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 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 October 1 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.
Coonawarra Vignerons events and marketing manager Heidi Eldridge said there would be plenty of opportunities for wine lovers, foodies and families alike to discover Coonawarra while 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 installment, which includes a dining package at Hollick Estates Upstairs Restaurant, will take place on the final weekend, Friday, October 29.
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 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,” Ms Eldridge said.
During spring and the 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 like to make sure tourism operators within the region are aware of not only what’s happening in their own districts but beyond, so 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 within South Australia, many who are exploring our region for the first time.”
Prior to the month-long Cabernet Celebrations commencing in October, a regional tourism catch-up was hosted at Raidis Estate by the Coonawarra Vignerons, the region’s wine marketing body, welcoming the Limestone Coast’s tourism businesses and tourism officers from the region’s councils.
Among these were representatives from five of the seven Limestone Coast Council areas, including Wattle Range Council, Mount Gambier City Council, District Council of Robe, Naracoorte Lucindale Council and District Council of Grant District.
Port MacDonnell Community Complex coordinator Narelle Pignotti praised organisers for initiating the multi-district networking event.
“It was such an amazing opportunity to get together with the regions and learn about what everyone was doing,” she said.
The region’s destination development manager Biddie Shearing attended and provided insight on the desirability of the Limestone Coast to South Australian and interstate travellers.
“The Limestone Coast is brimming with events and activities over the next month and beyond, from families to couples and everything in between there is literally something for everyone,” she said.
“Our region lends itself perfectly to take a short trip to a number of townships and experience something different at each stop.
“We recently launched a destination website www.visitlimestonecoast.com.au and optimised social media platforms to help encourage visitors to see more of our region. We know from early analytics there is high demand for travel to the Limestone Coast.”
It was also revealed Coonawarra Vignerons had successfully received a shot in the arm through the Regional Events Grant Funding Program with sponsorship from the SA Tourism Commission enabling the festival to proceed for a further three years.
Moreover, in happy news the event was held on the birthday of Doug Balnaves, the founder of Balnaves of Coonawarra and patron of the Coonawarra Vignerons, with all attendees wishing him a happy birthday.
“I’m humbled to be part of such a wonderful community. It was fabulous to see so many tourism operators and representatives from around the Limestone Coast come together to share in the launch of our much-loved Cabernet Celebrations event, which I have seen grow from a single weekend to this month-long festival,” Mr Balnaves said.
Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations start Friday, October 1 with a golf day at the 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.
Head to www.coonawarra.org for the full list of events which coincide with South Australia’s school holidays.
With spring in full flight, there’s no better time to soak up Coonawarra.
Take the time to celebrate, educate and activate your senses from October 1 to 31.
