Buy wine. Help the Hills
City folk will have the chance to meet and support our devastated Hills producers at Cellar Door Fest, next weekend at Adelaide Convention Centre.
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On the first Sunday of every month, Clare and Ben Anderson, of Anderson Hill cellar door, host Lenswood Local Night; an evening of chatter and cheap booze for neighbours.
The gathering usually attracts around 15 Hills dwellers from Lenswood, Uraidla, Balhannah, Lobethal and nearby areas.
On January 5 (soon after the Cudlee Creek bushfire devastated the region), 120 people turned up. There were hugs, tears and stories aplenty.
Clare’s husband Ben and 18-year-old son James fought hard to save their Lenswood home, cellar door and wine stocks. Their vineyard wasn’t so lucky.
“We needed to debrief and tell our stories,” says Clare. “It just proves our community is strong and ready to rebuild and go forward.”
It’s enough to give you goosebumps.
City folk will have the chance to meet and support our devastated Hills producers at Cellar Door Fest, next weekend at Adelaide Convention Centre.
This year’s event features a Bushfire Relief Market zone dedicated to producers directly impacted by the recent fires. Kangaroo Island’s Dudley Wines, The Islander Estate Vineyards, Kangaroo Island Spirits and Kangaroo Island Brewery have been provided with a free platform to sell their wares.
So, too, have Adelaide Hills brands Anderson Hill Wines, Artwine, Barristers Block, Golding Wines, New Era Vineyards, Nova Vita Wines, Petaluma Wines and Turon Wines. Tomich Wines and Henschke will also pour wine at the event.
Be sure to chat while you taste. Father and son duo Bob and Iain Baxter, from Woodside’s New Era Vineyards, will pour the new Colours Of Wine series.
Iain loves working with alternate wine varieties and his recent creations have been a hit on wine show circuits.
His New Era 2018 Sangiovese ($32.99) and New Era 2018 Tempranillo ($32.99) scored gold medals at the Adelaide Hills Wine Show 2019.
Or, try the New Era 2018 Touriga Nacional ($32.99). Made using Langhorne Creek fruit, it’s a taste of Portugal’s stunning Douro Valley. It also made the cut in the 2019 Hot 100 Wines Show.
Ask the pair about the random strangers who helped save their home and attempted to save their vines. It’s tear-jerking stuff.
Speaking of which, winemaker Mark Kozned and wife Joanne’s small family business, Nova Vita Wines, is also doing it tough. Sip on their new Project K range (unfiltered, sustainable wines) or popular Nova 2018 Vita Firebird Gruner Veltliner ($25). Every glass or bottle purchase helps.
The poignant final sentence in Mark’s email signature says it all: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”