Food Drink

Coonawarra Cabernet festival brings Spring cheer this October

With spring in full flight, there’s no better time to soak up Coonawarra. Take the time to celebrate, educate + activate your senses from 1 to 31 October 2020.

Coonawarra wineries are preparing for a busy month ahead with plenty of fun events for the whole family planned as part of the upcoming Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations.

A highlight on the wine region’s event calendar, the festival is designed to showcase and celebrate the Coonawarra’s signature red wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, and with October offering up five weekends, organisers have themed each one to appeal to a wide variety of tastes.

Kicking off on 1 October and running through to the end of the month, locals and intrastate travellers will have the chance to see the best of Coonawarra, with no small number of Cabernets and other fantastic wines to be tasted as part of festivities.

Heidi Eldridge, Events & Marketing Manager of Coonawarra Vignerons said there will be plenty of opportunities for wine lovers, foodies and families alike to discover Coonawarra, whilst enjoying the world-class wines, country hospitality and sense of community.

“This year’s program is extensive as ever with over 70 food and wine experiences to be enjoyed. There’ll be events where guests can sample vintages a decade old (- or older!) , along with barrel to glass tastings of wines that are yet to be released , and intimate chances to rub shoulders with winemakers—learning about the process, the heart and the soul that goes into their renowned products.” MS Eldridge said.

One of the feature events in the calendar is the Regional Cabernet [Decade]nce Tasting and is a fantastic example of wineries co-presenting.

“This combined winery event brings together up to 15 producers and winemakers in one location to taste and compare wines 10 years and older with current releases. Not all of our producers have cellar doors, so this is a great opportunity for them to be involved in the festival, and for guests to taste their wines and meet the faces behind them’ Ms Eldridge said.

The Regional Tasting, which traditionally invites walk ins, has sold out within weeks of the event program being released, with a second date now confirmed to cater for the demand of this unique tasting event.

The second instalment, which includes a dining package at Hollick Estates Upstairs Restaurant, will take place on the final weekend, Friday 29th October.

Alongside the wine tasting events there are opportunities for the whole family to enjoy Spring, on the lawn, under the patio or indoors at Coonawarra Cellar Doors—whether for food, wine or other beverages—with a shuttle bus service also available.

“Coonawarra’s wineries are going to great lengths to make sure that there is a variety of offerings to suit a whole range of visitors. From lawn games to nature play, cooking classes, chocolate, cheese and wine tastings, as well as live music, there’s so much to choose from! The hardest part really will be deciding where to go first!” Eldridge said.

During Spring and the upcoming school holiday break, Coonawarra Vignerons is promoting the Coonawarra region, while also encouraging locals and intrastate travellers to visit the region’s other attractions in the months ahead.

“We’d really like to make sure that tourism operators within the region are aware of not only what’s happening in their own districts but beyond, so that we can encourage people to go that bit further, discover more and stay another day,” Ms Eldridge said.

“We are seeing a phenomenal amount of people travelling from within South Australia, many of whom are exploring our region for the first time.”

Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations begins Friday, 1 October with a golf day at the stunning Penola Golf Course, where guests can enjoy a glass of sparkling and a breakfast treat on arrival, lunch on course, and with an expansive selection of Coonawarra wines and nibbles post-golf.

The full list of events, which coincide with South Australia’s school holidays, is available online at www.coonawarra.org.

The Coonawarra Vignerons conducts six annual events:

• 1 to 31 October 2021 Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations
• 13 January 2022 Coonawarra Vignerons Cup Day
• 8 +9 April 2022 Coonawarra After Dark
• May 2022 Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival
• 1 to 31 July 2022 Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers
• August 2022 Coonawarra Cellar Door in the City Wine Tasting Roadshow

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