By JESSE GRAHAM
WINE lovers will get the chance to quiz Rochford’s top winemaker and learn more about award-winning wine, with the venue hosting its annual open weekend next month.
On Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August, Rochford Wines will host its annual open door weekend, with the cellar door opening for tastings from 9am-5pm.
Chief winemaker Marc Lunt will be on hand to answer questions about the different wines and vineyards that make up the winery.
“In Europe, it’s tradition to open your cellar once or twice a year for customers to come in,” he said.
Mr Lunt said the weekend was a chance to showcase the 2015 Dans les Bois Pinot Noir, which was recently awarded a gold medal at the International Decanter World Wine Awards.
Though last year’s open weekend had activities for children, Mr Lunt said this year’s event was more focused on wine, and the stories behind it.
“What we normally do is open the cellar, people come in, they can do a traditional tasting where we just take them through, or you have people with more of an interest – they want to know how much oak was in, how much whole bunch and so forth,” he said.
“It’s more for … people who have a real interest to come out and have a proper tasting.
“It’s more structured.”
He said the winery recently purchased a vineyard in Gembrook, and that it was the first year the Dans les Bois Pinot Noir had been made.
“We just really wanted to promote the wine and thought that would be the perfect time for people to come have a look in the cellar,” Mr Lunt said.
“For a lot of people, as well, we just put the roller door up … and if we’ve got tour groups in the afternoon or customers coming in and out, they just go crazy for it – there’s just something about oak barrels.”
Entry to the open weekend is $15 per person, and the winery will also be holding a Dans les Bois – In the Woods dinner on Saturday night for $150 per person, featuring eight wines matched with eight French dishes and entertainment.
For more information, call 5957 3333.
