HUNTER VALLEY’S COOL NEW NEXT GENERATION

                                   

David Ellis

HUNTER Valley’s Next Generation winemakers ham it up: (l to r) David Hook, Andrew Thomas, Rhys Eather, Nick Paterson, Mike De Iuliis, Andrew Margan.

A HALF-DOZEN Hunter Valley winemakers who dub themselves the Next Generation are going on the road in May to promote their wines at a series of Pop Up Bar public tastings in Eastern Australia.

David Hook, Andrew Thomas, Rhys Eather, Nick Paterson, Mike De Iuliis and Andrew Margan say they’re out to put the “cool new wine styles of the Hunter Valley on the map – and have a lot of fun doing it.”

They’ll be in Brisbane on May 3, Newcastle May 4, Sydney May 10, Canberra May 16 and Melbourne May 17. Entry and wine tastings cost $35pp at each event, and you’ll also be able to taste and purchase a range of Hunter Valley cheeses to match the wines on tasting.

As well there’ll be the opportunity to win a $1000 prize that includes return flights for two to Melbourne, twin-share overnight accommodation there, and VIP tickets to the Melbourne finale Pop Up Wine Bar on May 17. For venue details and purchase of tickets got to www.nextgenerationhuntervalley.com.au

PROSECCO Italian/Australian blend a light, refreshing and more-ish bubbly.

ONE TO NOTE:  YELLOWGLEN has claimed an Aussie first with a sparkling wine that’s a blend of 86% imported Italian Prosecco and 14% Australian-grown Prosecco.

The Italian component was made in the major Prosecco growing region of Veneto in the country’s north-east, and shipped here in refrigerated containers for blending with Yellowglen’s Prosecco grown on its Victorian and South Australian vineyards (Italy, incidentally, now exports some 200-million bottles of Prosecco a year.)

This new Yellowglen blend, which it claims is an Australian first, has suggestions of lemonade about it from its wonderful spritzy citrus characters, and is light, refreshing and very more-ish. Well worth the $19.99 for something that’s different and rewarding at that next party – or as we did, to be enjoyed with a prawn pasta.

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