Wineries celebrate short weekend with long drinks

SIXTEEN of the Yarra Valley’s smaller wineries put on a big show on the weekend in celebration of the winter solstice.
The 2009 Shortest Lunch saw wineries from Chirnside Park to Cottles Bridge and along the Maroondah, Melba and Warburton highways throw open their cellar doors for a moving feast of wine, food and entertainment on the shortest weekend of the year.
Locals and visitors to the valley made the most of the cooler weather, rugging up to keep warm on the outside and choosing from a feast of tummy-warmers and a glass or several of the valley’s best boutique wines for an extra glow.
Add a touch of the warm-fuzzies from knowing that each $5 entry to the event was going to the CFA, and the chill in the air was barely noticeable.
Bernadette Miller of Millers Estate Winery said their first venture into the event was a pleasant surprise.
“After the cancellation and rescheduling of grape grazing we didn’t know what to expect,” she said.
“We went through all our soup on the first day and spent Saturday night cooking up more. It was great.”
Seville Estate was abuzz with visitors enjoying the food, wine and picturesque views of the Yarra Valley in winter.
Zoe Baranowski said that she and her group of friends, who all recently moved to Melbourne from England, had enjoyed the atmosphere of Seville Estate and her first visit to the Yarra Valley.
“We have had a lovely day so far, it’s been great,” Ms Baranowski said.