Australia - Top 12 wine events and festivals
Our pick of the best festivals around Australia each year
Tricia Brown
Hunter Semillon and Seafood
If you can only manage a short break to recharge the batteries why not spend it at one of the many fabulous wine events and festivals around the country.
Featuring not only the very best regional wines and thereby saving the time spent in travelling from one cellar door to the next, these events also often showcase the region's finest food and produce along with great entertainment. Immerse yourself in this crash course on the best of the region whilst you taste and test.
Here are some favourites from the VisitVineyards.com team.
SA - Tasting Australia
Tasting Australia is one of Australia's most influential and best attended food and wine festivals and is held in Adelaide. The event has hosted hundreds of the world's top chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs, food, wine, beer and travel media and attracts a wide cross-section of the food and wine loving public to Adelaide and South Australia. More »
Vic - Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
As award-winning food writer Jill Dupleix says "Melbourne is one of the strongest food cities in the world because Melburnians don't just eat out, they shop, chop, cook and think about food every day". With 200 plus food and wine events including special events especially for families and kids, this festival is downright addictive and extremely high on the "must do" list. More »
NSW - Sydney International Food Festival
Okay so it's not strictly a wine festival but since when does food not go hand in hand with wine? The Sydney International Food Festival has something for everyone with extravagant dinners in best restaurants, night noodle markets, tours, cooking classes as well as community and regional events. Drinking tastes are covered with themed wine dinners, unusual beer matchings along with cocktails of the month. More »
ACT - The Fireside Festival, Canberra
Immerse yourself in winter with exquisite cool climate wines, crackling log fires, delicious food, art and fine music. What's not to like about cold weather when life is this good? The Fireside Festival is held every August at venues around Canberra. More »
NSW - Hunter Valley Semillon and Seafood
Held over 3 days and including more than 150 semillons to sample, from new releases to museum showpieces, semillon sessions and wine master classes, plus mingle with the winemakers, Hunter seafood producers, local restaurants, oyster appreciation classes, cooking demonstrations and live music. Be enticed, entertained and educated with sensational wines, fabulous food and great music. More »
Vic - Mornington Peninsula Winter Wine Weekend
Warm up your body and satisfy your soul with bottles of Mornington Peninsula wines, along with pies and puddings, steaming paella, fireside flights and winery tours. More serious wine lovers can enrol in one or all of the tutored mini tasting seminars. More »
NT - Darwin Festival
The Darwin Festival provides a feast of local, national and international performances to excite, inspire and entertain. Held in August the festival includes everything from free outdoor events to theatre, dance, music, cabaret, films, workshops and comedy, not to mention the sensational cuisine. More »
Vic - Rutherglen Winery Walkabout
Rutherglen is the place to be on the June long weekend for the annual Winery Walkabout. Boasting three Tourism Awards including 'Best Festival in Victoria' and 'Best Festival in Australia' this is one for young and old and in between and not to be missed. Each winery offers something different from reserve tastings of rare vintages, to live bands, produce markets, unique breakfasts or special dinners. More »
SA - Barossa Vintage Festival
Held every two years, the Barossa Vintage Festival represents the work of its entire community and its pride in what makes the Barossa unique. There is so much to love about this festival from a rare wine auction, harvest markets showcasing fine Barossa produce, great music and entertainment to the Festival Ball which finishes the festival and continues a 60 year tradition of dressing up and celebrating the vintage. More »
WA - Margaret River Wine Region Festival
Discover one of Australia's finest wine regions, as well as taste outstanding local produce and be swooned by some of our greatest jazz musicians. All this, whilst experiencing the natural beauty of the Margaret River region which extends from Busselton to Augusta. The festival captures all that is outstanding in this region. If you love wine, food, fun and laughter then start planning for this event. More »
Tas - The Taste Festival, Hobart
Seven days and nights filled with aromas, sights and sounds as Tasmania celebrates contemporary Tasmanian produce through epicurean delights, artists and performers who test the boundaries of culinary and visual pleasure. Held on the Hobart waterfront over the New Year period, this event showcases the very best of Tasmanian wine and food. More »
Qld - Noosa Food and Wine Festival
An influential line-up of leading chefs, iconic winemakers, leading food and wine media, restaurateurs and serious foodies converge on the magical setting of Noosa on Queensland's sunshine Coast to taste, talk, debate, dine and indulge...Noosa Style! Add some of Australia's top entertainers and you have an unforgettable weekend. More »
Check out wine and food events on every month on the VisitVineyards.com wine and food events calendar »
Regions
- Canberra (ACT)
- Capital Country ACT (ACT)
- Hunter Valley (NSW)
- Sydney (NSW)
- Darwin (NT)
- Noosa, Sunshine Coast and hinterland (QLD)
- Adelaide (SA)
- Barossa Valley (SA)
- McLaren Vale (SA)
- Hobart (TAS)
- Southern Tasmania (TAS)
- Melbourne (VIC)
- Mornington Peninsula (VIC)
- Rutherglen (VIC)
- Margaret River (WA)
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The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is just around the corner. Mark your diaries for fine food, wine, master classes and markets »
At The Fireside Festival you can sip on exquisite cool climate wines, taste the delicacies from the region, meet local artists with a passion for their craft, or ... read more
The Darwin Festival program provides a feast of local, national and international performances to excite, inspire and entertain. There are few festivals around the ... read more
This wine and food festival will delight the most discerning taste buds, as wineries from the region make new and old varieties available for tasting at events across the weekend.
Rutherglen will once again be the place to be on the June long weekend for the annual Rutherglen Winery Walkabout. Download a map and touring schedules from the Rutherglen Wine website »
Mornington Peninsula (Vic): Winter Wine Weekend 2010
The Mornington Peninsula Queens Birthday Weekend activities are known for the less strenuous pursuit of wine appreciation and local food grazing rather than the start of the snow season »
An influential line-up of leading chefs, iconic winemakers, leading food and wine media, restaurateurs and serious foodies converge on the magical setting of Noosa ... Queensland's Sunshine Coast to taste, talk, debate, dine and indulge »
Hunter Valley (NSW): Hunter Valley Semillon and Seafood FestivalEnjoy a celebration of Hunter Valley Semillon, seafood and amazing local produce »
Hobart (Tas): Waterfront Festival and Taste of Tasmania - 28 Dec 2009 - 3 Jan 2010
Hobart's Waterfront will be filled with aromas, sights, and sounds as Tasmania celebrates its summer festival and Taste of Tasmania, Tasmania's biggest food and wine showcase »
Tasting Australia 2010 promises a wide array of stunning main courses and plenty of tasty side dishes, featuring top international and national food and drink professionals »
Join in the festivities at the Barossa Vintage Festival. Enjoy fine wine, food, family activities, music and markets »
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