Stout, where rich and opulent fruity hop flavours would blend with dark malt flavours,” he says.

Prancing Pony also won silver for its Imperial Pale Ale, Pagan’s Empire, a bronze for the Magic Midnight Carpet Ride Stout and a bronze for the Black Ale.

The 2016 world’s best beer, the India Red Ale, laid relatively low this year, but still snagged a silver.

The IBC attracts entries from more than 30 countries.

The Hunt for the Red Velvet will go into the running for the Best in Class trophy and the Supreme Champion Beer, announced in London in September 4.

Prancing Pony co-founder and CEO, Corinna Steeb, says last year’s Supreme Champion Trophy was a game changer for the business which grew from humble beginnings.

Prancing Pony has grown from a two-person operation to a popular brewery that supports apprentices.

Prancing Pony has grown from a two-person operation to a popular brewery that supports apprentices.

Corinna and Frank – both from Germany – launched Prancing Pony in 2011.

Sharing her wisdom at Brand South Australia’s I Choose SA For Industry Briefing this week, Corinna says her very first beer sale is among her biggest highlights.

“The first dude walked into our brew shed and ordered some beer, actually handed over some cash, that was an amazing moment and I think that everyone remembers the first $5 that they made,” she says.

Last year saw a large upgrade to Prancing Pony’s bottling line to ensure the business keeps up with demand.

“We are quite a motley crew, we have a lot of fun,” Corinna says.

“We now have a female apprentice, male apprentice and an apprentice chef … to me that’s an amazing highlight for our company.”

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McLaren Vale Distillery follows the wine to whisky trail

By Melissa Keogh

Whisky aficionado John Rochfort always knew there was something special about South Australia.

While producing fine malt whisky in Tasmania – Australia’s whisky capital – the former chef says his home state continued to be praised within craft industry circles.

“Every time an award was won it was won with SA (wine) casks and SA grain and it was getting to me,” he says.

“I was determined to come back.”

After running the ship at Tasmania’s Lark Distillery – a pioneering company in the Australian whisky industry – John returned home and launched the McLaren Vale Distillery.

The McLaren Vale Distillery team are committed to producing top shelf, premium whisky.

The McLaren Vale Distillery team is committed to producing top shelf, premium whisky.

John says SA’s high quality barley, wine barrels and clean water supply made it an ideal base for a craft distillery.

Two years later, the business is setting the bar for not only whisky producing in SA, but across the country.

Earlier this month McLaren Vale Distillery took two major awards at the inaugural Whiskies and Spirits Conference in Adelaide.

Some of the world’s finest whisky makers were in town for the event – a first for the southern hemisphere.

“I’m proud to be South Australian after the other night – and I always was – but to take that leap of faith to leave Tasmania and do something here and have it pay off, it’s been great,” John says.

About 40km from Adelaide, McLaren Vale Distillery is run by the Rochfort family and business partner Jock Harvey.

Its single malt whiskies are aged in ex-fortified wine barrels sourced from 20 vignerons across McLaren Vale and the Barossa.

Some of the barrels have previously held premium Century-old wines.

The barrels impart their flavours on the maturing whisky and John says this means a port cask is likely to create a deep red colour, while a sherry cask will infuse floral notes.

While Tasmanian and Scottish whisky makers also rely on the wine industry for their craft, John says his distillery makes the most of the wine barrels’ flavours.

The whisky matures in ex-fortified wine barrels from top winemakers across the region.

The whisky matures in ex-fortified wine barrels from top winemakers across the region.

“The standard process in Scotland and Tasmania is when those casks arrive to the distillery they fill it with water to expand the wood because they don’t want their spirit to leak everywhere,” he says.

“As an ex-chef I would just watch the crimson, red or gold water flow out of these casks and think that is the best flavour you guys have got.

“The flavours we were getting in the first 10-20 days … were flavours and aromas we weren’t getting in two or three years in Tasmania.”

John says whisky making is a hard slog requiring patience and dedication, with his distillery’s first batch of single malt whiskys due for release in 2018.

“It’s not like being a chef where the meal is ready in 20-30 minutes,” he says.

“It’s five or six years before you see the product, so when you gain notoriety it means so much.”

However, the Bloodstone Collection, a limited series of 20 collaborations between McLaren Vale Distillery and SA winemakers, is a preview release and has already proved popular.