The South Coast’s most awarded winery is reintroducing regional tasting boards and lunch plates this summer showcasing produce from the Shoalhaven and beyond.
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Coolangatta Estate started matching medal and trophy winning Semillon, Verdelho, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat wines with local oysters, sourdough, olives, cheese, beef, fish and chutney from the South Coast from Boxing Day.
Pioneering vigneron Greg Bishop said it was the return of something that was very popular at the vineyard and historic settlement a decade ago.
And is part of a commitment to regionality in Alexander’s restaurant, the function rooms and wine garden at Coolangatta Estate.
In 2019 Mr Bishop notches up his 30th year producing wine in the Shoalhaven and said “we have always been interested in regionality and regional produce”.
“When I was a little fellow I used to have a vege garden and I always understood just how important it is to have and use locally grown produce. We just put the regional tasting board and lunch plates together last decade and it was enormously successful”.
Mr Bishop said there was a lot of work involved in doing it but it was worth it to help showcase just what wonderful produce comes from the South Coast region.
And this time of year with the great influx in visitors during the holiday season it is a perfect time.
The regional produce plates have been very popular with the music marathons at Coolangatta Estate since Christmas and will remain until the end of January leading in nicely to the 30th annual harvest on the historic property settled by Alexander Berry in the early 1820’s.
Many of the original buildings still survive today at Coolangatta Village near Shoalhaven Heads where Mr Berry grew grapes and made wine almost two centuries ago.
Mr Bishop reintroduced grapes to the property which was then a dairy farm in the 1980’s.
Around the same time historic buildings were restored to become accommodation.
What is another little known historic fact is Coolangatta on Queensland’s Gold Coast gets its name from a shiprwrecked schooner named Coolangatta that sailed from Shoalhaven Heads in 1846.
Now it is a world class Semillon grown at Shoalhaven Heads and sent to the famous winemakers at Tyrrells that is turning into Coolangatta Gold.
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