September Taste Sensation at Mudgee Wine and Food Festival

The Mudgee Region is thriving as a food and wine hub and the best time to taste its delights is the Mudgee Wine and Food Festival, in proud association with Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa, from 9-25 September 2011. Meet the winemakers, producers and locals at over 60 events in one of Australia’s oldest and most diverse wine districts.
 
New this year is a week of foodie activities from 9 September with a daily agenda for gourmands – a bubbly breakfast, alfresco lunch in the vineyard, wagyu BBQ, degustation dinner and a farmers market. Also new is the Mudgee Wine Tweet at ‘Go Tasting’ on 10 September where people can tweet their tasting views on over 400 different wines online at Twitter.
 
Hot tickets include ‘Vine, Swine and Dine’ through Mudgee’s Eastern wine trail (10 Sept), Robert Stein’s ‘Two Four Six Ate’ dinner (14 Sept), ‘Go Grazing’ (24 Sept), ‘Logan Wines Dinner with Pendolino’ (17 Sept), ‘Mudgee in a Hut at Rosby Wines’ (14 Sept) and Gooree Park’s ‘Bubbly Breakfast at the Track’ (10 and 17 Sept). Meet the winemakers at Lowe Wines ‘Winemakers Table’ every Saturday in September and ‘The Winemakers Table Dinner ‘at Blue Wren (15 Sept).
 
The Festival features the 40th Mudgee Wine Show with judging in a range of categories. Visitors can learn about the range of winemaking styles at the ‘Wine Show Dinner’ on 9 September and then sample to their palates content at ‘Go Tasting’ on 10 September.
 
Events will showcase how Mudgee’s wine styles have changed and diversified from big, bold reds to new styles of white such as lighter versions of Chardonnay, Riesling, Sparkling and Spanish and Italian varietals. Meet the young winemakers who are driving some of this change, and taste why Mudgee’s organic wines are winning such acclaim.
 
“For more than 35 years the Festival has attracted visitors from far and wide, and the quality of events in this year’s program is better than ever. The town will have a fabulous festival vibe and be buzzing with locals sharing their passion for food and wine.” said Lucy White, CEO of Mudgee Region Tourism Inc.
 
As well as food and wine the Festival features other sensory experiences – an Indigenous art exhibition, live music at the Mudgee Brewery and Roths Wine Bar, a golf tournament, a barefoot bowls event and an antiques auction.
 
There are around 40 cellar doors to visit from traditional favourites to newer openings at Mongrel Vineyard, Optimiste, Skimstone, Bunnamagoo Estate Wines and Rosby Wines. Also new in town is Botobolar Wine & Things Organic, Market Street Café featuring local produce and Kids Cooking Classes at the Farmers Market, to name a few.
 
The Mudgee Region is a 3.5hour drive from Sydney in Central NSW or a 40-minute flight with Aeropelican. A food and wine lover’s paradise, it is the third largest grape-growing region in NSW, with a range of arts, culture, history, outlying villages and towns including Gulgong and Rylstone, and nature and adventure experiences.
 
The Mudgee Wine and Food Festival are in proud association with Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa.  
 
For more information on the Mudgee Wine and Food Festival, the program and to buy tickets contact the Mudgee Region Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6372 1020 or go to www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au