EVENTS
The Red Hill
Long Lunch
...
Peninsula Wine Country
is held each year during harvest and is a great
time to visit the region. The annual long lunch
raises funds for local causes and in February
2008 will be raising funds for the Bittern Primary
School as it is connected with the Stephanie
Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation program
and has a strong focus within the curriculum
in helping children to understand the origins of
food by growing, cooking and eating it!
Visitors can experience an a-maze-ing
abundance of regional fine food, fine wine and
fine hospitality at the Long lunch which caters
for 250 guests. Seven chefs and twelve wineries
Just an easy hour from the city, the Mornington Peninsula provides
will work together to create a day to remember
a great escape for wine lovers and rewards those who enjoy the
with the long table in the beautiful woodlands
at Ashcombe Maze. Chefs from The Long
best things in life.
Table, Montalto, Barmah Park, Max's at Red
Hill Estate, Paringa Estate, La Petanque and
The strong maritime influence allows the Peninsula to stand alone
Lindenderry join forces to create a magnificent
with its grape qualities. White wines are very fine in flavours
menu to match to the exciting range of
and at the same time rich and voluptuous. The red wines are
Peninsula wines (Bookings 03 5989 8387)
especially generous, the famous pinot noir, especially powerful. The
Peninsula Piers
Mornington Peninsula, established as one of Australia's great wine
regions, welcomes you!
and Pinots
...at Flinders Foreshore on 9 March 2008 is
GROWING
another opportunity to taste local producers'
Great Grapes
Pinots. Between 12 3pm, head for Flinders
foreshore, adjacent to the Pier, and you will be
welcomed by the region's winemakers who will
showcase their Pinots with sensational matching
In these times of the world focus on
2007 Vintage may be the best ever!
local food and produce. Pinot Noir, Pinot
The 2007 growing season started with
global warming, it is interesting to
Grigio, Pinot Meunier will all feature down by
quite a cool period around flowering
witness such extreme weather patterns
the bay. Buy a glass along with tasty 'grazing'
in Spring 2006. At the very time we all
as the current drought, some say, one
morsels and enjoy the spectacular yet intimate
expect the air temperature to climb, it
in a hundred years. We do seem to be
environment - a beach side lunch to remember.
didn't! Fewer flowers means fewer and
picking some varieties slightly earlier
or smaller grapes but, put simply, less
Mornington Peninsula is surrounded by Port
than 30 years ago on the Morningotn
fruit. Another highly unusual occurrence
Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay - a unique
Peninsula. It is however very interesting
in our region is frost. On the Mornington
maritime location offers the perfect 'sea
to also remember that white settlement
Peninsula we don't do frosts! But this
change' - even if it's just for a day! It also has
in this very old continent only covers only
time last year we did - in small pockets
a special effect on the region's pinots. They
around 200 years.
in low lying areas! The resultant crop of
relish the long late ripening of a gentle autumn
grapes harvested in February / March this
that creates wines with outstanding flavours,
The Mornington Peninsula wine industry
year was smaller than expected yet is
balanced natural acidity and fine tannins.
is, like every agricultural pursuit
now being acclaimed as the best vintage
everywhere, directly affected by these
As the grand finale to events throughout
yet by many winemakers in the region.
weather patterns as well as the terroir of
the region and in Melbourne, as part of the
the specific sites. Terroir relates to the soil
The maritime influence in the region
Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, just follow
and the micro climate on a specific site
creates a moderating affect which allows
the flags at Flinders Foreshore to the finish line
which can vary even within a vineyard.
for a late ripening and a prolonged and
of the Piers & Pinots yacht race. Mornington
Viticultural and winemaking experiences
gentle autumn that creates wines with
Peninsula vignerons will showcase their pinots
allow vignerons to understand their
outstanding flavours, balanced natural
with matched food by The Long Table. Wineries
terroir and to continue to grow the
acidity and fine tannins. Perhaps the only
include Tucks Ridge, Box Stallion, Lindenderry,
quality and consistency of their wines
region in Australia with such an incredible
Red Hill Estate, Morning Sun Estate, Montalto,
which are now being demanded and sold
"location" the maritime cool climate
Elgee Park, The Cups Estate, Stonier Wines,
produces very fine wines.
all around the world.
The Duke Vineyard, Willow Creek Vineyard,
Baillieu Vineyard, Winbirra, Nazaaray, T'Gallant,
Rahona Valley, Rigel Wines and Whinstone.
When visiting this year and passing by the vineyard, take a look around. Flowers
turn to grapes, leaves grow, wires are raised, mulch is maintained and then at
Enquiries and bookings please visit
the first sign of color on the grapes (veraison) nets cover the vines until grapes
are picked, from as early as February in some varieties.
68
Peninsula Visitor . . . Summer 2007-08
