The Dressmaker Literary Event at Fowles Wine

Set to Be a Stylish Affair

On Sunday 23 August Fowles Wine will host a literary lunch featuring the author and producer of best selling Australian novel and upcoming film The Dressmaker.

Due to be released as a major motion picture on 22 October staring Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth and Hugo Weaving, The Dressmaker is a bittersweet comedy about love, hate and haute couture in country Australia.

Set in the 1950s, The Dressmaker tells the story of Tilly Dunnage (a Paris based fashion designer) who has returned to her small home town in rural Australia to right some wrongs from the past. When Tilly comes home, she not only reconciles with her ailing mother but, with her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women of the town in such a way that she gets revenge on those who persecuted her. She also falls unexpectedly in love which leads to her greatest loss and most destructive deed...

The Fowles Wine literary event will feature author of the book Rosalie Ham and film producer Sue Maslin and see them discuss the inspiration, characters, cast, costumes and locations that brought The Dressmaker to life on the page and screen. Avenel local Merrill Boyd will compère the event before guests are invited to take part in a question and answer session and book signing.

Having worked up an appetite, guests will be treated to a lunch featuring the favourite meals of the main characters in The Dressmaker - the Dunnages and McSwineys - using the finest produce from the Goulburn River Valley region.

Fowles Wine Customer Services Manager Ian Firth said: "It's not every day that you get access to a bestselling author or get to hear the behind the scenes stories about some of Hollywood's biggest stars so we're pretty excited!

The Dressmaker is a wonderful Australian story that was filmed entirely in Victoria so we feel very proud to be representing the State on the tourism and hospitality front. We reckon our award winning food and wine and newly refurbished rustic event space 'The Wine Shed' will provide the perfect stage for what's set to be a blockbuster event"

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Leichhardt Long Lunch Food and Wine Festival - August 2015

Sydney's Inner West Launching Inaugural Food and Wine Long Lunch Series on 22 August 2015

Good food and wine and a special location in the Leichhardt Town Hall and adjoining outdoor area. What more could a great food and wine festival need. But there is more - long communal tables, stalls with great food and wine choices - and artisan merchandise. All this topped off by entertainers and cooking demonstrations by 'chefs with taste'!

Local artisans and businesses in the Leichhardt, Annandale, Balmain, Rozelle, Lilyfield and Birchgrove area will showcase their local produce that marks the Inner West as a premier Sydney food destination.

In 2015, the inaugural event on 22 August will be the lead-up to a 'long-long' lunch at the Norton Street Italian Festa on 25 October. Now in its 29th year, Festa is Australia's largest street festival regularly attended by over 130,000 visitors.

From 2016 there will be three annual Leichhardt Long Lunch Food and Wine Festivals. Each year the Series will close as a highlight of the popular Norton Street Italian Festa.

The new Series is an initiative of the Leichhardt and Annandale Business Chamber, sponsored by Leichhardt Council and organised by Impact Exhibitions and Events – the team behind Festa.

http://leichhardtlonglunch.com/

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2013 Block 4 Eden Valley Shiraz

SHARE this now with grilled beef ribs, duck or game dishes,
or enjoy even more- so up to 20 years down the track

ONE TO NOTE

David Ellis

EDEN HALL did the right thing with their 2013 Block 4 Eden Valley Shiraz that they released only late last year, giving the wine nearly two years in French oak and more than another year in bottle before that release.

That cellaring's made it a very rewarding drop with a subtle nose of spice, white pepper and chocolate, and out of the glass fills the mouth with nicely fleshy red and black fruit flavours, lovely balance and velvety tannins.

One to enjoy now with grilled beef ribs, duck or game dishes, it is well worth the $40rrp. And it would also make for a good investment at that price, too, to put one, two or even more away in the cellar for special-occasion enjoyment anything up to 20 years down the track…


for week beginning 13 July 2015

Mr Mick Clare Valley Vermentino

ITALIAN STYLE, BUT TRUE-BLUE AUSSIE

David Ellis

A REWARDING pre-dinner tipple, also a great match with
pork loin chops with a    quince paste and oven-baked.

WINEMAKER at Mr Mick Wines in the Clare Valley, Tim Adams and his wife Pam Goldsack (the company's General Manager) were on the money when several visits to Sardinia had them thinking that a popular variety there, Vermentino would do well in their warm Clare Valley climate.

And so quickly was their first-production Vermentino snapped-up a year ago, it encouraged them to "really get behind the variety and increase the make" in coming years… so that now they've just released a 2015 that really hits the spot.

Modelled in classic Italian style – Vermentino's a mainstay in Liguria in the country's north-west and Sardinia in its south, as well as in near-neighbouring (French) Corsica – the fruit for this true-blue Aussie Mr Mick Vermentino was sourced from a single vineyard in the south of the Clare Valley, and which has given the wine wonderful apple and nashi pear flavours

Excellent as a pre-dinner tipple on its own, at $17 a bottle from fine wine retailers you'll find it a beaut match as well with pork loin chops with a quince paste, and oven-baked.

for week beginning 13 July 2015

2015 Sofitel Wine Days - Art of Wine Study

Sofitel proudly unveils the all-new 2015 edition of Sofitel Wine Days during which the brand’s hotels celebrate French wine and art-de-vivre, offering guests a wide array of extraordinary wine experiences. Sofitel’s program is in a class of its own this year, and will be held from September 21-October 31, 2015 during the traditional wine harvest period in France. From a partnership with 2004 Worldwide Best Sommelier Enrico Bernardo, to an exclusive global study about the art of wine, to luxurious in-hotel events at Sofitel worldwide addresses, Sofitel Wine Days 2015 is a happening that is not to be missed!

SOFITEL WINE DAYS GLOBAL STUDY IN TWO PARTS

Exclusively for Sofitel Wine Days, Sofitel has commissioned a study with the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) about the art of wine. The study takes place in two parts: Wine Perception in 2015, and a Wine Consumption in 2016. With a study sample from seven countries (Australia, Brazil, China, France, India, Russia, and the United States), the study’s compelling findings uncover how we think about and consume wine today.

ENRICO BERNARDO: A WORLD-CLASS SOMMELIER FOR A WORLD-CLASS WINE PROGRAM

An exclusive partnership with 2004 Worldwide Best Sommelier Enrico Bernardo adds a brand new, expert touch to Sofitel Wine Days 2015. Bernardo will act as the ambassador and spokesperson. Bernardo has also contributed an editorial to the brand’s Sofitel Wine Days booklet, which includes infographics outlining the most compelling findings from the 2015 wine study. The booklet will be available for guests to read in Sofitel hotels around the world, and they will also be able to benefit from the series of helpful tips and comments that Bernardo has contributed for wine lovers. He is also working closely with Sofitel staff from around the world to make each hotel’s Sofitel Wine Days events illuminating and memorable!

“Sofitel is honored to share the exciting new Sofitel Wine Days program with the world, and to work with such a prestigious figure as Enrico Bernardo,” said Fabrice Blondeau, Vice President, Global Food & Beverage for Luxury & Upscale Brands at Accor Hotels. “Wine plays a defining role in French culture and savoir-faire – concepts that are at the very heart of Sofitel’s art-de-vivre. We look forward to bringing the elegance and excitement of this tradition to life in 2015!”

“When I first started in this business 20 years ago, many countries did not have the habit of drinking wine. Today it is thrilling to see how wine is so appreciated by people around the world,” said Enrico Bernardo. The Sofitel Wine Days study found that wine is the leading alcoholic drink (apart from beer) consumed worldwide. 76% of all interviewees consume wine (including 89% of Chinese respondents). “These findings confirm that wine holds a real place not only in countries that we traditionally associate with it such as France or Italy, or in ‘new world’ wine regions such as Australia or the US, but also among cultures that have more recently discovered the pleasures of wine, such as China and India,” continued Bernardo.

An Enrico Bernardo tip for Sofitel Wine Days: discover fine wines outside of France, such as Malbec from Argentina, Chenin Blanc from South Africa, Riesling from Germany, Tokay from Hungary, or Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir from New Zealand.

· “As the wide world of wine expands, France has maintained a leadership position and remains a powerful reference in our minds – and on our palates – for fine, quality wine. In the years to come I believe that France will keep this position and continue to provide ever-higher quality wines that consumers will enjoy around the world, thanks to events such as Sofitel Wine Days,” continued Bernardo. Indeed, the Sofitel Wine Days study found that France is the first country that comes to mind when someone mentions fine wines. Furthermore, it found that French wine is synonymous with taste 53% of French people think that ‘gastronomy’ is the word most associated with French wine.

An Enrico Bernardo tip for Sofitel Wine Days: enjoy a fine wine with cheese. For example, Brillat-Savarin with Champagne, Brie de Meaux with Beaujolais, Comté with Côte de Provence rosé, or even Camembert with cider.

Sofitel Wine Days will be animated on Sofitel Facebook page and other social media platforms #SofitelWineDays.

Wuliangye, China's most popular premium spirit now in Australia

Media Release

China’s number one-selling premium liquor, ‘Wuliangye’ is now officially available in Australia after it was launched at a spectacular event at Sydney’s The Star on Friday July 3, 2015.

More than 250 guests, including government officials from both China and Australia, media and celebrities enjoyed traditional Chinese entertainment with a modern twist, whilst dining on a delicious three-course menu* designed by the The Star’s Executive Chef, Uday Huju.

Upon arrival guests were treated to an array of specially created Wuliangye cocktails* designed by genius mixologist, Alex Dickson.

Guests then entered the main ballroom where the night progressed with the help of MC and Australian food royalty, Lyndey Milan. Guests continued to be surprised and delighted throughout the evening with a spectacular lion dance, opera singers, tango and beat dancers and beautifully choreographed aerial acts. In the end it was clear guests were far from ready to leave.

Wuliangye is now available at all major Australian bottle shops and a 500ml bottle is currently on sale in Dan Murphy’s for $199.95.

About Wuliangye 

In China, no special occasion or celebration would be complete without Wuliangye in its unmistakeable and elegantly crafted bottle. From private banquets and weddings to national events, Wuliangye is Chinese elite’s number one choice for honouring the moment and the most perfectly balanced of all China’s white spirits.

Wuliangye is so valuable and popular that its makers use anti-counterfeiting technology on packaging much the same as is done with paper currency to ensure that every bottle is an original.

Harmony and balance are paramount in Chinese culture and Wuliangye is hailed as the perfect balance between “heaven, earth and man” and “the perfect blend of efforts between man and nature”.

As the most popular white spirit in the Asian powerhouse nation it is revered as having magical qualities, bringing good health and happiness to those who drink it. Its ingredients and production methods are also of the highest quality, having been refined over many

Centuries, resulting in a unique mellow flavour. The premium liquor is a blend of five organic ingredients - broomcorn, glutinous rice, rice, wheat and corn.

Wuliangye is unique in aroma and taste. Sweet cotton candy offset with a savoury flavour are the initial notes, along with a hint of glutinous rice, tropical fruits and aniseed. Combined, this gives Wuliangye a dry finish which critics say denotes a “lasting aroma, mellow and luscious taste, harmonious and just-right flavours - a transcendent experience.”

Arguably, the most key ingredient in Wuliangye is the purest water sourced from Sichuan province where the mighty Yangtze River meets the cold, crisp Jinsha and Minjiang Rivers. These waters fall from China’s highest, uninhabited mountains and are as pure as water can be. Furthermore, the nearby city of Yibin, where Wuliangye originated more than 1000 years ago and is still made, has the ideal subtropical climate for distillation - with year-round average temperatures of 18 degrees Celsius and 85 per cent humidity.

As you would expect from such a nationally renowned beverage, Wuliangye is steeped in history. Created during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) from Yibin’s local spring, the liquor’s special qualities quickly made it a staple among society’s upper echelons. Poet Huang Tingjian even praised the drink in his writings. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), manufacturers started using the clean mountain waters to make their unique spirit, and the tradition has continued since.

Wuliangye receives a constant stream of local and international accolades and in China it has received the coveted “National Famous Liquor” award several times over, while internationally it has received 39 gold prizes and counting. Wuliangye is the only liquor to have been awarded a golden prize at the Panama-Pacific International Expo in 1915 and again at the 13th Panama Expo in 1995.

*Wuliangye Cocktails developed by Alex Dickson:

Cocktail 1 – Beijing Blush

Beijing Blush

Ingredients

• 30ml WLY
• 45ml Pineapple Juice
• 45ml Lychee Juice (Canned)
• 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Method

Add all ingredients into shaker, add ice, and shake. Double strain into martini glass.
Serve with 3 lychees on a toothpick.




Cocktail 2 – Panda’s Paw

Panda’s Paw

Ingredients

• 30ml WLY
• 30ml Amaretto
• 30ml Lemon Juice
• 20ml Maple Syrup
• 2 dashes of Absinth
• Garnish
• Sprig of mint
• Soda Water Float

Method

Add all ingredients in shaker, except soda water. Shake vigorously. Double Strain into Rocks Glass, add ice, top with soda and add sprig of mint, lime garnish.

Cocktail 3 – 5 Grain Goddess

Grain Goddess

Ingredients

• 30ml WLY
• 45ml Crème de Cacao
• 30ml Lemon Juice
• 2 dashes of chocolate bitters
• 10ml Sugar Syrup
• Egg white
• Garnish
• Lemon wedge
• Dark Chocolate Wafer Sticks

Method

Add all ingredients into shaker except for garnish. Shake and then add in into shaker and shake again. Add garnish, chocolate wafer and lemon wedge. If no wafer, sexy it up with dark chocolate shavings.

*Menu from The Star’s Head Chef Chetan Aghor

Entrée – Slow Braised Chinese Pork Belly with Abalone and Pickled Radish; or

Five Spice Duck Breast, Daikon Fondant, Scallop Wonton and Star Anise Glaze.

Main – Grass Fed Beef Fillet, Wok Tossed Wild Mushrooms, Soy Truffle Sauce, Lotus Root; or Steamed Grouper with Carrot Ginger Puree, Surf Clams, Aged Han Glaze and Dried Scallops.

Dessert – Mango Pudding with Earl Grey Ice Cream, and Cinnamon Carmelita Beignets.


Event images: http://1drv.ms/1M9dikd

Visit the Wuliangye website for more information - http://www.wuliangye.com.cn/en

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wuliangye
Twitter: www.twitter.com/wulianyge
Instagram: www.instagram.com/wuliangye

Lindeman’s Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc - Forester’s 2012 Shiraz

IDEAL with most seafood, grilled
pork or baked chicken, and just $10.

A REWARDING SAUVIGNON BLANC JUST $10

David Ellis

IF you're thinking of a good Sauvignon Blanc one night with seafood or maybe grilled chicken or pork, and you enjoy a glass or three most nights but don't want to pay in the upper 'teens dollar-wise, we've a rewarding drop today that will cost you just $10.

It's a 2014 Lindeman's Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc, and despite the price, when poured into the glass you'll find it has lovely aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit, gooseberry and guava, and all of which follow through in lively fashion in the mouth.

Made from fruit from Lindeman's extensive holdings across South Eastern Australia, this is one of a range of easy-priced wines the company makes for those who enjoy their nightly one glass, two glasses or maybe more.

Ideal with most seafood – we matched it just recently with crab cakes – it's also a great partner with grilled pork chops or baked chicken. Beaut bang-for-your-buck value at $10.

MATCH this Margaret River Shiraz with
veal scaloppini or an Aussie BBQ

ONE TO NOTE: FORESTER Estate in WA's Margaret River has a more-than-rewarding 2012 Shiraz that's interesting in that it includes a nine percent Alicante Bouschet component – a quite rare variety grown by possibly no more than a half-dozen or so vignerons in all of Australia.

Created in the mid to late 1800s in southern France by crossing Petit Bouschet with Grenache, it's helped give Forester's 2012 Shiraz both some lovely flavours and an attractive buy-me-now, drink-me-now style. You'll find on the palate it's got pepper notes blending in nicely with characteristic Shiraz plum, together with milk chocolate, aniseed and toasty oak.

All these combine to make for a drop the Forester Estate winemaking team tell us they'd match with veal scaloppini with sage, or a traditional Aussie BBQ. Certainly well worth the $24 price tag with these suggestions.

for week beginning 06 July 2015