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VINTAGE NEWS:  Following the gruelling bushfire period, Graeme took off his CFA Captain’s hat and put on his winemakers hat for a busy vintage. Simon Peirce (good neighbour and friend) , winemaker and owner of nearby Steels Creek  Estate, had lost his crop for the year due to the fires and joined us in the winery for vintage. We are grateful to him (and partner Joanne) for his contribution. Beside Winemakers Graeme, Shaun and Simon, we also had a final year winemaking student, Mary-Anne Gange working as cellar hand, thus a very busy and professional winemaking crew. On the vineyard Bob, Michael, Jo and Bernie worked as the viticultural team overseeing our harvest crews. The wines from this vintage have some wonderful fruit intensity, which at this stage is particularly obvious in the Cabernet, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. 

Recent Reviews :  2008 Sauvignon Blanc – Sally Gudgeon -Sun Herald 29/3/09 Sunday Life. “If your looking for a Sauvignon Blanc that is subtler and less aggressive than the New Zealand wines …(this is) a richer style, with aromas of passionfruit and tomato leaf, which lead on to a fresh, full flavoured palate with crisp acidity”.

2006 Chardonnay – Ray Jordan, the West Australian 7/3/09 “Mightily impressive wine this. It’s from Graeme Miller’s Dixon Creek vineyard in the Yarra Valley. Plenty of winemaking influence, yet it has retained essential fruit characters. Complex and powerful, with length and concentrated power”.

Marketing News

The Yarra Valley Grape Grazing Festival was rescheduled due to the Bushfires, and held 18^th and 19^th of April. We took part in the Taste Trail and enjoyed the participants we had over the weekend. Grape Grazing will return next year on the popular date in February. As well cellar door events in 2009, we are taking cellar door to customers in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.

Melbourne Good Food & Wine Show

Melbourne Good Food and Wine show 5th-8th of June: We exhibit for the four days and Graeme took part as a guest winemaker in the Wine Theatre, showcasing three wines: Friday in the “Yarra Valley- Shades of White”, our most awarded wine, the 2006 Chardonnay (24 medals inc. 7 gold and trophy), Sunday in “Brilliant Bubbles”, our  Cuve’e Extra Brut and Monday in “Just Desserts”, the Keith Charles Vintage Port.

                                                                Shortest Lunch

Winter special weekend- the Yarra Valley Smaller Wineries Shortest Lunch on the 20th and 21st of June. Join the Valley’s smaller winemakers and wine businesses for the 2009 Shortest Lunch on the shortest week of the year, a moving feast of entrée size meals and tasty morsels and the perfect way to meander around the Valley’s boutique wineries and savour great food, wine and music, without  the hustle and bustle: a relaxed, family oriented weekend of progressive, all-day wining and dining. Expertly matched food and wine (and some music) at 16 cellar doors- appetizers or mains or dessert (courses $10 - $15). We’ll be serving Graeme's own recipes (professionally prepared by a Yarra Valley chef) of hearty chicken and chickpea soup and a chickpea and vegetable soup as the vegetarian option, served with crusty Yarra Valley breads and a selection of fresh herbs. The soup will be teamed with delicious wines and music from Yarra Valley balladist and harpist Barbara Jeffrey. The idea of the Shortest Lunch is to have visitors moving between the participating boutique cellar doors for different courses. Why not stay overnight in the Valley to make the most of the weekend festival. www.visityarravalley.com.au   Check out meals and venues at the Smaller Wineries www.yarravalleysmallerwineries.com.au/shortest_lunch.htm

Coming events

Sydney Good Food and Wine Show 3rd to the 5th of July at the Sydney Convention Centre in Darling Harbour with Gordon Ramsay as guest chef for the show, as well as a great line up of Australian chefs. We’re on C41 in the Wines of Victoria Stand across from the Wine Theatre. Graeme will be in the Wine Theatre speaking on the Cuvee Extra Brut on Sunday 5^th July at 10:45am. Sydney mailing list customers note, if you order in the current mailing list offer period 11^th-23^rd June, you go in the draw for 2 free tickets to Sydney Good Food and Wine Show.

Cellar Door at Crown Palladium 26th July 12pm-5pm - a grouping of Victorian Cellar Doors at Crown Palladium for tastings and sales.

Perth Good Food and Wine Show 31st of July-2nd of August at Perth Convention Centre. We will be on stand H15 and the show will have the Wine Theatre (Graeme will be there showcasing wines) and top celebrity chefs. Perth mailing list customers note if you order within the current mailing list offer period 11^th-23^rd June you go in the draw for 2 free tickets to Perth Good Food and Wine Show.

Taste of Melbourne 27th-30th of August at the Melbourne Exhibition Buildings, combining top cellar doors with leading Melbourne restaurants- this is an experience not to be missed if you love elegant wines and fine food.

Brisbane Good Food and Wine Show 6th - 8th of November at the Brisbane Convention Centre. We will be on stand C22 and at the Wine Theatre- more next newsletter.