Posted on 9th Jul 2010 @ 11:08 AM

If you thought Mudgee was all about ‘big, bold reds’, taste again. This year’s September Wine Festival will showcase the Region’s diversity as a wine region - Mudgee is the home of organic wine in Australia, and a wave of young, up and coming winemakers are roducing new & exciting wines from well known and not so well known varieties.
 
From 11 to 26 September 2010 a host of events will introduce visitors to new and traditional wines - meander between 50 cellar doors, attend awards, tastings with winemakers, vineyard walks, golf days, a readers festival, and enjoy special menus with fresh regional produce.
 
This year’s hot tickets include Go Grazing; Vine, Swine and Dine Food Affaire; the Mudgee Wine Show Dinner and Public Tasting; the Mudgee Fine Foods Awards; and Motown in Mudgee with James Morrison. Unique events include ‘CO2 with a View’ at Robert Stein Winery; ‘Dinner with Sean Moran’ at Logan Wines and a ‘Wine Blending Challenge’ at Bunnamagoo.
 
“Our wine industry has lots of exciting developments and new wines to offer visitors. Mudgee is the ‘home of organic wine in Australia’ - we have the oldest certified grower at Botobolar, award-winning Thistle Hill, and five organic wineries, which will double in the next five years,” said Lucy White, CEO of Mudgee Region Tourism Inc.
 
“Young, up and coming winemakers are offering new varietals and fresh interpretations of well-known grapes, look out for Jacob Stein (Robert Stein), Michael Slater (Thistle Hill), Josh Clementson (Skimstone) and Robert Black (Bunnamagoo).” said Lucy.
 

Pre Festival events

Friday 4 September - ‘Taste, Talk, Discover’ The Launch of Mudgee Gold - a night with the local wine-makers at Roth’s Wine Bar, Australia’s longest running wine bar. Sample the best of the best ‘Mudgee Gold’, a blended Cabernet Shiraz from Mudgee’s top vineyards, plus the release of the 2001, 2002 and 2009 vintages - Tickets $25 available at Mudgee Visitor Centre 02 6372 1020 or at the door - includes wine tasting, chat with the wine-makers & wood fires pizza canapes.

Saturday 5 September - 'Mudgee Fine Foods Awards 2010' - a long lunch event with platters of regional produce, tastings and the Award winners announced

Mudgee Wine Festival Begins September 10th

10-11 September - ‘Mudgee Readers Festival’ - this literary edge to the Festival features nine invited authors for panel discussions, lunch and dinner events - purchase tickets to Mudgee Readers Festival events online...

Friday 10 September - ‘Mudgee Wine Show’ Dinner - held at Blue Wren’s restaurant this is a wonderful night of trophy winning wines matched with regional food created by Blue Wren’s master chef of 5 years Damien Beard, who apprenticed with Matt Moran. $100.00 pp.

Saturday 11 September - ‘Mudgee Wine Show Public Tasting’ - enjoy tastings of over 400 wines including the medal and trophy winners from the 2010 Mudgee Wine Show, held at AREC, 2km outside of town - view more info here...

Saturday 11 September - ‘Vine, Swine & Dine Food Affaire’ - Clearview Estate, Burrundulla Vineyard and Moothi Estate have teamed up to offer a relaxed alfresco dining experience around Mudgee’s Eastern Wine Trail. Three delicious courses by local chef Rachel McCarthy matched with award winning wines

Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September - 'Mudgee Farmers Market and Farm Walks’ - visit the monthly 'Mudgee Farmers Market' on Saturday and join the new 'Farm Walks' on Sunday where you can visit and experience a working farm. SarJay vegetables, Leaning Oak Dairy and Cudgegong Valley Olives are on the roster for the 19th

Monday September 20 - ‘Labelcraft Golf Day’ - get you foursome together for a beautiful day at Mudgee Golf course with wine tastings at the nineteenth hole and wine prizes - contact Mudgee Golf Club...

Saturday 25 September - ‘Go Grazing’ - Mudgee’s ultimate food and wine tasting event, 11 wineries and 11 food purveyors match wits and tastes, food and wine. Graze amongst the delicious Mudgee reds with matched local lamb, or a crisp chardonnay with a delectable terrine. Each cellar door presents two wines, their best red and white, with a delicious canapé. Held at Mudgee Racecourse, Cassilis Road at 6.30pm and cost $60.00 pp - purchase Go Grazing tickets now online...

Saturday 25 September - Motown in Mudgee - if Jazz is your thing than Gooree Estate is the place to be as James Morrison swings into town. A great combination of wine, food and song. Gates open at 12:00pm for an entertaining afternoon

The Mudgee Region is 3.5hours from Sydney in the Central West and produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, is the modern home of Australia’s first Chardonnay plantings, as well as Italian varietals Sangiovese and Barbera which thrive in the Mediterranean climate. Major cellar doors include Robert Oatley Vineyards, Robert Stein, Logan Wines, Lowe Family, Huntington, Farmer’s Daughter Wines and Elliot Rocke Estate, or try Organic – Botobolar and Broombee, or go boutique at Burrundulla Vineyards, Frog Rock and Skimstone Vineyard.
 
For more information on September and to buy tickets contact the Mudgee Region Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6372 1020 or go to www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au