The future makers of the Limestone Coast

Australian wines for the 21st century

Max Allen

Max Allen only mentions three wineries (download Highbank review here) in his review of the Limestone Coast which includes the entire Coonawarra wine region.

Australian wines for the 21st century

Max Allen

Max Allen only mentions three wineries (download Highbank review here) in his review of the Limestone Coast which includes the entire Coonawarra wine region.

Wine SA: The definitive guide to South Australia's cellar doors and best wine experiences

Highbank Wines

- Winsor Dobbin

Download full article here (753kb pdf)

Biography

Winsor Dobbin is a veteran journalist and former foreign correspondent who writes about his greatest passions; food, wine and travel.

He is most likely to be found where there’s a cellar door and good restaurant.

Winsor writes on wine for The Sun-Herald and other Fairfax publications and is a regular wine/food/travel columnist for OUTthere (the Rex Airlines magazine), Winestate, Reader’s Digest, the Inner West Independent/City News, Travel&Living and Australian Golf magazine.

He also contributes to Selector, Luxury Travel, Scoop Traveller, Escape, Winestate, Australian Golf magazine, www.visitvineyards.com and En Route among other outlets.

His weekly wine reviews can be found at www.winsordobbin.com.au.

The wine universe is set to expand in the wake of the "Ultimate Parker in Asia Event" at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore. The Parker, of course, refers to the internationally respected wine critic, Robert Parker, and we are writing about it because Highbank was invited to participate - a grand honour indeed! 

The focus of the event was a Grand Tasting, which was held on the 1st and 2nd of May 2010 with only 100 exclusive wineries (including Highbank of course) from around the world being invited to represent their distinctive Terroirs. 

Why was this so important to be part of?

On my recent travels through Napa Valley, California, I enjoyed two stops, in particular, which showcased the great advances in wine technology from making to retailing.

I will share more of these findings over time but for now here are some images from these two concerns.

Opus One is known to people around the world and here I am pictured among their highly prized wine.

A visit to Darioush Winery was also an eye-opener for the serious yet contemporary point-of-sale/tastings efforts. It certainly is a far cry from many of the cellar doors we have over here in Australia.

Since being invited to take part in prestigious, Robert Parker in Asia wine event in Singapore in May 2010, I have now been asked to conduct the Masterclass for Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Concurs of Cabernet will feature some of the greatest wine producers in the world, and now Highbank will be featured at the event.

This is such a great honour for our small operation down here in the rich, red, Terra Rosa soil of Coonawarra in South Australia.

The event also features a Grand Tasting on the 1st and 2nd of May with only 100 exclusive wineries (Highbank has been invited) from around the world being invited to represent their distinctive Terroirs. 

Highbank Wines has been invited to take part in a prestigious wine event in Singapore in May 2010 and I am particularly looking forward to conducting personal tastings at the "special venue" being made available to each of the selected wineries.

The event is the "Ultimate Parker in Asia" event, which of course is a direct reference to internationally respected wine critic, Robert Parker. It is being sponsored by Hermitage, a fine wine distributorship in Singapore, and is being held at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore. 

The Grand Tasting will be held on the 1st and 2nd of May with only 100 exclusive wineries (Highbank has been invited) from around the world being invited to represent their distinctive Terroirs. 

To me, this is a welcome acknowledgement of our particular winemaking techniques and unyielding focus on accentuating the terroir of our patch of succulent, red, Terra Rosa soil in the Coonawarra.

Review of accommodation at Honeysuckle Rise, one of our cottages, from Trip Advisor, 30 January 2010

Discover the joys of the Coonawarra whilst staying in the middle of a working vineyard. Coonawarra is one of Australia’s oldest wine growing regions. An isolated 15 kilometres strip of extra ordinary terra rossa (rich red loam over limestone) that produces sublime wines.

Honeysuckle Rise Cottage is situated in the centre of Highbank vineyard. Host and winemaker Dennis Vice has created luxury self catering accommodation for wine lovers. This stone cottage is sited next to two massive red gums (estimated to be over 300 years old).

There are many places where guests can relax - the beautiful garden; the sheltered outdoor entertainment areas; inside with the high cathedral ceiling with exposed beams; the lounge area with a huge stone open fireplace; the mezzanine sleeping area (there is also provision for sleeping downstairs if you can’t cope with stairs); and the shower and spa that look onto a private courtyard garden. There are spectacular views of the vineyard from all windows but the view from the French doors in the lounge area is especially captivating – the doors and overhead arch frame the two magnificent red gums against the backdrop of the vineyard.

Excerpts from Max Allen, Food and Wine, Weekend Australian, October 24-25, 2009

I really must stop asking for feedback from readers: it seems too many of you are using it as an excuse to indulge in one or two too many glasses of vino. And we can't have that now, can we?

A couple of months ago I asked for suggestions for your Dream Team of Australian wine after putting forward my own list

Sumptious Magazine, October 2009

Two private retreats offer seclusion amongst the vines.

Honeysuckle Rise comprises two beautifully appointed self-contained facilities, which offer privacy and location in the heart of the Coonawarra wine region, and a touch of Tuscany on the Limestone Coast.

The accommodation is located within the vineyards of Highbank vineyards and affords guests the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere of their naturally beautiful biodynamic vineyards.

There is a choice of two romantic guest retreats; the spacious 'Cottage' where privacy is emphasised with its own vineyard setting, or the 'Villa' with its spacious upstairs apartment and picturesque views of the vines from every room.

Built by owners Dennis and Bonnie Vice from limestone recovered from their vineyards,