Discover what’s in store when food and wine combine at this year’s Tastes of Rutherglen in March.
This year’s festival includes a revamped programme, focusing more on event- goers experiencing a taste of the Rutherglen region as a whole.
The rustic carpet will be rolled out as 18 Rutherglen wineries welcome visitors to the tasting table to sip and savour their way around the entire region across the Victorian Labour Day Weekend.
A combination of cellar door activities, special events, masterclasses and menus help visitors discover perfect pairings of the region’s stand-out wines combined with fresh local produce and authentic experiences. Highlight events on the 2020 programme include:
Friday 6 March 2020
Bubbles, Burgers and Beers, Cofield Wines, 6-11pm – Start the weekend right by relaxing in the autumn twilight with gourmet burgers, great wine and live music by Dean Haitani. Free entry. Bookings required.
Picnic by The Lake, Lake Moodemere Estate, 6-10pm – Find your oasis, enjoy live jazz, sip on a sangria and watch the sunset over Lake Moodemere. Premium picnic including wine and picnic blanket to keep – $95. Picnic grazer – $55.
Saturday 7 March & Sunday 8 March
2020 Harvest yoga at Scion, 8:30am – Enjoy a bright start with vinyasa yoga among the gums guided by Harvest Yoga (1hr class), followed by tea/coffee and light refreshments. Mats and props provided. $38pp. Bookings required.
Winemaker for an hour, Valhalla Wines, 11am & 3pm – Join winemaker Anton behind-the- scenes in Valhalla’s working artisanal winery and experience life as a Rutherglen winemaker. Between the bubbling ferments, experience crushing, pressing and plunging of the newly picked vintage 2020 – $25. Bookings preferred.
Indigenous Art Talk, De Bortoli Rutherglen Estate, 4:00pm – Wander through the art collection, wine glass in hand and experience a casual talk with the latest collection’s Art Director. Discover the wonderful stories behind the art on display and leave with a new appreciation for indigenous art.
Unwind in the Vines, Buller Wines, 6-11pm – The Voices Supergroup presents: Heaven’s Greatest Hits. Jason Singh is joined by friends Rusty Brown, Lee Harding and Tim Watson as they come together at Buller Wines to pay homage to the greatest songs of all time. Tickets $30. VIP $85 includes three course meal.
Tastes of Rutherglen 2020 tickets are $20 per person, which includes access to all 18 wineries in the region. Not a big drinker? Designated drivers will receive complimentary festival entry as well as two free tea/coffee/soft drink vouchers, courtesy of the team at TAC Towards Zero.
*View full Tastes of Rutherglen 2020 event programme. https://www.tastesofrutherglen.com.au/festivalguide