#HumanBrochure – A Day of Food and Wine

Those of you who follow me may have seen a whole host of posts recently where I’m using the hashtag #HumanBrochure. The reason being: I am one! In Canberra’s 101st year, ACT Tourism put out the call for social media-savvy Canberrans to be part of a huge campaign.

101 Canberrans have been chosen based on the quality of their content, and reach. Some of us are across many social media platforms, including blogs, and others just one or two. We got to nominate one of four available groups: Food & Wine (my group!), Adventure, Family Fun and Arts and Culture.

Throughout the months of May and June, ACT Tourism has organised a whole host of ‘discovery events’, where some of Canberra’s best is revealed to us. In many cases we get to go behind the scenes. Armed with this knowledge, at the end of October we get to invite two interstate guests and one Canberra local for a weekend spent how we choose, but with one special, niche event (still to be revealed!).

In amongst all these excellent discovery events, each group gets a whole day devoted to exploring the region around their theme. Food & Wine was first up – all we’d been told is that the day was starting with coffee, and ending with cocktails and entertainment. The rest was a surprise!

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Sage Taste and Test Redux

I loved Sage Dining Rooms’ Taste and Test last year. It’s a clever concept: offer five experimental dishes at a reduced price and, over the course of a few weeks, get a sense of what the Canberra dining public’s taste really is to help form the menu. But the last Taste and Test was only held in September – is Sage lacking some confidence in its future menus? Does it need to check with the public before it brings out each new season’s menu?

The short answer? No, and no.

End of Summer Riesling, Parlour Wine Room

The Summer of Riesling was meant to be events across Australia during summer embracing all things riesling. Easy enough, right? Unfortunately, even though we’re a riesling region, there was little take up across the ACT (we’ve got to fix that next summer!), with only Parlour Wine Room holding the torch. After showcasing a variety of rieslings each week throughout summer, Parlour also had quite a few bottles of rieslings with which to celebrate the end of summer and needed people to help empty them…

Chez Frederic, Braddon

I’ll be the first to admit it: even after scouring the website, I don’t quite get what Lonsdale Street’s latest offering, Chez Frederic, is all about. It’s not until we arrive that I really appreciate exactly what this concept – what I think is the first of its kind in Canberra – intends, and achieves.

Wine blending class at Mt Majura

After sampling and experimenting, our table has put together a winning TSG blend which we’ve submitted to our judges. It’s just a matter of time before they announce the winner – and we know it’s going to be us*.

A double helping of Sage

We recently had a great experience at Sage’s Taste and Test, and couldn’t wait to see what Sage ended up choosing as part of their permanent Spring menu, and book in as soon as it’s announced. In the meantime, we’re also told that the lovely Valhalla Wines from north-east Victoria is teaming up with Sage to present a wine matching dinner. Because of this, we end up heading to Sage twice in one week (!), and – unbeknown to us until later – end up sampling almost the entire Spring Menu over the two occasions.

Canberra International Riesling challenge tasting

I’m loathe to write about this event. And not because it was bad. No.

I’m loathe to write about it because it was so very good.

(And part of me doesn’t want to share it.)

Murrumbateman Moving Feast

I’m a big fan of Canberra’s wineries, and Boyfriend and I have somewhat systematically been working our way through visiting every single one. The Canberra Region Wine Harvest Festival is permanently marked into our calendars (with visits in 2012 and 2013), and we’ve wined and dined our way through Lerida Estate, Lark Hill, Surveyor’s Hill, Capital Wines, Poacher’s Pantry and Mt Majura. Phew! You’d think we’d know what to expect, but the Murrumbateman Moving Feast still threw up some surprises. So, herewith are some lessons learned:

Canberra Region Wine Harvest Festival 2013

It’s another gorgeous April day in Canberra, and we’re on the road heading north to Murrumbateman for the Canberra Region Wine Harvest Festival. I haven’t told long suffering (chauffeur) Boyfriend yet that I think we can fit in five wineries in four hours, but that’s the goal.

Hidden Gems at Grazing in Gundaroo

As part of the NSW Wine Festival (and in the lead up to the Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival), Grazing at Gundaroo hosts a “Hidden Gems” wine dinner. While the Canberra region is known for its riesling and its shiraz (for good reason), the dinner shows off those lesser-known but still highly regarded wines by pairing them with food. Win! We’re in.*