Delicious Australia – (04)April 2019

If there‘s one thingMike Bennieknows, it‘s

cellardoors.HispickofAustralia‘sbestis

your guidebook to out-of-this-world wines.

@mikebennie101 @mikebennie101

HAVE GLASS,

WILL TRAVEL

APPOINTMENT ONLY:

Sorrenberg (Beechworth,

Vic)One of the great

rewardsofwineregion

visits is connecting with

vignerons. This

biodynamic estate has

apalpableenergy,an

amazing underground

cellar and some of the best

wines in Australia.TRY:

Sorrenberg Gamay

FOODANDWINE

PAIRING:Graceburn Wine

Room/Mac Forbes Cellar

Door (Yarra Valley, Vic)This

cellar-door-come-wine bar

is a brilliant place to work

throughMac Forbes’

outstanding wines. After

atasting,diveinto

nourishing snacks while

workingthroughthehip

international wine list.TRY:

Mac Forbes Woori Yallock

RUSTIC CHARM:Helm

(Canberra District, NSW)

Little has changed in Ken

Helm’s cellar door since the

’ 7 0swhenhiswine-making

ambitions came to life. It’s

atinyhand-builtroom

adjacent to his winery with

bric-a-bracandaslewof

awards decorating the

space. Just wonderful.

TRY:Helm Riesling(s)

STATE-OF-THE-ART:

Brokenwood(Hunter Valley,

NSW)The brand-new cellar

door, with its unique tasting

room’pods’,opened in late

2018 and immediately

became one of Australia’s

landmark wine-tasting

facilities. The design is

considered, the space

amazing. A must-visit.

TRY:Brokenwood

Graveyard Shiraz

UNIQUE:The Summertown

Aristologist (Adelaide Hills,

SA)The cellar door/natural

wine bistro of Anton van

Klopper (Lucy Margaux) and

Jasper Button (Commune of

Buttons) is one of my

favourite places in Australia

to eat and drink, hands

down.TRY:Lucy Margaux

Gris de Florette/Commune

of Buttons Syrah

I VISIT COUNTLESScellar doors each

year,fromthehumbleshacksofartisan

producersrightthroughtoarchitectural

monumentsofgobsmackingproportions

andgrandeur.Someareshabbyand

downtrodden but offer up a genuineness

that trumps the glitz of more polished

venues, while examples of the most

innovative customer experiences are

emerging from ‘cellar doors of the future’.

I recently drove from Sydney to

Melbourne via Canberra District on the

edgesoftheACT,Beechworthinthecool

hillsofVictoria‘snorth,andthesame

state’s marquee wine region, the Yarra

Valley. Stops included Canberra District’s

Clonakilla, where conspicuous modernity

meets natural materials, but the in-depth

explanation of wine and relaxed comfort

ofcellardoorstaffoffsetanysenseof

alienation that might emerge from the

‘fanciness’ of the building. It’s one of my

favouriteplacestotastewine.

In direct contrast to Clonakilla, my first

visitinBeechworthwas‘appointmentonly’

at Sorrenberg’s incredible biodynamic

vineyard and cellar. Appointment-only

cellardoorsmayseemalittleintimidating,

butare definitely worth it for the

mainlining of winemaker experience and

intimacythatyougain.BarryandJan

Moreyarecharminghosts,andtheircellar,

below the house, is memorable for its

simplicityand charm.

IntheYarraValley,itwasgreatto

oscillate between Luke Lambert’s rustic

pint-sized cellar, the clever mesh of wine

bar and cellar door that is winemaker Mac

Forbes’ Graceburn Wine Room, and the

multi-function, mega-tasting Giant Steps

facility. Diversity is a wonderful thing.

Regardless of the structure, the most

important things for me are authenticity,

knowledgeable and amenable humans

pouring the wines, and decent enough

glasswaretogetasenseofwhat’sonoffer.

My ultimate goal is working out if I liked

thewineornot,andhowmuchIenjoyed

being in the space where I’m learning.

delicious.com.au/drinks

To peruse more of Mike’s

favourite drinks. MIKE BENNIE IS ALSO CO-OWNER OF A SYDNEY-BASED WINE AND LIQUOR RETAIL BUSINESS

MULTI-DISCIPLINE

EXPERIENCE:Moorilla

(Tas)Winery, brewery,

restaurants, bars, festivals

and, of course, the amazing

Mona museum. A visit to

Moorilla is an all-day (or

more!) affair. The sleek and

simple wine tasting room

delivers excellent service

and information.TRY:

Moorilla Cloth Label Red

DRINKS.

36 delicious.com.au