Wine festival celebrates two decades

Cellar Dwellers is a time for wine lovers to truly indulge the palate – it’s the only time of the year the cellar doors dust off their museum wines, back vintages and special release wines.

It is an event on the Coonawarra calendar that evolved as so many of these Coonawarra events have evolved – through the innovative thinking and cooperative efforts of the region’s vignerons.

It was a concept born 20 years ago when the vignerons were looking for a hook to increase visitation during the quieter winter months and it’s a concept that has thrived – attracting, particularly, the genuine wine appreciators, to sample some of the region’s best and rarest drops, highlighting the superb aging ability of Coonawarra wines.

It is just another example of many that sees the Coonawarra vignerons working side by side to develop the brand, increase the region’s profile and ensure Coonawarra remains the premier wine region on wine lovers’ lips.

Coonawarra Vignerons marketing & events officer Heidi Guyett said it was a special time of year in the region.

“It provides the public with some memorable tasting experiences that only occur in July and that otherwise would not be available for tasting or purchase,” she said. “The annual Cellar Dwellers festival allows wine lovers the opportunity to taste some very special museum wines, most notably of Coonawarra’s red wines but also select white varieties, not otherwise available on a day to day basis, alongside a range of unique cellar door tasting and event experiences.

“The event continues to boost visitation to the region when winter visitation can be inconsistent and providers a positive impact to the visitor economy of the Limestone Coast.”

The majority of the July visitors to Coonawarra hail from South Australia and Victoria with the stats showing 15 per cent of attendees are locally based, considered within a 25km radius, 35 per cent are from within SA and 50 per cent come from interstate.

“It has a substantial impact on the visitor economy,” Mrs Guyett said.

It is an month long festival that has seen significant growth in the wineries involved and the events planned as part of the Cellar Dweller program.

There are more than 50 event listings, including bespoke cellar door tastings, across the month with 20 wineries participating as the 2024 program sees the return of several popular food and wine events, alongside a range of unique cellar door tasting experiences.

“We are excited to be able to deliver a robust program of events this year, with everything from exclusive museum wine tastings to winemaker dinners, behind the scenes tours and long lunches,” Mrs Guyett said. “Each of these events has been designed with a consistent theme – that is, to showcase Coonawarra’s superb wines and how beautifully they age over time.”

Several wineries are offering food and wine combos on weekends at their cellar doors including DiGiorgio Family Wines ever popular aged wine and cabernet pies, Brand’s Laira serving a rotating menu of hearty winter warmers and Parker Estate offering seasonal slow cooked stews.

There’s also Pizza and tunes to be enjoyed at Raidis and mulled wine at Rymill Coonawarra.

At Bellwether, guest chef Clare Falzon will be crafting lunches in the 1868 renovated shearing shed from Wednesday – Sunday through to July 13.

One of the feature events of the Cellar Dwellers program is the combined wineries Back Vintage Tasting event o, July 12, that involves 15 Coonawarra wine producers, pouring a range of wines cellared for up to 22 years.

The two hour tasting event will feature wines from Banks Thargo, Balnaves of Coonawarra, Billy Brand, Brand & Sons, Brand’s Laira, DiGiorgio Family Wines, Hollick Estates, Koonara, Majella, Parker Estate, Patrick of Coonawarra, Redmans, Whistle Post, Yalumba and Zema Estate. Following the tasting guests are invited to stay on for a dinner catered by chef Ian Perry in the Upstairs by Hollick Restaurant.

The month-long celebration is set to end with a bang at the inaugural Cellar Dwellers Gala Dinner where three Coonawarra Vignerons patrons are expected to be inducted.

The dinner will take place on Saturday, July 27, at Parker Coonawarra Estate, and is open to the public to attend.

“The gala event will be a night to remember, celebrating not only the wines of our region but the people as well,” Mrs Guyett said. “We look forward to enjoying a fabulous dinner in a stunning location, and decanting some exceptional museum wines on the night.”

Find more information, including a Cellar Dwellers program, at www.coonawarra.org or find Coonawarra Wine Region on Facebook