Monday 25 June 2012

Indulge Yourself at Mudgee's Wine & Food Festival


Mudgee Wine & Food Festival
The Mudgee Region is one of Australia's oldest and most diverse wine districts and closer than you think at just 3.5 hours' drive from Sydney. To tempt you into its bountiful valley a tasty program of events has been announced for this year's Mudgee Wine & Food Festival from 7 to 24 September 2012.

The Festival features official awards and tastings, intimate dinners with notable Mudgee and Sydney chefs, and fun, quirky events at many of the 40 family-owned wineries. There's something for everyone with a fashion show, farm walks, kids cooking classes, golf day, movie nights and regional produce markets.

Highlights include Rosby Wines 'Lunch in a Mud-Hut',' Something Old, New, Red & Blue' at Deebs Kitchen with newcomer Short Sheep Wines, 'Cinema di Lusso' at di Lusso Estate, 'Vine, Swine & Dine' progressive dinner on the Eastern wine trail and 'CO2 with a View' at Robert Stein Winery.

For the first time this year 'Flavours of Mudgee' (Sat 22 Sept) will bring the town centre alive with a night market featuring Mudgee chefs, street festival, live music and children's entertainment.'Go Tasting' (Sat 15 Sept) is a roving cocktail party where 20 Mudgee wines are matched with 20 canapes using regional ingredients. Mix in live music and this is a party not to be missed.

The 41st Mudgee Wine Show Dinner is a celebration of the award winning wines of the region for 2012. Then the floodgates are opened for 'Go Tasting' (Sat 8 Sept), a chance to experience up to 300 Mudgee wines, including Wine Show winners, all in one place.

Serious foodies will rejoice that two of Sydney's top chefs will be appearing in the Festival:

From the serene waters of Berowra Waters Inn to the country air of Mudgee, Dietmar Sawyere will prepare a degustation dinner matched to new release Logan Wines (Sat 15 Sept)

Manly Executive Chef Massimo Mele will team up with Robert Oatley Vineyards for the 2012 Burning of the Canes; a single long table feast, fireside in the Craigmoor Cellar, with local produce and Massimo's own special twists (Sat 22 Sept)

"The Mudgee Wine & Food Festival has been running for 41 years and is an opportunity for the industry to celebrate what makes Mudgee so unique. Visitors can meet the winemakers and producers face-to-face at a series of interactive events - fun times, new friendships and lots of stories are guaranteed" said Andrew Stein, President of the Mudgee Wine Grape Growers Association.

"As Mudgee reaps more awards and recognition for its quality wine and produce, we are delighted to see more top chefs and sommeliers buying from the region this year" said Andrew.

The Mudgee region features around 40 cellar-doors, all family-owned. The wine offering encourages aficionados to expect the unexpected. Mudgee features not just big, bold, reds, but award-winning rieslings, sparklings, Spanish and Italian varietals, as well as organic wines. Mudgee is the home of organic wine in Australia with the oldest certified grower at Botobolar.

Also in the Festival, The Mudgee Fine Foods Farmers' Market (Sat 15 Sept) will feature kids cooking classes for 8-12 year olds and are a one-stop shop to purchase true artisan foods. The following day Mudgee's Farm Walks (Sun 16 Sept) gives visitors a chance to don boots and be guided through two working farms. Learn what 'free range' means, get in touch with the seasons, and show your children exactly where their food comes from. Visit the piglets at Ormiston Free Range and sample the crop from Clearview Estate Orchard.

Also in the Festival program Moothi Estate, Gooree Park, Farmers Daughter and Burnbrae Wines are offering fabulous wine events.

Mudgee Wine & Food Festival
Mudgee is just 3.5 hours' drive from Sydney or a 40-minute flight with Aeropelican. A food and wine lovers paradise, it is the third largest grape-growing region in NSW with a range of other sensory experiences - arts, culture, heritage, historic villages and towns such as Gulgong and Rylstone, and nature and adventure experiences.

For more information on the Mudgee Wine & Food Festival, the program and to buy tickets contact the Mudgee Region Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6372 1020 or go to http://www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au/

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