Michael Kennedy has a nose for an award-winning wine list.By Kath Gannaway
THE Healesville Hotel has taken out a third award in Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards announced last week.
Healesville Hotel, one of seven Victorian winners in the nationally recognised Gourmet Traveller WINE/Fine Wine Partners awards, took out the Best Pub Restaurant List.
Michael Kennedy, co-owner with Kylie Balharrie and the man responsible for the creation of the winning wine list, said the award was not only great for the hotel but for Healesville and the Yarra Valley.
The awards are judged on a range of criteria including content, balance, pricing, suitability and presentation. The key to success is the quality of the wines.
For someone who admits to being a wine “quality not quantity” addict, the award recognises the hard work involved in putting together a top-quality wine list.
“Obviously, being in the Yarra Valley we have a very significant Yarra Valley content but we have strived from day one to have a wine list that stands alone whether in the Yarra Valley or Melbourne,” he said.
That expertise and dedication was acknowledged by Judy Sarris, editor of Gourmet Traveller WINE.
“Victoria has distinguished itself as a leader in crafting the best wine lists in the country,” she said.
“We are delighted with the results and celebrate the amount of time and money necessary in developing a worthwhile wine list.”
For the Yarra Valley, Mr Kennedy said the awards bring further recognition.
“These awards are Australia-wide so what an award like this does is give the Yarra Valley an extra dimension. It says it’s not only wineries, it has the best pub wine list in Australia.”
Achieving the highest standards of recognition in the industry, and being in a position to share the expertise which gains that level of achievement, has flow-on benefits in terms of providing career choices for locals.
“One of the things which is so important to the longer-term viability of the town is that young people don’t feel they have to travel to get city experiences,” Mr Kennedy said.
“We have the places here now where they can educate themselves about the hospitality industry without having to go to Melbourne and that’s great for the town.”
