Beautiful Tasmania

Well hello there! I have just returned from an amazing food and wine extravaganza in Tasmania. It was my first time there and I couldn't believe how absolutely beautiful it was. The little island below the Victorian mainland definitely bats above its weight and is worth a visit from any mainlander who is yet to venture across the Tasman and especially anyone who has travelled the minimum 8 hour flight to get down under.

As we were travelling in a group with cars and motorbikes we met in Melbourne and caught the Spirit of Tasmania to Devonport. This was a long day but well worth the effort to have all out gear with us. We only stayed one night in Devonport before heading to Marion Bay for the Falls Festival over New Year, however there are plenty of wineries in the area to check out if you make it to Devonport. 

Sparkling in a our festival glasses

The festival was rustic and fun. We enjoyed the simple things in life like beautiful countryside, sleeping in a tent on a grass paddock with 16,000 other festival goers and drinking wine out of a bag that one of our crew ingeniously smuggled into the concert in the panel of the car door of his ute. 

Whilst very entertaining it wasn't until we hit the Taste Festival in Hobart that we really begun to see the culinary and viticultural skills of Tasmania shine. Similar to any other food and wine festival, local producers join together for 7 days along the Harbour of Salamanca and show off their wares. The best thing about this festival in particular is that it is free! All you have to do to try each and every wine is buy a $7 plastic glass which you use to get a sample of the different wines.

The festival deal at Clover Hill 

The restaurants around the Salamanca area also bat above their weight. It is hard to believe that Hobart only has a population of around 200,000 people. Along the foreshore there are a number of excellent restaurants with fresh produce and great wine lists. The one thing you might notice however is that when there are a few more people than expected the unsuspecting waitstaff tend to get a little hot under the collar and you might end up waiting some time for service or be denied a table at all even though there are some free. 

That said we only got turned away once and we found a perfectly acceptable substitute right next door at 'The Quarry'. The other little treat we found was the wine bar 'The Grape' from the photo below you can probably tell what an amazing selection of wine they had from Tasmania, Australia and around the world. Definitely worth a look in. 

It is a really cosy little wine bar and bottle shop where you can sample many different wines. They also have delicious platters with flavours to make the wines pop.

The Grape Wine Bar Salamanca

Blimy, already a full post and we have only made it to Hobart. Keep checking in and I will share the rest of my Tasmanian wine adventures. 

Until next time, have a glass for me. Alex Mac xxx

From another blog

My gorgeous friend and fellow wine clubber Ash has just created a new blog with her friend Axel, and guess who they wrote about in their most recent entry??? Little old me :)

Check out her blog at axelandash

I hope you are enjoying the festive season. Have a glass for me. Alex Mac xxx

AlexMacWine Club Schedule 2013

So it is nearly the end of the year which means lots of festivities, but also lots of preparation for 2013. To give you an idea what goes on at wine club I am publishing our schedule for 2013.

Why not create your own wine club and use some of these ideas to get you started? One of our fabulous wine clubbers Laura Jonsson has just written and published her first book titles '52 weeks of fun'. It gives you 52 great ideas of things to do with your girlfriends throughout the year. You can check it out at amazon or on her facebook page. I am pleased to say that AlexMacWine Club gets a mention and Mrs Jonsson was the one who suggested that I publish the secrets of Wine club for the world to enjoy.

Let me know if you have any questions or ideas.

As always, lots of love Alex Mac xx.

Tasmanian Devils

It is nearly the Christmas break and I have to admit I am very much looking forward to my holiday to Tasmania with a group of new friends. Normally I wouldn't have picked the island at the bottom of our great country as holiday destination but through a little research I have discovered that it is quite a wonderous little place with some seriously good wine.

In an attempt to get the most out of the trip I decided to have a look at some of the wineries that we might get to have a look at whilst we are travelling around. This is what I have found.

About the Region

Tasmania has a cool climate with a mild summer and long autumn days. In this type of environment the grapes ripen slowly and surely and therefore offer crisper/drier characteristics. The climate is similar to that of the famous European wines and therefore if you are interested in trying the European styles without the price tag then you don't have to go far!

Tasmania now produces some delicious and elegant cool climate wines that are gaining popularity including Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Gris and Sparkling wines. The wineries tend to be small but offer wine tastings at their cellar door. There are also a number of wineries that have lovely restaurants offering views of the water or the vineyard.

The Southern Wine Region

This region is made up of three different areas; the Coal River Valley which is a about 15 minutes by car north east of Hobart, Derwent Valley is a 35 minute drive and the Huon Valley/D'Entrecasteaux Channel region is around 30 minutes away. The climate is known as a maritime climate due to the proximity to the water which creates authentic cool climate wines. This would make an ideal day trip from Hobart where you can visit the historic villages of Richmond, New Norfolk, Huonville and Cygnet which have vineyard restaurants and cellar doors.

The Puddleduck vineyard looks super cute, The Richmond Tasting House has both Whisky and wine tasting which is sure to be a crowd pleaser and for the true enthusiast like moi there is Pooley Wines with a guided tour and lessons.

The North West Wine Route

This area is near cradle mountain and is home to lesser known towns and village sides. This region is closer to Davenport and sports a similar climate. Vineyards to visit here include Ghost Rock vineyard which is just 10 minutes drive from Davenport. You can sit outside and relax on the terrace whilst sipping delicious wines, nibbling on local produce and taking on the ocean and mountain views... sounds like heaven right! Lake Barrington Estate is very close as well and has a range of wines called Alexandra, clearly a must try. This area actually has a ton of lovely places to visit and is definitely worth getting lost in. Hawley House is one that I will definitely be checking out, take a peek at the link.

Launceston, Tamar and the North

Again, close to a city, I must admit the locations of the wineries in Tasmania are very convenient! A few to check out here include Pipers Brook Vineyard which has an architecturally-acclaimed cellar door offers tastings and sales of Kreglinger sparkling, Pipers Brook and Ninth Island wines, Three Wishes Vineyard because we all need a little luck sometimes and of course saving the best until last Jansz... Begin and end with bubbles!

Until next time, have a glass for me. Alex Mac xx

Drinking wine at Christmas time

As those of you who live at the bottom of the world along with me know, Christmas time is generally quite hot and therefore requires a very different wine list to our friends in the Northern Hemisphere.

Here are a few of my favourites to drink at Christmas time:

Bubbles, Fizz, Sparkling, Champagne

It is really all the same thing and in my opinion is something that can really be enjoyed all year round and on any occassion (except maybe a wake), however there is truly all the more reason to celebrate when everyone is getting on their festive cheer.

As a self proclaimed francophile I can definitely say that the French Champagne is close to my heart with some of my favourite brands consistently producing quality champagne including Veuve Cliquot, Moet Hennessy, Taittinger and Piper. These can be a little expensive though and are nice to keep for that special occassion or the first bottle for the evening. That said, when I was in Dan Murphy's recently I did purchase a few bottles of Piper for $35 per bottle which was a pretty incredible price! 

They have some great specials on at the moment, so if you can't go past the French stuff I recommend taking your car and stocking up. Dan Murphy's Champagne

For those of us who can only afford one special bottle never fear, local Aussie and other new world wine producers make some delicious bubbles that you won't even notice is not the original stuff. Some goodies include Jansz from Tasmania, Chandon - the little sister of Moet, and Grant Burge. Dan Murphy's Sparkling

White stuff

The Christmas parties are definitely in full swing now and the weekday lunches are beginning to fill up which is one of the best parts of the year. But what to drink? Generally I try to keep it light when eating out at a restaurant, especially when I have to go back to my desk and attempt to be productive in the afternoon. As a basic rule I usually pair light food with a light wine to try and make the flavour balance equal.

Wines that always come back in when summer comes knocking include a young Riesling such as the Pewsey Vale from the Eden Valley. This is a seriously easy drinking wine that subtly demonstrates the flavours without being too overpowering as I can sometimes find Riesling. I had this one last Friday at the new Merivale hot spot Mr Wong. It went superbly with our steamed ginger fish. I have also always loved a Pinot Gris but it is something that I am finding is becoming more and more brutalised as every Tom, Dick and Harry gets on the Pinot Gris train for a ride. Be careful when choosing this one and make sure that you get some advice if you don't have an idea of what you want. Some of the poor quality versions can taste watered down and tasteless.

Slurpable Red

The 'slurpable red' is a favourite term of my boyfriend who pretty much calls any resaonably priced tasty wine by this name. I quite like it myself as it says to me that I can have more than one glass when I am out without fear that I look like I am from the Twilight movies with blood-sucking teeth. No favourite brands at the moment but definitely feeling the medium bodied slurpable-ness of my friend Merlot.

Enjoy the festive season and until next time have a glass for me. Alex Mac!

Wine Etiquette - Drinking it right

Etiquette is generally something that you learn in school or from your parents that speaks to how one should behave in certain social occasions. However over time these become skewed and it can sometimes be difficult to decipher what is actually good manners, what is completely pretentious and then what is just plain silly. I thought it would be fun to do a little research and make sure that my wine etiquette skills are up to scratch before frequenting the parties of the silly season. This is what I found out... 

1. Fill 'er up!

When pouring yourself a glass of wine it is proper to fill a red wine glass 1/3 full, a white wine glass 1/2 full and a champagne flute 3/4 full. You can always go back for more... I know what you are thinking!

2. Glass grabber

Hold the glass by the stem for all types of wine. This prevents you warming white wine that should be served chilled and also stops you leaving smudgy fingerprints at the top of your glass. I learnt this one the hard way, having to change a smudgy glass half way through a business lunch. Eeek. Let's just say whatever the reason it is always better to hold by the stem.

3. Too many wines, what to drink first?

When drinking wine it is always best to start with the lightest wine first starting from the lightest of whites to the heaviest reds. If you don't know which variety is lighter then go by the colour of the wine. Generally speaking the lighter the colour in both white and red the lighter the wine will be. The reason you do this, is because as the wines become heavier so do the flavours and it will be very difficult to go backwards to taste the subtler flavours.

4. Hostess with the mostess

It is the host's job to make sure that the glasses of all the guests stay full, so grab that bottle and mingle with those party goers!

5. Would you like to try the wine?

The waiter will generally pour a small amount of wine into the glass of the person who ordered the bottle. This is so you can make sure that the wine is not corked, NOT for you to taste it and see if you don't like it. Wine that is stored under screw cap is almost never corked (because there is no cork) so you can just tell the waiter that it will be fine if you prefer not to go through the motions.

6. Merci beaucoup!

When someone brings an expensive bottle of wine to a dinner party you are hosting it is bad manners to put it on your wine rack and keep for your self. It is much better to graciously accept the wine and say how well it will go with whatever dish it best matches. If you are concerned about the wine that your guests bring match the wine why not let them know that you will be cooking?

7. You don't know what you don't know...

When you are at a restaurant ask the sommelier their advice. It is their job to create a wine list that specifically goes with the menu. They have tasted every wine on the list and will be able to help you find something that will suit what you are going to eat to your taste in wine.

I hope these little tips help you through the party season with a spring of confidence in your step.

Until next time. Have a glass for me. Alex Mac x

Other blogs to check out about Wine Etiquette:

A CUP OF JO - Super fun blog

Winery2U - First time here but some interesting tips and wineries to visit

A spring in our step

Finally Spring is here bringing us a refreshed outlook on life as the gloom of winter dissipates behind us. While we are not yet ready to put all of our coats and stockings away, it is definitely time to put our toe in the water and start exploring new wines to match our sunny disposition and enjoy that glorious ride into the lazy summer days.

Just as I am ready to park my parker, I am also ready to leave those big reds on my wine rack and start enjoying the lighter side of life. Moving from a big red to the lightest of whites is clearly a process though, I will need to adapt my wine selection to the weather and warm up to summer where I foresee myself sipping Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at a picnic in the park, relaxing with a Rose at an afternoon BBQ or bubbling away with the festivities of Champagne in the lead up to Christmas. But what lies in between? Well, I will have you know that there is an assortment of wines to sample in white and red that will tempt your taste buds in this beautiful interim season.

On a Spring day where the sun is shining, yet there is a chill in the air you may still need something soothing, a quality which I find mostly in red wine. A medium bodied version that I have recently taken notice of is Merlot. It is an interesting grape dark blue in colour. It is widely planted throughout the world as it can be used on its own to create a single variety wine (known as a varietal), or it can be blended with other grapes to create a multitude of wines differing in complexity and flavours. It is a grape that ripens quickly and is best produced in cool climate regions.

The best quality Merlot is grown in Australian vineyards in the cooler areas of Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Orange and the Limestone Coast. As recommended on the Australian Good Food and Travel Guide some Merlots worth trying this Spring are recommended below. Try one of the ones suggested or speak with the shop assistant at an independent local bottle shop to get some advice on a good wine. One I really like is the Wolf Blass Yellow Label Merlot. It is very affordable at $15.99 and is a really easy wine to drink.

Enjoy the first days of Spring and until next time, have a glass for me. Alex Mac

Taylors Clare Valley Merlot 2006

This wine is one of substance with fleshy fullness of flavour. The palate has an abundance of red be...

RRP: $19.99 |

Bliss Vineyard Merlot 2005

With optimal temperatures for a unprecedented growing season, 2005 afforded us the perfect weather f...

RRP: $21.00 |

Printhie Orange Merlot 2006

A complex bouquet of earthy, blackberry aromas. This Merlot continues onto a round and soft palate d...

RRP: $19.00 |

Blue Pyrenees Merlot 2006

Winery: Blue Pyrenees Estate