tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83817000694171616242024-02-19T23:18:32.064-08:00Illawarra Wine ReviewsExploring the wineries of the Illawarra,
incorporating the cities of Wollongong,
Shellharbour and Kiama.Vanessa Pike-Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09986313509450021229noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8381700069417161624.post-29745916850604994002011-06-13T20:48:00.000-07:002011-06-13T20:48:17.157-07:00YouTube - illawarravids's Channel<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/illawarravids?feature=mhee">YouTube - illawarravids's Channel</a><br /><br />Local Food Heroes of the IllawarraNominate YOUR local heroes by adding a comment belowVanessa Pike-Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09986313509450021229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8381700069417161624.post-19516357776017371022011-06-13T20:43:00.000-07:002011-06-13T20:43:13.647-07:00YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.<a href="http://www.youtube.com/create">YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.</a>Vanessa Pike-Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09986313509450021229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8381700069417161624.post-38253444717696584242008-06-13T07:23:00.000-07:002009-06-11T12:58:37.580-07:00Coolangatta Estate Winery<div id="photoImgDiv2480714010" style="width: 502px;" class="photoImgDiv"><p>Located in Shoalhaven Heads, in the foothills of Mount Coolangatta, it is a short 10 minutes drive from Berry and only two hours from Sydney – definitely perfect for a weekend drive. </p> <div id="photoImgDiv2480872018" style="width: 502px;" class="photoImgDiv"> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2480872018_59113d70cf.jpg" alt="" onload="show_notes_initially();" class="reflect" height="334" width="500" /><br /><br />We visited with a lovely group of people as part of a Club46 event, the Gerringong (and Shoalhaven) winery tour.<br /></div><p class="Photo"> <span class="photo_container pc_l"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2479779831/" title="Club46 at Coolangatta Estate Wines"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2181/2479779831_b21912fa32.jpg" alt="Club46 at Coolangatta Estate Wines" class="pc_img" height="356" width="500" /></a></span></p><p class="Photo">We were given a taste of several wines, along with a talk about the local grapes of the region and some of the history of the estate, including the<br />origin of the word Coolangatta and the fact that the Coolangatta of NSW was actually the first town to be named Coolangatta, although the one in Queensland is the most well known.<br /></p><p class="Photo"> <span class="photo_container pc_m"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2480714010/" title="Coolongatta Estate Winery"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2254/2480714010_30075c14b1.jpg" alt="Coolongatta Estate Winery" class="pc_img" width="500" /></a></span></p><p class="Photo"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2479913655/" title="Coolangatta Estate Wines by Vanessa Pike-Russell, on Flickr"><img style="width: 443px; height: 615px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/2479913655_bdee2ef2e4_b.jpg" alt="Coolangatta Estate Wines" width="500" /></a><br /></p><p class="Photo">The resort facilities are top class with 18th century architecture built by convicts in what is known to be the first European settlement on the South Coast of NSW. Accommodation includes The Cottage Block, The Convict Cottage, The Stables, Servants Quarters, The Plumbers Block, The Lodge, The Blacksmiths Shop, The Harness Room and The Dairy.</p><p class="Photo"> </p><br /><br />The Coolangatta Regional Lunch Plate looked amazing from the photo below (below the sign)<br /><div id="photoImgDiv2479915085" style="width: 336px;" class="photoImgDiv"> <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2161/2479915085_f19116a3b1.jpg" alt="" onload="show_notes_initially();" class="reflect" height="500" width="500" /><img alt="http://www.coolangattaestate.com.au/images/dining_tastingplate.jpg" src="http://www.coolangattaestate.com.au/images/dining_tastingplate.jpg" width="500" /></div>(Image source: <a href="http://www.coolangattaestate.com.au/estate_whatson.php">Coolangatta Winery Website</a>)<br /><br />The platter includes Greenwell Point Oysters, Kalamata & Manzanillo Olives, Small Cow Farm Fetta (Robertson), Tahitian Local Fish Salad, Trusst Cucumber Salsa (Sussex Inlet), Trusst Oven Dried Tomatoes (Sussex Inlet), Nowra Unicorn Brie, Coolangatta Estate Almond Bread,<br />Highlands Thai Beef Salad with Noodles and Shoalhaven Heads Bakery Flowerpot Damper including 50mls each sample of their Semillon, Verdelho, Chambourcin and Sauvignon all for $25.00.<br /><br /><div id="photoImgDiv2480721986" style="width: 336px;" class="photoImgDiv"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2479913655/"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/2480721986_f07108a775_b.jpg" alt="" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.coolangattaestate.com.au/images/location02.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.coolangattaestate.com.au/images/location02.gif" alt="" border="0" width="500" /></a>Vanessa Pike-Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09986313509450021229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8381700069417161624.post-82277047473564056892008-06-12T12:42:00.000-07:002009-06-11T12:57:07.936-07:00Two Figs WineryThe next winery on the Club46 Winery tour itinerary was the newly established Two Figs winery. This was a smaller winery than the others but the wine definitely held its own when it came to its wines. My favourite was called ‘Sunday Afternoon’ and would have to be one of the nicest sweet wines I’ve had in a long time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2480259144/" title="Go to the photo page"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/3174/2480259144_f405753bec.jpg" alt="Two Figs Winery" /></a><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/2480248488_04080fd5dc_b.jpg" width="500" /><br /><br />Vat of wine<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2480397278/" title="Go to the photo page"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/2404/2480397278_fddd97f81d_b.jpg" alt="Two Figs Winery" width="500" /></a><br /><div id="photoImgDiv2479537039" style="width: 336px;" class="photoImgDiv"> <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2012/2479537039_cc42732088.jpg" alt="" onload="show_notes_initially();" class="reflect" width="500" /></div><br /><br /><a href="http://people.aapt.net.au/%7Eshaynebricker/Two_Figs_map.jpg"><img src="http://people.aapt.net.au/%7Eshaynebricker/Two_Figs_map_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" width="500" /></a>Vanessa Pike-Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09986313509450021229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8381700069417161624.post-37724831804097577462008-06-11T12:39:00.000-07:002009-06-11T12:55:57.043-07:00Crooked River Winery<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"><p class="Photo"> <span class="photo_container pc_l"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2481237710/" title="crookedriverwines_Panorama2"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2245/2481237710_f138e59bbe.jpg" alt="crookedriverwines_Panorama2" class="pc_img" height="134" width="500" /></a></span> </p> Today we visited a lovely winery just outside of Gerringong NSW Australia on the winery tour with club46 ( <a href="http://www.club46.com.au/">www.club46.com.au</a> ). Our winery tour ticket included three wineries (Coolongatta Estate, Two Figs and Crooked River Winery), a sumptuous lunch including a starter of bread and semi dried tomato butter, a choice of four mains and a cup of coffee. I chose the tasting platter for 2 and was very impressed with the serving size and quality of food which included smoked salmon, chicken lyonnaise, eggplant, pate, salt and pepper calamari.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2480588852/" title="Crooked River Winery Cafe - Tasting Platter by Vanessa Pike-Russell, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2480588852_edb3dba85f.jpg" alt="Crooked River Winery Cafe - Tasting Platter" height="334" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2479734055/">Crooked River Winery Cafe - Tasting plate</a> with crusty Turkish bread, grilled and marinated eggplant and peppers (not included), petuna smoked Atlantic salmon, lyonnaise chicken, salt and pepper calamari, pate and five-spiced pork<br /><br />I could not find fault with one morsel of this tasting plate. Everything was delicious and it was heartily enjoyed. My favourite part was the five-spiced pork but it was all delicious.<br /><br />Other mains enjoyed at my table are pictured below<br /></span><p class="Photo"> <span class="photo_container pc_l"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2480389359/" title="Five Spiced Pork at Crooked River Winery Cafe"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/2480389359_7ef7f42cbd.jpg" alt="Five Spiced Pork at Crooked River Winery Cafe" class="pc_img" height="334" width="500" /><br />Twice Cooked Five-Spice Pork Belly with a warm chorizo, kipfler and green bean salad, chilli, palm sugar and apple caramel<br /></a></span></p><p class="Photo"> <span class="photo_container pc_l"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2481159276/" title="Chicken Lyonnaise at Crooked River Winery Cafe"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3018/2481159276_30024b97bc.jpg" alt="Chicken Lyonnaise at Crooked River Winery Cafe" class="pc_img" height="334" width="500" /><br />Truffled Lyonnaise Chicken with parsnip puree, oven dried roma tomatoes, young spinach and garlic dressing<br /></a></span></p><p class="Photo"><br /><span class="photo_container pc_l"></span></p><div id="photoImgDiv2480435815" style="width: 502px;" class="photoImgDiv"> <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2242/2480435815_844ff5fd16.jpg?v=0" alt="" onload="show_notes_initially();" class="reflect" height="311" width="500" /><br /><p class="Photo"> <span class="photo_container pc_l"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2480440333/" title="Beef Burger at Crooked River Winery Cafe"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2480440333_d89d0a8f43.jpg" alt="Beef Burger at Crooked River Winery Cafe" class="pc_img" height="234" width="500" /></a></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2480440333/" title="Beef Burger at Crooked River Winery Cafe">'Michael's Grilled Beef Burger' with onion jam, bacon, omelette, vintage cheddar and fries</a></p><p class="flickr-yourcomment">The view was breathtaking. I could have stayed there all day.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2480469148/" title="Crooked River Winery by Vanessa Pike-Russell, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2480469148_30c311e39c.jpg" alt="Crooked River Winery" height="334" width="500" /></a></p></div></div> <p class="Photo"> <span class="photo_container pc_l"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/2479722145/" title="Crooked River Winery"> </a></span> </p><p class="flickr-yourcomment"><a href="http://www.crookedriverwines.com/">www.crookedriverwines.com/</a></p><p class="flickr-yourcomment"><a href="http://www.crookedriverwines.com/">http://www.crookedriverwinescafe.com.au/<br /></a></p>Vanessa Pike-Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09986313509450021229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8381700069417161624.post-15102133432580013702008-06-11T10:55:00.000-07:002009-06-11T12:55:33.592-07:00Illawarra Wine ReviewsA sister site to Illawarra Food Reviews, this blog will explore local wineries and the food and wines they offer.<br /><br />May 2008 I went on a winery tour with Club46. The four wineries visited were:<br /><br /><blockquote><a href="http://illawarrawinereviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/coolangatta-estate-winery.html">1. Coolangatta Winery </a><br /><br /><a href="http://illawarrawinereviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/two-figs-winery.html">2. Two Figs Winery</a><br /><br /><a href="http://illawarrawinereviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/crooked-river-winery.html">3. Crooked River Winery</a><br /><br />4. Silos Estate<br /></blockquote>Vanessa Pike-Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09986313509450021229noreply@blogger.com0