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 SPECIAL FEATUREDan Murphy’s Wine Panel presents A world of SAUVIGNON BLANC
Story by Briony Morris, Fine Wine Manager – Dan Murphy’s Wine Panel. As featured in the Fine Wine Buyer’s Guide, Edition 10 For many Australians, their first experience of Sauvignon Blanc hails not from its original home of Loire in France, but from a wine region of New Zealand known as Marlborough. In only a few decades, the Sauvignon Blanc produced from this area has become as well-recognised internationally as any other regional wine style in the world, with the words ‘Marlborough’ and ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ now intrinsically linked. While Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc remains the single most popular white wine style in Australia today, primarily due to its striking intensity, we are now seeing an evolution of sorts, with customers actively seeking out new and different interpretations of the variety from further afield; more restrained, minerally Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire (France), snappingly-fresh, juicy examples from Chile, through to outstanding local interpretations from regions such as Adelaide Hills, Margaret River or Tasmania, all capable of producing unique, regionally expressive interpretations of the grape. Perhaps the most exciting emerging region in Australia for Sauvignon Blanc is Orange NSW, with the best examples showing a Kiwi-like intensity, yet significantly with their own unmistakeable aroma and flavour signature.
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 Celebrate our iPhone app with Grange and two world class holidays: a wine week in Tasmania, or 11 days of sun, sailing and snorkelling in the Whitsundays
We recently launched the Visit Vineyards iPhone app, which brings you the world of Australian wine, food and travel at your fingertips. Download it from iTunes and find the best cellar doors, locate a nearby restaurant or place to stay, relax in a spa or unearth gourmet treasures at a market – they're all there! Even if you never visit a wine region (or if you live overseas), if you want to find out more about Australia's food and wine, the free Visit Vineyards app is so helpful. There are four really great things you should know:
1. Firstly, it's free, and covers the whole of Australia – 5000 wineries, vineyards and cellar doors, restaurants, food makers and much more.
2. Please help us spread the word! 3. Or you could win a week of food and wine for two in Tasmania! What would you enjoy most? The fabulous fresh seafood or a particular Tasmanian winery? The romance of a night at bed in the Treetops at the pristine Bay of Fires, the adventurous Bruny Island eco cruise or the luxury of being chauffeured to the destination of your choice with Eye See Tours?
Read the seven day itinerary here, then simply tell us which part you'd love the most – you could win the whole trip and be on your way in 2012 to experience it! 4. Prefer the tropics? A full 11 days of luxury on the Great Barrier Reef could be yours in 2012. Queensland's idyllic Whitsunday islands are a natural haven for sunlovers, yachties, divers, and those wanting to chill or bliss out. Are you any of these, or would you like to see the magnificent Great Barrier reef from every angle? Spend a night in the heart of the Whitsundays, enjoying the peace and tranquillity with Fantasea ReefSleep, a unique experience in exclusive accommodation. Enjoy more of this magical reef with lunch on a deserted island and aboard your very own charter yacht from Charter Yachts Australia. With an optional wedding or vow renewal ceremony included, you could even make it a first or second honeymoon!
What a fantastic Christmas present this would make, for you and your partner! This A$8000 holiday prize includes up to A$1000 for airfares from any Australian capital city (if you live overseas, you can put the money towards your airfares). Read more about this fabulous holiday for two, and enter now » These all close on 30th November and it will be a big day at VisitVineyards,com when we draw the lucky winners on 5th December. Don't miss this one, it's our biggest wine and holiday giveaway ever, and your chances of winning are far greater than Tattslotto! Click here and you might be celebrating, too »
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 WINE AND WINE TRAVEL plus news and reviews
TOP 12 WINE AND BEER BOOKS OF 2011
Our annual Top 12 Wine and Beer Books of 2011 provides great inspiration for festive season purchases. This year, there’s a bit more quirk and international flavour, as well as the reliably good wine guides.
Shannon Bennett's New York – Chef Shannon Bennett shares information on what to eat and drink in the Big Apple advising us to go there before New Yorkers realise just how good their food really is » Ultimate Beer Guide Australia and New Zealand – With a collection of travel articles for 33 destinations across Australia and New Zealand, find the perfect getaway for not only the beer lovers but all the family »
More of the 14 part series will be featured in our December newsletter or you can read the complete series now on VisitVineyards.com here»
Our resident expert and famous oenologist Ian Hickinbotham tells us some interesting winemaking facts and figures we may not know.
NEWS: Congratulation to Tyson Stelzer who was awarded International Champagne Writer of the Year in the Louis Roederer Awards for The Champagne Guide 2011 » The results for the 2011 Royal Melbourne Wine Show were announced recently including the 50th Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy won by the Glaetzer-Dixon Mon Père Shiraz 2010 – a first for Tasmania » Cabernet sauvignon stole the show at the 2011 Orange Region Wine Show with one of the highest percentage of wines winning medals. Find out who took home the trophies » The Tasmanian Premier recently presented the inaugural $10,000 Sustainable Viticulture Award to Tasmanian Winemaker and Viticulturist Paul Smart of Pressing Matters »
WINE TRAVEL – SUBSCRIBER OFFERS
Remember these special offers as the gift-giving season approaches like a rocket (perhaps a gift for yourself?):
Discover the delights of Tuscany and Piemonte with one of Australia's leading wine experts
Got To Go to Tasmania?
Australian wine regions readily available at a glance
Just confirmed! The first 20 VisitVineyards.com subscribers who purchase a package to the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium being held in Tasmania from 31st Jan to 4th Feb (including a fabulous dinner by Chef Tetsuya Wakuda) will receive an exclusive trio of Tasmanian wines as a gift »
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 FOOD: Favourite cookbooks and new releases
OUR TOP 12 COOKBOOKS OF 2011 From 'kitchen travel' cookbooks and restaurant chefs' collections, to home cooking, sustainability and healthy eating, the VisitVineyards.com list of must-have cookbooks for 2011 is an interesting mix. Find out what made our top dozen food books this year – and plan your foodie gift buying »
MORE REVIEWS: Moore to Food – Chef Michael Moore is the owner of one of Australia's leading and most spectacular restaurants, The Summit in Sydney. However his recipe collection is far from being just another celebrity cookbook » Izakaya – Serving wonderful Japanese bar food, Izakayas are small bars found on just about every street corner in Japan. Izakaya features 75 delicious and authentic Japanese grazing food recipes » My Taste of Sicily – Dominique Rizzo, in her first cookbook, delves into her repertoire of Sicilian recipes to produce a collection that captures the essence of what she calls soul-food cooking » Cooking with Beer – A range of recipes from Paul Mercurio combining his love of food and beer. So many recipes, so many beers...it's time to get cooking with beer » My Abuela's Table – Daniella Germain's abuela (grandmother) and mother handed down the recipes all of which are traditional, no nonsense and mouth-watering. A journey to the heart of real Mexican food » Home Made – A fun and innovative cookbook from Yvette Van Boven full of recipes and memories dating back to her childhood. A traditional cookbook with a twist »
Another VisitVineyards.com SUBSCRIBER OFFER: In Search of the Perfect Partner by Ryn and Cordie: Find your perfect wine and food matches this festive season! If you're lusting after a David Herbert/Max Allen combo in your kitchen, then this is the perfect food and wine book for you. VisitVineyards.com subscribers save 20%: click here for details »
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 WINE and FOOD EVENTS around Australia
Big Dine Out for charity
MORE EVENTS in all Australian states: NSW: In the Hunter Valley enjoy fine wines and a wander through the picturesque countryside while feasting your eyes on this year's fabulous array of sculpture – Sculpture in the Vineyards, until 22 Jan » Vic: Celebrate the sweet life with 10 King Valley wineries at their annual spring festival – La Dolce Vita Annual King Valley Spring Festival, 19-20 Nov » ACT: Buy something handmade this Christmas when artists, designers, craftspeople and gourmets in Canberra bring you quality, handcrafted and locally designed items – Handmade Christmas Market, 17-18 Dec » Qld: An array of Granite Belt cultural and gastronomic events and new wine releases celebrating Primavera (Italian for Spring). Meet the winemakers, providores and artists – Primavera 2011 Festival, until 30 Nov » NT: In Alice Springs find activities and live entertainment for all ages along with stalls offering arts and crafts, fresh produce and global foods, jewellery and much more – Christmas Carnival, 10 Dec » SA: On the Eyre Peninsula sample a wide range of gourmet foods together with wine tastings and sales – Whyalla Food and Wine Fair, 19 Nov » Tas: Get along to the East Coast of Tasmania for Tassie's best little food and wine festival, all washed down with some great local blues and roots rhythms – Bicheno Food and Wine Festival, 19 Nov » WA: Experience the magic of Christmas in Perth with six weeks of free activities and events – City of Perth Festival of Christmas, 11 Nov-6 Jan »
Want to find more events? There are hundreds more events, festivals, dinners, tastings, tweetups, activities and exhibitions in every state (and some in New Zealand, HongKong and Singapore) in the VisitVineyards.com wine and food events calendar – do some culinary holiday planning here »
Holding a tasting? Planning Christmas festivities? Then list your own wine or food-related event If you are a wine or food event manager or organiser and your event is not on our calendar, no matter where, or how large or small, please visit the My Account section to create your own listing, or email us and we'll help you add it the calendar » A LOT of wine and food lovers check our our calendar every month, and you are missing FREE and widespread publicity for your event if you don't.
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 WIN a romantic Hunter Valley Escape, magnums/magna of world-class Tasmanian wines from Domaine A, and moreMost of these fabulous prizes will be drawn just in time for the holiday season, so enter now and make sure you check our winners page on 6th December. Be quick to claim your prize for pre-Christmas delivery!
UNCLAIMED PRIZES: Miguel's Tapas, Produce to Platter, Le Nez du Vin aroma sets and other great prizes are waiting to be claimed – check our winners' page now, your name could well be there! Please email Kerry to arrange delivery if you're a lucky winner.
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 VISITVINEYARDS.COM MEMBERS: your exclusive offers
Members, if you're planning your wine and food travels now, make sure you check our benefits page and pack your VisitVineyards.com Membership card. These are just some examples of the special benefits waiting for you: NSW:
Victoria:
Tasmania:
South Australia:
Western Australia:
Queensland:
Enjoy those and 200 other special extras that VisitVineyards.com Membership brings – join us (or renew your Membership) today at our spring special rates (to 30 Nov) » You can access the full list of benefits on your mobile here (free, no app download required) »
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 RACT, RACV and RACQ members: pack your card and plan your summer travels
If you’re a member of these or any other affiliated motoring organisations*, then start planning your summer travels and save along the way. These are just some of the regional producers waiting to welcome you: TASMANIA – wine, dine and stay
To see where else you can sip, savour and save, go to: ract.VisitVineyards.com/save
And there’s more around regional Victoria, for the full list, go to racv.VisitVineyards.com/save
For the full range of Queensland producers welcoming you, go to racq.VisitVineyards.com/save
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 Thanks for your ongoing support
We were pleasantly surprised during last week to hear from several of you asking why your newsletter was later than usual this month! As the Melbourne Cup fell on the 1st of November this year, it created a delay (normally we have at least a few days before the Cup long weekend to have all final copy submitted), so we scheduled this send for the third Tuesday, and not the second. Our apologies for those of you who have been hanging out for this edition, and we hope you enjoy it. Please if you wish to enter to win either of the two amazing holidays above, or the bottle of 1989 Penfolds Grange, don't defer any longer – these really are fabulous prizes and we don't want you to miss out. It's also great for the prize donors, especially those in Queensland, if you show your support. We all know what they went through earlier this year, and it will mean a lot to them if they know that fellow Australians are still getting behind them and are keen to visit their beautiful state. They are waiting to welcome you with a smile! I was in the Whitsundays not long ago, and believe me, it's still as beautiful and fun as ever. We took our seven-year-old daughter on the helicopter flight, and (like us) it's something she will never forget. These memories and much, much more might be yours, too. And while we're all waiting to hear who the lucky winners are on 5th December, enjoy the last of this lovely spring, and the leadup to the festive season. All the best from Robyn Lewis and the VisitVineyards.com team.
PS To producers, businesses, authors, tourism authorities.... if you wish us to feature your wines, foods, books, apps, maps, regions (or states or countries) in our 2012 newsletters, please contact us, we are planning our schedules for next year now. We look forward to hearing from you. And don't forget to share this newletter for your chance to win Grange on 5th December!
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