Monday, July 28, 2014

Pairing Wine with Food: Considerations

Good food and good wine don’t always automatically result in a good dining experience for many restaurant-goers. Taken independently, one can appreciate the ingenuity of the chef and the brilliance of the vintner. Together in one serving, however, it could lead to a rather disappointing meal if food and drink are not paired right.

Here are some basic considerations for the pairing process:

  1. Open mind. Read articles and guides that provide information on which wine suits a particular food best. Try them and understand for yourself why those pairs work well together.
  2. Assessment of wine and food components. Wine flavors are derived from specific components: sugar, acid, fruit, tannin and alcohol. Food also contains flavour components, such as fat, acid, salt, sugar, and bitter. Know which components are present in the wine and food you want to sample.
  3. Pair those that complement and contrast. After knowing the components that make up the wine and food, pair them according to which of their elements complement or contrast with each other. Sometimes, richness and texture also give hints as to which pairing will prove to be more successful.

While wine and food pairing can be challenging, diners can actually call on a restaurant attendant to give suggestions on which of their dishes and liquor offerings go well with each other. People can rely on these knowledgeable professionals instead as they are still learning to make pairings themselves.

Enjoy the Products of Margaret River Wineries on an Edifying Wine Tour


From Swan Valley, the industry quickly branched out to the Great Southern region of Western Australia, along the the route of its sub-regions—Porongurups, Mount Barker, Albany, Denmark, and Franklin and Margaret River. The numerous productive Margaret River wineries specialize in red and white wines, the most popular being the red cabernet sauvignon and the bubbly sauvignon blanc. For people who want to truly savour the best wineries in Margaret River and nearby popular places, such as the popular The Berry Farm in Rosa Glen, a wine tour of the region should be a sensible idea. There are several agencies that offer a guided tour, but with over a hundred wineries in the area, you’ll have to cast your own net around the places you absolutely need to see. Whether you take the guided tour option, or forge your own itinerary, take note of these few reminders.
http://theberryfarm.com.au/Blog/13/Enjoy-the-Products-of-Margaret-River-Wineries-on-an-Edifying-Wine-Tour

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Decide On The Best Lunch in Margaret River By Going On Food Tour!


Visit any Margaret River winery or restaurants in Western Australia and you’ll see first-hand how the region has the gastronomic chops to declare itself a foodie’s haven. With delightful menus created out of the freshest bounty from its coastline to delicious truffles in Manjimup, touring foodies will hardly be disappointed with the cast of wholesome and succulent dishes in WA to please every palate. Food tours in the region offer a whole range of enjoyable events any gourmet could appreciate. Decide who makes the best lunch in Margaret River by checking out the restaurants in the area. A good example is The Berry Farm, a winery and café that features enticing treats, such as the Moroccan Chicken and Scotch Fillet Steak Sandwich. Take home some of their special farm-sourced gourmet fruit jams, dressings, and preserves, as well as their sparkling wines, ciders, and liqueurs.
http://theberryfarm.com.au/Blog/12/Decide-On-The-Best-Lunch-in-Margaret-River-By-Going-On-Food-Tour

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Tourism Australia: Food and Wine Tours in Margaret River, Wine Regions


Launched at Sydney’s renowned Quay Restaurant, the campaign is a $10-million effort to promote the best of Australia’s culinary destinations. Tourism Australia worked with partners on the Restaurant Australia project, which was anchored along with the successful Wine Australia. Restaurant Australia was a feat two years in the making, that began when both Tourism Australia and Wine Australia recognized a boom in the nation’s tourism (a record 6 million tourists visited Australia in 2012, increasing the export value of the country’s wine by 4 percent). Back in December 2012, , Wine Australia chief executive Andrew Cheesman revealed on the Sydney Morning Herald that a plan was being designed to highlight Aussie wine in a tourism campaign.
http://theberryfarm.com.au/Blog/10/Tourism-Australia-Food-and-Wine-Tours-in-Margaret-River-Wine-Regions

Monday, July 21, 2014

Top Three Reasons to Visit Margaret River

Already been to the Sydney Opera House? Visited the State Parliament House in Melbourne? Or seen the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns?
Luckily for you, Australia has many more must-see destinations to offer. Case in point: West Australia’s Margaret River, a seemingly quaint town which promises many great activities for tourists to enjoy. What are the top three things you should do on your visit?
Wine Tours
Australia is fast becoming a powerhouse in the wine-making industry, thanks in large part to Margaret River’s famed wineries. As the leading wine region in the country, the area produces many world-class vintages, from sparkling whites to brooding reds, along with other beverages like liqueurs and ciders. A wine tour of the many vineyards in Margaret River will surely be a wine enthusiast’s dream come true.

Catch the Waves
There’s a reason why the surf film Drift was shot in Margaret River—it boasts some of the best beaches and waves in all of Australia. In fact, the area also hosts many prestigious surfing competitions, like the Margaret River Pro. If you want to practice your hang fives, this is the place to go.

Cave Excursions
Did you know that honeymooners once camped inside the Ngilgi Cave? Such is the beauty of this cavern that even today, tourists from all other country—and around the world—book excursions into it.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Develop a Taste for the New and Unfamiliar

The world of wine is a rich and diverse one. Each vintner might make vintages of entirely different characters; each wine-producing region might host vintners with wildly differing philosophies to winemaking; each wine-producing country might have regions dedicated to producing an entire variety of types of wines.
So vast and contrasting is the subject of wine, in fact, that anyone who should be willing to delve deeply into it must come prepared with a taste for the new and unfamiliar. One of the best places to start down this road of discovery is in the wine tasting rooms of wine growing regions, like Margaret River.
As any wine lover can tell you, wines always taste better during wine tasting sessions at a winery. There are many explanations for why this is so.
First, wine tasting rooms are full of different wine-related sights and smells. This heightens the senses and helps to mentally prepare the taster for the experience.
Second, the wine served at the sessions is untraveled and kept in absolutely pristine condition at the same site where it was produced. This preserves its taste and the more subtle characteristics that are otherwise lost once bottled and shipped elsewhere.
A visit to a winery where fine wines are made is just the first step down this road, but it is also one of the most important. It is usually here where wine lovers first begin to understand how much more colourful the world of wine really is.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Tasting Room Etiquette

Wine tasting sessions are often the highlight of visits to Australia’s wine growing regions, such as Margaret River. While such events might sound like nothing more than an excuse to get inebriated on high quality wine, there is a certain etiquette that is followed in the wine tasting room, as is with most other aspects of high culture.
First, there is the manner of dress, which should be appropriate for such a sophisticated outing. Participants should dress in comfortable, casually, yet elegant clothing respectful of the winery’s standing. Strong perfume should be avoided. Strong scents overwhelm the aromas in the wine and can ruin the experience for everyone involved.
Second, there is the mode of conduct. Despite alcohol being the theme of the evening, wine tasting events are generally meant to be more relaxed and conversational in nature. Loud banter and rowdiness are atonal with the intended atmosphere and should be avoided.
Third, there is the observance of proper wine tasting technique, which, as the name suggests, should be more about tasting than consuming. The wine is first aerated by swirling it in the glass so that it gives off its bouquet of aromas. It is customary to inhale deeply before taking a sip, and thereafter, to swirl the wine in your mouth to coat all surfaces of the mouth.
Finally, there is the exercise of moderation. The goal is not to get inebriated, and participants are expected to take advantage of the provided spittoons for precisely this purpose.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Get 10% Off Our Quality Wines from one of the Best Wineries in Margaret River


"Margaret River is Australia's Napa Valley; a rich farmland home to some of the best wineries in the country. If you fancy yourself a foodie, never forget to put this township in your next itinerary. To get you really excited about coming here, The Berry Farm, one of the best Margaret River wineries, has a sweet special treat for you. In celebration of the launch of our new website, TheBerryFarm.com.au, we're slashing 10 percent off anything you buy from our humble winery for the entire month of July. That's right; buy anything you like—from our signature sparkling fruit wines to gluten-free gourmet preserves —and you can receive a discount. "
http://theberryfarm.com.au/Blog/9/Get-10-Off-Our-Quality-Wines-from-one-of-the-Best-Wineries-in-Margaret-River