11th Mar 2019 by brandsa2018

SA wine labels pour in heart of city

Internationally renowned brands and smaller boutique labels from 17 South Australian wine regions will gather in the heart of the city this weekend.

The Adelaide Convention Centre will host the annual Cellar Door Fest from March 15-17, giving visitors the opportunity to learn not only about the state’s winemaking talents, but also the hottest craft breweries, distilleries and premium produce on offer in SA.

“Cellar Door Fest is all about celebrating the best of SA and showcasing our state’s vibrant food and drink scene,” says Adelaide Convention Centre general manager Simon Burgess.

“We’re delighted to be celebrating the festival’s ninth year and the fact that the event has established itself as a permanent fixture on our state’s festival calendar.

“With so many of our state’s principal wineries in attendance, Cellar Door Fest continues to be a terrific illustration of SA’s global reputation as a Great Wine Capital of the World in addition to highlighting our state’s emerging craft beer and distillery producers.”

Thousands of wine lovers are expected to descend upon the Adelaide Convention Centre over three days for the 2019 Cellar Door Fest.

Festival highlights include two long table dining events, the Jacob’s Creek Long Table Dinner on March 15 and the NOLA New Orleans-inspired Long Table Lunch on March 16.

For those wanting to immerse themselves in the world of wine and gin blending, a series of masterclasses will unfold including a cheese and sparkling session (sold out), a gin blending session with Settlers Spirits, a pinor noir wine blending session with Tomich Wines, and a cheese and wine session with Sheree Sullivan of Udder Delights and wine educator Rhys Howlett.

The Great Wine Capitals (GWC) Discovery Space will explain how Adelaide, SA, is ranked alongside some of the world’s top wine regions in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network. GWC Best of Wine Tourism Award winners will be on hand for tastings and free masterclasses, including Chapel Hill Winery, Whistling Kite, Penfolds, d’Arenberg, Elderton, and Hentley Farm Wines.

Two long table dining events are among the festival highlights.

Wine lovers wanting to sample up-and-coming drops can head for the Emerging Winemakers Zone – introduced last year – to learn about a selection of labels that have been in the industry for three years or less. Emerging winemakers include Artis Wines, Auld Family Wines, Beklyn Wines, Blewitt Springs Wine Co, Dewey Station Wines, Eight at the Gate, Junnare Wines, Peter Teakle Wines, Peter Thompson Wines, Poppy the Frenchie, Saint & Scholar and The Hydropath Society.

Cellar Door Fest organisers say this year’s event is proud to highlight eco-friendly producers including those offering certified organic, biodynamic and vegan friendly products, as well as those who use sustainable packaging.

“We’re thrilled to be back and to once again provide a platform for SA producers to showcase their amazing wares and connect with consumers,” says Cellar Door Fest director Alex Bradford.

“Our team is proud to have assembled another fantastic program this year, including a great assortment of immersive experiences for guests to enjoy, from tastings to long table dining, masterclasses and live cooking demonstrations in Jessie’s Kitchen and the Wintulichs Beer Garden.”

Beer drinkers can visit the Wintulichs Beer Garden to taste a selection of local brews.

Jessie’s Kitchen will keep foodies satisfied with a series of free, live cooking demonstrations hosted by Adelaide food identity Jessie Spiby and other producers. Visitors inclined to sip on a fresh G&T will appreciate the popular Distillery District, showcasing many of the state’s emerging craft distilleries including Never Never Distilling Co, which took out the title for World’s Best Gin Classic at the World Gin Awards in London recently.

Beer drinkers can head for the Wintulichs Beer Garden to spot a showcase of top breweries and cidermakers. A new addition this year is the Dude Food stage, featuring a series of free lessons in grilling, smoking and searing meats. Burgers, tacos, hot dogs and sizzling steaks – we say no more.

To view the full Cellar Door Fest program and to purchase tickets visit the website.

What is a wine festival without a selection of local Brie cheeses to wash it all down.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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29th Mar 2018 by brandsa2018

Sidewood’s new bottling facility a first for Adelaide Hills

Lifestyle, Regional
Adelaide Hills, Cider, Nairne, Regional, Sidewood Estate, Wine, Winery

Adelaide Hills winery Sidewood Estate is celebrating the completion of its multi-million dollar bottling facility – the first of its kind in the region.

The Nairne estate’s new bottling line can fill and label up to 3000 bottles per hour with an annual capacity of more than five million bottles.

The facility is the region’s first bottling line for sparkling wines.

Sidewood Estate owner Owen Inglis says the growth and demand for the business’s wines locally, nationally and internationally prompted the need for expansion.

He says the whole region is set to benefit from the new facility, which will allow third party contracts for other wine, cider and beer brands.

Sidewood’s Estate’s Darryl Catlin and Owen Inglis.

“Until now, local producers often have had to go as far as Port Adelaide, Barossa or McLaren Vale to bottle wine and ciders which can prove costly, but also importantly, due to the tyranny of distance, make it difficult for producers to monitor the packaging process of their own products,” Owen says.

“Providing regional producers with a quality alternative for local processing will be a highly attractive option for wineries and cider houses looking for commercially viable bottling and canning solutions.”

The new counter pressure bottling line allows for the bottling of products with bubbles, such as sparking wine, muscat and cider.

The bottling and canning equipment was part of a $4m expansion of the Nairne winery and was supported through a $856,000 grant from the former Labour State Government’s Regional Development Fund.

The operation of the bottling facility has allowed Sidewood to further increase its level of quality control, meaning the business owns the whole winemaking process.

This includes the growing of its grapes, to crushing, fermentation and maturation of its wines.

The winery has a focus on recycled water and also sources the majority of its electricity from solar power.

Aside from wine, Sidewood is also renowned for its ciders.

Fruit used in these beverages is 100% Adelaide Hills grown and is crushed, fermented, kegged, canned and bottled under the one roof.

Sidewood’s pear cider won a gong at the 2017 World Cider Awards in London.

Sidewood winemaker Darryl Catlin says the new line gives him “total control” over the winemaking process from start to finish, allowing him to keep producing award-winning wines and ciders.

“These facilities will help give Sidewood another edge in quality terms and the benefits of control,” he says.

“This is another example of Sidewood’s commitment to quality and the ability to have a vine to glass philosophy.”

Sidewood’s cellar door is located about 20 minutes away from the winery at Maximilian’s Restaurant at Verdun, while its vineyards are scattered across Oakbank, Echunga, Nairne and Verdun.

In 2017 Sidewood’s pear cider was named the Best Dry Style Pear Cider at the World Cider Awards in London.

Sidewood has received a number of other international and national awards, including achieving a five red star accreditation from James Halliday.

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22nd Aug 2017 by brandsa2018

Adelaide Hills pear cider is world’s best

By Melissa Keogh

Pop the top off a Sidewood Basket Pressed Pear Cider and you’re about to sip on the best dry pear cider in the world.

The team at Adelaide Hills cidermaker Sidewood has good reason to propose a toast this week after winning the World’s Best Dry-Style Perry/Pear Cider at the 2017 World Cider Awards in London.

The cider, made from fruit sourced from Hills orchards, was ahead of 25 entrants including five other Australians.

Sidewood’s Basket Pressed Apple Cider also won a gold medal.

Sidewood owner Owen Inglis says the win was a testament to the passion, hard work and commitment to quality by head cidermaker Michael Redman and his team.

“Our handcrafted cider – fully produced in the Adelaide Hills – has always contained just fresh 100% Adelaide Hills grown apples and pears,” he says.

“Our dedication and desire to producing a pure, fresh product without fillers or sweeteners means we never comprise on quality which has paid us dividends with this award.”

The Basket Pressed Pear Cider is the World’s Best Dry-Style Perry/Pear Cider.

Head cidermaker Michael Redman says the win was a pinch-me moment.

“I had to pinch myself. Yes it was real,” he says.

“Now as the dust settles a mad rush is on to make sure we have enough stock on-hand for the impending boom.”

The six-week cidermaking process begins in the orchards with fruit selected for flavour and acidity.

The fruit is then crushed and cool fermented at Sidewood’s Nairne cidery within hours of picking.

Sidewood mills, presses, ferments, cans and kegs at Nairne.

An orchard has also been planted, allowing the company to “take control of the growing process”.

The company says that tests conducted in October 2016 found that Sidewood ciders had one of the lowest sugar contents in the market, with 1.8g of sugar per 100ml.

This is compared to a market average sugar content of 4.56g per 100ml.

The overall World’s Best Cider will be announced in September.

Sidewood is predominantly a winery, with wines made by internationally renowned winemaker Darryl Catlin.

It began cidermaking in 2014.