Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023 is on in Adelaide this Friday and Saturday. A chance to taste wines, gins and more from South Australian producers.
In this article, we let you know about exhibiting producers who produce wines from less commonly seen French varietals (Carignan, Durif, Frontignac, Gamay, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, Picpoul, Roussanne, and even Sauvignon Gris!) and those with Rosés and sparkling wines including made from French varietals or in the French Pét nat method.
You’ll even find gins and liqueurs made from some of these French wine varietals!
Carignan
Forage Supply Co. creates both a Caveman Carignan wine and a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Montepulciano called Baby Face.
Durif producers at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023
This grape is also known as Petit Syrah or Petite Syrah. The following exhibiting producers have wines from this grape in their ranges:
- Atze’s Corner has its Giant 2020 Durif
- Cimicky Wines has its Autograph Durif
- Dandelion Vineyards produces a Petit Sirah
- Spook Hill Wines produces its The Dark from Durif and its Nor’West blend is Mourvèdre and Durif
- Starrs Reach produces a Mataro Durif blend
Frontignac
You’ll find Frontignac from these exhibiting producers:
- Gumpara Wines makes a Liqueur Frontignac
- Schild Estate makes a 100% Frontignac called Bloom
- Threefold Distilling have a Frontignac Gin exp. series 002.
Gamay
The grape that produces the famous Beaujolais Nouveau wine is also used by Anvers Wine for its Gamay wine.
Mourvèdre
This grape is also known as Mataro and Alicante. These producers exhibiting at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023 that have Mourvèdres in their ranges:
- Soul Growers produces its 106 Vines Mourvèdre from 106 individual vines which are 130 years old
- Spook Hill Wines produces a liqueur from the Mourvèdre grape which they call The Punt
- Threefold Distilling produces a GSM gin from Shiraz, Mourvèdre and gin.
- Ulithorne Wines‘ Epoch Rosé is 100% Mourvèdre
Pétillant naturel (Pét Nat) producers at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023
While less commonly seen in Australia, Pétillant naturel is a sparkling wine made via the oldest method of making it known as the méthode ancestrale or ancestral method.
- New Era makes its Pét Nat from 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Sauvignon Blanc
- Starrs Reach has a 100% Grenache Pét Nat
Petit Verdot
- Killibinbin uses Petit Verdot in its Secrets blend range(Cabernet Sauvignon 62% Shiraz 32% Petit Verdot 5%),
- Rymill made a 2020 PV Petit Verdot
- Spook Hill make a Petit Verdot called Petty Criminal
Picpoul
Grounded Cru has Picpoul in its range.
Roussanne
Two producers exhibiting at Cellar Door Fest this weekend have Roussannes in their ranges:
- Dandelion Vineyards produces a single varietal Roussanne.
- George’s Folly produces a range of wines from Roussanne: Off with the fairies Sparkling Roussanne, Roussanne and a Shiraz Rousanne blend.
Rosés made from French varietals
These producers exhibiting at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023 have Rosés made from French varietals:
- Anvers Wine produces a Syrah Rosé
- Atze’s Corner Grenache Rosé
- Beresford Estate produces a Grenache Rosé
- Cimicky Wines make a Rosé from Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Shiraz
- Dandelion Vineyards produces a Grenache Rosé
- Fenêtre Lavande produces both a sparkling rosé and a rosé from Shiraz
- Grounded Cru has a Grenache Rosé in its range
- Killibinbin produces a 100% Shiraz Rosé called Sweet Lips
- Mount Benson Estate has a Rosé of Syrah
- R!ot Wine Co make a Rosé from Grenache.
- Rollick Wines has a Rosé made from 100% Cabernet Franc
- Starrs Reach has a Rosé from 100% Grenache
- Tomich Wines makes its Woodside Vineyard Rosé from Pinot Noir and Riesling
- Ulithorne produces a 100% Mourvèdre Rosé
- Windy Gully make a rosé from 50% Shiraz, and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
Sauvignon Gris
George’s Folly has its So Vain Jane Sauvignon Gris.
Sparkling wines at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023
There are a number of producers who make sparkling wines from French varietals who are exhibiting at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023:
- Anvers Wine makes a Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay.
- Bec Hardy make a Premium Sparkling from a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- Beresford Estate make Angelique Sparkling from 95% chardonnay and 5% grenache.
- The Blok Coonawarra makes a NV Sparkling Pinot Chardonnay
- Byrne Vineyards produces a Blanc de blancs
- CW Wines make a Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir for the Guide Dogs called First Paw “Sparkling” as well as a Sparkling Rosé in their Fênetre Lavande range
- Forage Supply Co has a Grenache de Blanc which is made using traditional champagne techniques
- George’s Folly produces an Off with the fairies Sparkling Roussanne
- Grounded Cru has a Pinot Noir Chardonnay Sparkling in its range
- Mary’s Myth has a blanc de blancs in its range
- One lonely barrel produces a Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonay
- Reschke produces its R-Series Sparkling from Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir
- Schild Estate has a 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine
- Soul Growers has Elder Hall Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir
- Starrs Reach produces a Sparkling Blush from Grenache
- Stonehaven Stepping Stone Sparkling is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- Tomich Wines produces the lesser seen Blanc de Noirs
- Ulster Park Wines produces a Pinot Noir Chardonnay blend called Fernilee sparkling
Syrah producers exhibiting at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023
Shiraz and Syrah are of course the same grape but known by different names but it is far less common to see it called Syrah in Australia. These producers exhibiting at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023 have Syrahs in their ranges:
- Anvers does not produce a straight Syrah but it produces both a Syrah Rosé and a Chardonnay Syrah
- Brothers at war
- MF Wines
- Mount Benson Estate
Less-common blends from producers at Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023
These producers are making interesting blends with French varietals
- Anvers Wine produces a Chardonnay Syrah.
- Claymore Wines produces a Cabernet Malbec
- Forage Supply Co. produces a number of interesting less-commonly seen blends from French varietals including Grenache de blanc, Caveman Carignan, Baby face field blend (Grenache, Carignan & Montepulciano),
- George’s Folly produces a Shiraz Roussanne blend as well as So Vain Jane Sauvignon Gris.
KEY INFO FOR CELLAR DOOR FEST WINTER EDIT 2023
WHAT: Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit 2023 – your ticket gets you all tastings and a Riedel wine glass to keep as well as the Cellar Door Fest map which will guide you through the event.
WHEN: Three sessions to choose from:
- Friday Night Knock Offs: 5pm to 9 pm, Friday 7 July SOLD OUT
- Saturday 8 July 11am– 4pm
- Saturday 8 July 5pm – 9pm.
WHERE: Adelaide Convention Centre
HOW: Purchase your tickets via the official website
HOW MUCH: Ticket prices are as follows:
- Friday general admission $41.98 ( NOW SOLD OUT)
- Saturday (either session) general admission $47.09
There are discounts available for groups of 10 or more for each session
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Which producers would you like to visit ?