SUPPORTING ASSOCIATIONS Hunter Valley Wine Society Hunter Regional Tourism Hunter Valley Vineyards Association
APRIL 2009
The Hunter Valley’s Annual Semillon & Seafood Festival
Wine and food lovers will be heading for the Hunter this April to sample the delights of over 150 different Semillons, including latest releases, museum treasures, sparkling and dessert styles paired to perfection with the freshest local seafood during the Hunter Valley Semillon & Seafood Festival April 17 – 19. Now in its 8th year, this spectacular weekend will play host to over 20 Semillon inspired activities including: Master Classes, world class chef demonstrations, lunches, degustation dinners, sneak peek tastings, and mingle with some of the region’s legendry winemaking families including: Bruce Tyrrell, Mike DeIuliis, Keith Tulloch, Phil Ryan and 2008 Winemaker of the Year Andrew Thomas.Visitors to the festival can be Semillon savvy in no time when they attend the Master Classes held by highly regarded wine expert and writer Nick Ryan. Attendees will also discover their Semillon personality with Nick’s entertaining presentation covering fresh, crisp and bubbly varieties to toasty, rich and sweet characters. Tasty morsels will be on offer throughout the weekend with local restaurants serving up gourmet seafood dishes. For more info visit: www.huntersemillonandseafood.com
MARCH 2009
From the Vine to the Glass… With the first step of wine production (that is the harvesting of the grapes) mostly behind us, the grapes are now crushed and allowed to ferment. This ‘primary fermentation’ process can take between one and two weeks and involves the yeast converting most of the sugars in the grape juice into ethanol (alcohol). This liquid is then transferred to vessels for what is known as the ‘secondary fermentation’ process. Here, the remaining sugars are slowly converted into alcohol and the wine becomes clear. Wine is then allowed to age in oak barrels before bottling, which adds extra aromas to the wine, while others are bottled immediately.
The time from harvest to drinking can vary from a few months to over twenty years in the case of top quality wines.
FEBRUARY 2009
February is Vintage Time in the Hunter Valley!!Vintage, is the process of picking (harvesting) grapes and creating the finished product, and typically falls between February and April in the Southern Hemisphere. In some wine making areas it is also referred to as “the crush.” A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all (or primarily), grown and harvested in a single specified year and in certain wines, it can also denote quality. As grapes determine the quality of the wine, the harvesting of wine grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the winemaking process. When to pick is determined by the ripeness of the grape using measures of sugar, acid and tannin levels. Of course the weather also plays a role in determining the time of harvest with the threat of rain, hail, frost and heat potentially damaging the grapes and/ or bringing vine diseases. The word is out that the 2009 Vintage is shaping up very well with excellent ripening conditions and the promise of superior quality wines.
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