'Vine & Wine' at Coldstream Hills

Coldstream Hills, one of the Yarra Valley's most award winning boutique wineries, has announced a new 'Vine and Wine Tour' for groups visiting their Cellar Door.

The 90 minute tour introduces wine lovers to the stylish and welcoming tasting room at Coldstream Hills and highlights all stages of wine making from the vine to the glass.

Groups are met by a wine educator at the Cellar Door and escorted through the picturesque amphitheatre vineyard to the Coldstream Hills Winery for a guided behind-the-scenes tour before joining their host on the Winemaker's Veranda for a structured tasting of the winery's exquisite cool-climate wines.

Coldstream Hills is located an hour from Melbourne. The 'Vine and Wine Tour' runs by request at 10am and 3pm daily for a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 20 people or more by special arrangement.

Enjoy the High Country’s food and wine without adding to your waistline

Two new food and wine tours - Pedal to Produce and Hedonistic Hiking - are now on offer in Victoria’s High Country.

These two ‘guilt free tours’ incorporate the best of the region’s produce with cycling and hiking to food and wine destinations within the scenic High Country region.

A self-cycle ‘gourmet’ tour which runs across Rutherglen, Beechworth, Glenrowan, Milawa/King Valley and Bright/Mt Beauty/Kiewa Valley, Pedal to Produce is inspired by the similar models that already exist very successfully in Europe. Cyclists pay $250 and are given a basket that attaches to the bike, a comprehensive map outlining the region’s farm gates/cafes/wineries and cycling routes and also a voucher booklet valued at over $150 with a diverse range of offers to collect along the way. The tour can be adapted to all levels of skill and fitness and hire bikes are also available.

Hedonistic Hiking have released a series of new four-day short break packages through Victoria’s High Country that offer luxury accommodation, fine dining, gourmet picnics, hiking and sightseeing.

Guests are accompanied by an experienced and knowledgeable guide and have access to a support vehicle should they wish to take a break from hiking. Tour itineraries include Bright and the Buckland Valley; Kiewa Valley and Bogong High Plains; the King Valley and Milawa Gourmet Region and Beechworth.

In addition to their short break packages, Hedonistic Hiking also have longer scheduled trips along the Great Ocean Walk and through the Victorian Alps; and offer day-long gourmet walking trips through the High Country.

USING THE RIGHT WINE GLASS

The first element in enjoying wines is to nose the aromas to discover the diversity and complexity of the wines’ personality. Wine glasses can dramatically affect the aromas of the wines and your perception of the wine characteristics.

Wine glasses come in all shapes and sizes. They have been carefully designed for specific grape varieties and types of wines. So using the right wine glass is essential in enjoying wine.

CAFIA found wine adulterated by water

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority revealed wine of Hungarian origin at which laboratory analyses showed addition of water, at least of 52%. The wine in question was found in Kaufland. Namely, it was Rizling vlašský minöségi cuvée bor (dry white wine, batch L080610).

“At the present time, it is absolutely extraordinary detection. Adulteration of wine in such extent is socially very dangerous and naturally, the fine imposed by CAFIA will address this fact“, Jakub Šebesta, CAFIA Director General, said. “This case also confirms that such act is not worth of it. Already for 3 years, CAFIA has unique equipment working on the principle of nuclear magnetic resonance which can reveal adulteration very easily“, Šebesta added.

Besides this, Rizling vlašský also contained 2,7 times higher content of citric acid than permitted. The wine in question was bottled by Hungarian company Velezvin Kft. and in total, 1104 bottles were distributed to Kaufland by company RYWINE s.r.o. from Valtice. However, this batch was bottled both to bottles of 1l and 0,75l as well.

CAFIA banned further sale of this wine and ordered Kaufland to withdraw it from all its shops. In addition to this, CAFIA also notified responsible supervisory body in Hungary of this case.