A global journey in the east end

In a new event for Cheesefest & Ferment, festival director Kris Lloyd has introduced The Great Wine and Cheese Voyage, a progressive tasting journey born of a desire to draw greater recognition of Adelaide’s status as one of the Great Wine Capitals. This network of 10 member wine regions from around the world is a promotional springboard that Lloyd believes needs to be celebrated more effusively in Adelaide.

“It’s a prestigious group that Adelaide finds itself a part of, but I don’t believe enough people locally know this global network exists or why it’s significant,” says Lloyd, who came to learn of Adelaide’s involvement in Great Wine Capitals through her role as a Premium Produce Ambassador for South Australia. “I think the type of person coming to Cheesefest needs to connect with this and enjoy it within the framework of our great tasting festival.”

The Great Wine and Cheese Voyage will be an up-market, ticketed wine tour taking in a number of east end bars, with each presenting wines from an international wine capital. Adelaide, as one of the 10 wine capitals, will have a wine presented alongside each of the featured international locations, in the company of cheeses and culturally appropriate grazing foods.

“It’s not meant to be a comparison between countries, but more an illustration of what different wines are like from different parts of the world,” says Lloyd. “Put these wines in the company of good cheeses and other food to nibble on, and I think you’ve got a really interesting journey of taste exploration.”

Held over four hours from 11am on Saturday 26 October, the Great Wine and Cheese Voyage will have a maximum of 120 participants moving between four venues to indulge in the mobile masterclass.

First stop in the voyage is the Cheesefest Masterclass Pavilion, to be erected in Rymill Park, where wines from Germany and Italy will stand beside local offerings. From Rheinhessen, 2018 Keller Trocken Riesling will be poured beside 2018 KT Wines ‘Melva’ Riesling from Watervale in the Clare Valley. Bandini Prosecco from Verona will stand beside Art Wine Prosecco from the Adelaide Hills.

At East End Wine Cellars, Rioja’s 2017 Biurko Gorri Tempranillo will stand beside 2018 Spinifex Tempranillo from the Barossa. In the fortified department, NV Fonseca Reserve from Porto will be sampled beside NV Seppeltsfield Para.

At Mothervine, Napa Valley’s 2015 Seghesio Zinfandel will be poured beside 2017 Groom Zinfandel from the Barossa, and France’s 2014 Chateau Pezat Bordeaux Supérieur beside Coonawarra’s 2017 Bowen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

On the Stag Hotel balcony, 2017 Viña Ventisquero Reserva Pinot Noir from Casablanca Valley in Chile will stand beside 2018 Murdoch Hill Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills. From Argentina’s high plains of Mendoza, 2018 Alamos Malbec is being poured in the company of Doug Govan’s 2017 Rudderless Malbec from Sellicks Hill.

A selection of delicious foods from the wine regions represented will be offered at each stop of the voyage, with a few international signatures such as Italy’s Parmigiano-Reggiano and brie from France – although Kris Lloyd wants to have some fun with the offerings rather than attempt structured individual matching. “There will be fritz,” she offers, “and olives, and smoked meats and pickles. It’ll be delicious.”

Making this event a mobile tour of the east end also underlines Lloyd’s aim of making Cheesefest & Ferment a cohesive, collaborative event. “So many businesses are small in South Australia, so we need to be great at collaborating, to sing our song a little bit louder,” she says. “The Great Wine and Cheese Voyage shows just how strong the links are that exist between our local food and wine businesses.”

26 October

CheeseFest & Ferment 2019