Vineyard Visit - inside view of Adelaide Hills

Well, this is nothing about the inside story of whoever's family, not even tiny about the history how a family owned vineyard grow the vines to become the gold trophy of whatever competition.

This is about life of running a vineyard through lens.

Most of the vineyard owners in Adelaide are retiring from lawyers, doctors. Instead of having a very commercial display at the frontdoor, like Robert Mondavi or D'arenberg. (Will elaborate the art / magic of it in separate blogpost).

This looks village like, and that's how I love it. Homely, family run. No need to hide, no need fancy. Well, while I am taking these photos, owners were out...wide open. Friend open arms~

You can see the busy life running the vineyard, from:

Clearing the webs from vines...

Pasting labels

Doing the finance

Taking pictures for webpage display

Not that they have time to make a good outlook for their trophies!!!

They'd rather put focus onto handmaking the brands with wires

Workplace with a view like this...

That is what impresses me working in the vineyard. This is reflecting the true meaning of life, coordination with nature and enjoy what is growing from the deeds in the hill.

BYOB Blind Tasting #1 - Pinot Noir at Twyst

To learn tasting the truth of each grape, blind tasting would be the best way.We did prepare well by wrapping our bottle with aluminium foil. Special thanks to our waiter who help us recording the numbering of the bottle so that we can't tell the wine even from the wrapping of it. Now you know why I desperately look for free corkage restaurant. Let me know if you have any.

After this fascinating and extraordinary event that wow my friends and I, I decided to hold this event regularly called BYOB - Bring your own bottle where I setup the topic every time and a limit to the blind tasting bottle so that the more people we have, the wider range we can share.

Wine of the day #3 - Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir Tasmania 2009

Assessment of quality

Excellent quality, especially after decanting. After 3 days, the velvet tannin is evolving and the flavour intensity is much stronger with a very long aftertaste. The leathery and gamy flavour stands out  with a sumptuous structure. The licorice taste swells in the mouth, however not sure it is popular among people on the mixing palate of licorice and leather. It can last for at least 20 - 25 years. Time to store some. The only question left in thought is whether young Australian wine would illustrate secondary note when decanted? Guess this is the beauty of Pinot Noir, similar to Burgundy's complex region.