Tag Archives: wine

Vivanco Musea

When my sis mentioned we were going to a wine museum I was a bit like… well how about you go to Vivanco and I will do a wine tasting.

Silly me. The museum is amazing.

The view from the museum

With four levels going underneath the ground, an insight into the large underground barrel collection and it’s own wines, the Vivanco Museum is worth it.

In fact it is a must for any wine connoisseur.

Each floor shares a different angle about wine.

One on the history (wine is 8000 years old)!

And about the local region La Rioja.

Aa floor on corks and corkscrews

A floor about pesticides and commercialising wines – all very interesting.

Upstairs is a cafe with a small menu, outside art installations and a wine tasting corner.

Wine tasting flights

The last level has some incredible art by Andy Warhol, Picasso and Sorolla.

A Warhol

I highly recommend a visit to this museum if you are in La Rioja.

The Hairy Arm – Shiraz

At first I wasn’t too sure about The Hairy Arm Shiraz outside of Sunbury, north west of Melbourne.

It is in the heavier Australian red style of wine but during the day I actually like this wine.

The aroma gets the thumbs up with its complex layers.

The wine is like a jam sandwhich that grandma used to make, comforting for the soul, reminiscent of childhook memories and delightful palate.

4.2/5

Stonyridge Vineyard Waiheke Island

Stonyridge Vineyard and restaurant

Perched about 20 minutes via car from the ferry at Waiheke is Stonyridge Vineyard. It is a magnificent looking vineyard and in summer boasts a vine wrapping all around the main building. It reminds me of a vineyard I once visited in Corsica.

I have been here before so going back was for the wine and ambiance.

What we discovered is that most vineyards on Waiheke charge (what I would call, a small fortune) to do a taste sampling. Some charge $10 for 3, others $15 for 3 premium. Guard your wallet because whilst they are guarding their cellar door so you don’t drink down their vats for free, you will be paying quite a lot more for the privilege of drinking a Waiheke grown wine.

On this day we are very fortunate to have Nathan as our bar tasting man. Entertaining and a whizz at wines we learn a lot about the local wines as well as New Zealand wines.

The wines here, like everywhere else on Waiheke, are expensive.  But you have to expect it… don’t be surprised. 

After sampling some wines we settle on a nice crisp Riesling and venture into the restaurant for lunch. In summer the outdoor area pumps. It’s referred to as the yoga deck which is kinda suitable as it has views spanning over the vineyard and to be honest I don’t know if they do yoga there or not, but it would be a perfect venue. 

The restaurant is fine. Vineyard style, with a good menu but rich prices. We chose to share two entrees and a main. 

Our entrees prawns and fish cerviche are good and our main is rib eye fillet, with mashed and jus.

We love our food so don’t want to put it down but it feel short somehow. As I type I feel bad writing. It was OK – to great but just not spectacular. 

Obviously it is better than cafe food and a pub meal but when you pay $44 for steak I think one should expect 6 star.

I would give the experience this time 3.5/5. The food 4/10, the wine tasting with Nathan 5/5 but the service unfortunately only 3/5. 

Volcano Winery Rotorua

It’s a dramatically cooling off day in Rotorua and a must-do is the skyline hill. There are a swag of activities to part take in, including wine tasting.

We head out to the Skyline and purchase the gondola ride (which is actually really worth it and reminds me of Switzerland) and 3 luge passes. The costings and options are here.

The wines are NZ wines and if you are not planning on going to a specific wine region this is the next best thing.

It’s actually quite an OK deal if you are traveling with children.

So off the gondola to the top. The ride takes you over the international Mons Extreme sports track which is stunning. We spot a herd of deers happily munching on the slops and as the climb continues draw breath at the quite spectacular views.

Once at the top, the clouds open up! Like teaming rain.

We decide to take shelter in Volcanic Hills Winery.

So we figure a wine is a good pause, especially as we are about to challenge ourselves to luge.

The staff at the winery are extremely friendly and feel like old friends. Even Georgia who assures us she is an introvert.

Delightfully indulged with wines (very approachable wines I might add), chit chasing with Johnny about his life and him inquiring about our, we whittle away a lazy few hours taking in the views of Rotorua.

It’s a wonderful incidental side trip.

OH – we decide not to luge as it was really cold and raining and very nicely they staff extended our expiring on the luge so we can revisit in a few weeks and use the passes then.

Highly recommend.

Botswana Butchery – restaurant Auckland

Situated at the end of Queen St downtown Auckland is the upmarket restaurant Botswana Butchery.

Fine dining inside and lovely relaxing couches and tables outside over looking the water outside, make this place highly appealing.

We are in a rush so don’t get to fully indulge with the menu, but select well.

The wines are devine and I have the riesling while my friend has a savignon blanc. Both yummy wines elegantly served in big balloon glasses the way they should be!

 

I have the mussels, which are big, tasty and delicious. My friend has the peking duck pancakes which are also yummy. I would highly recommend this restaurant. Great service, great food and lovely outlook over the bay.

Neuchamel Restaurant Baar

Baar is a little township beside Zug and is where my friend lives.

Access to most places is 30 minutes via car or train.

Across from the train station is a funky restaurant and bar. I discover it early in the day after missing my train and Fabion, the girl behind the bar makes me feel instantly at home.

I return later that night to have a drink with my friend and we decide to dine there. It is booked out and you can see it is very popular with locals. A warm buzzy vibe make the place conducive for animated conversations.

Like most place in Switzerland smart casual is appreciated but not essential.

Fabion recommends the Swiss reisling for a sweet white wine and it is delicious. Not too sweet but a nice crisp wine. We are served an appertif of red cabbage and apple strauss which is enough to carry our tummies over until our main meal is served.

I have cordon blue, which I haven’t had for over 20 years (mainly because I try to be dairy and gluten free) but this is the home of cordon blue. It is amazing. The cheese endlessly oozes out of the yummy parcel.

This is another Swiss restaurant I highly recommend.

Vini & Cucina Blasi

My favourite Cucina in Rome

Everyone needs a home away from home and I made mine at Vini & Cucina Blasi.

I stumbled across it the first night I was in town and Maurizio, the owner, is a gregarious and friendly soul. Greeting everyone, making them feel welcome, pouring their wines, he is the perfect host and his bar becomes like a home.

The pizzaria and bar is close to everything but very close to the Pantheon. You can sit back away from the hustle and bustle and watch life go by.

The staff are all wonderful and enjoy working for the boss.

Attentative and friendly there is a reason why many Roman’s have made this their drinking hole.

You can wander in and grab a pizza and vino, or eat a main meal.

The vines are amazing, especially the red, which is made by Maurizio’s friend. I found it wonderfully fruity and light, not bitter nor heavy. It was a little to easy to drink, but that’s ok, because you are with friends.

In fact, I started hearing the “Friends”  theme when I would walk to the cucina. Fun, times, good people and great wine!

Thanks guys, I look forward to seeing you all again when I come back to Roma.

Wine Tasting at Sea

On board drinking experiences vary and being the seasoned wine  taster that I am,  it felt mandatory to try the wine tasting experience on the P & O Cruise as well as the Mix-It Cocktail Experience.

img_0153_2I take this part of my life very seriously (days at sea) and aside from writing travel blogs, dipping in and out of the spa, I will always sign up for a few drinking experiences.

The wine tasting one is fantastic.

So often in life I feel wine is drunk not enjoyed.

The wine tasting enables you to thoroughly enjoy the true experience of wine – the joie de vie, the elixir of the Gods. I love wine so slowing down to have some one walk me through each quality and aspect of the wine, the colour, the aroma, the palette and to tell me the story about the wine maker and his intent on creating the wine is like attending a liquid art gallery.

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The ship often shares one or two high end bottles which are beautiful to enjoy. I highly rate the wine tasting, the random people you meet at your table and the funny staff.

A different liquid experience and equally as fun is the cocktail mixing hour. For a modest sum you can make 4 delicious cocktails , have some fun and consume them all!

I found it very enlightening and learned that you can infuse your own vodkas with anything from chillis, to fruit to chocolate eclairs! I also discovered that many cocktails made behind the bar include sugar syrup and explained many so called “hangovers” that hadn’t made sense in the past – now I know they were sugar crashes.

We made an expresso martini, a humming bird, a caprioska and a chocolate one….

A REAL must do if you are at sea for longer than half a day. Don’t second wonder, just do it.

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