We’re off to see the vineyards…the wonderful vineyards of OZ

From the 13th floor balcony of our flat in Port Melbourne, it was a frequent occurrence to indulge in local wines, food, and breathtaking views.  The experience of tasting Australian wines from the surrounding wine regions while enjoying the maritime activities around Port Philip Bay was memorable.  Regatta races showcased high performance go-fast boats and impressive sail boats. The busy shipping lanes for tankers, ferries to/from Tasmania, and cruise ships made way for the Queen Mary QE2 when she made port and docked for a couple of days.

The lifestyle around the bay has a very active and trendy vibe. There are many cafes, restaurants, art galleries, fashionista shopping stores, theater, markets, etc.  Cockatiels chirp from their nests in the palm trees that line Bay Avenue and Kilroy Street.  Cyclists and joggers stop in outdoor cafes to respite and enjoy a cup of flat white while enjoying the people going about their day. Drive down the coast to the Twelve Apostles, a rock formation.

Remember the seasons are reversed in Australia, so during the Christmas season be prepared to see Santa Clause dressed in a tropical shirt and shorts.  Also, this is the season for the sticky fly migration; house flies that stick to your clothing so bring a can of spray insect repellent if you are hanging around outdoors. Another tip is that wearing black clothing will camouflage the fly landings a bit, disgusting I know but no travel books revealed that seasonal fact.

The metro train system to the city of Melbourne and suburbs was extremely easy, user friendly, and cost effective.  The Yarra River runs through the city and the culinary scene is trendy featuring an international flair to satisfy any fastidious taste buds.  The Yarra Valley Food Trail offers Kangaroo jerky and other local fresh culinary delights.  Don’t forget the vegemite spread, it is a taste that unforgettably lingers on the tongue and probably do not want to experience twice thank you very much.  If you are a Banksy fan don’t miss his satirical street art and gift shop downtown.  Just ask the locals the directions because it is not openly advertised.

During the winter months Melbourne is a great place to hang out because some attractions include Victoria Derby Day, a prestigious celebrated meeting thoroughbred horse racing for the Melbourne Cup.  One would think the Kentucky Derby was an elaborated fashion statement until you have seen these ladies in their over stated hats and dresses.  The Albert Formula Grand Prix attracts international drivers and cars where the city turns into one big racetrack and you can hear the race cars zooming from all directions.  The Australian Open Tennis Cup is another big celebration around town. 

North of Melbourne, the town of Cairns is great places to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef and while you are there experience true luxury at the Shangri-La Hotel.  I also had the privilege to travel to Sydney and stay at a hotel that included a roof top pool to enjoy the views of the busy city, opera house, and its local beaches. It was intriguing to witness Sydney’s bat migration from our hotel window.  During the day, fruit bats are curled up in a ball, asleep, and hang from the trees. Around sunset they awake, gather, and fly off into the sunset similar to a big long dark cloud, then return to the trees before sunrise to be repeated daily.

Before living in Melbourne, the only wines from down under that I had tasted in the States were from the producers of Yellowtail, Penefolds, Jacob, Watershed, etc.  Sadly to say that Australia is still dominated by a handful of mass production wine producers. For instance Yellowtail winery produces over sixty million cases per year; yes that is on a massive scale.  The consequence is that the small and personal boutique wine producers who make fabulous wines are not available for exportation.  Most outsiders are not privy to Australian’s diverse wines, wine regions, and terroir because these hidden gems are blocked by laws controlled by distribution lobbyists.

While ordering from a restaurant’s wine list in Melbourne, little did I know, I thought SA stood for South African wine; the waiter understandably informed me that SA is an abbreviation for South Australia wines.   I am always looking to taste and learn about wines and their wine regions, so yes indeed, exploring the South Australian wines from local festivals and the wine trails from Yarra Valley, Mclaren Vale and Barossa Valley taught me a few things.  In addition, the proximate wine stores had introduced me to other wine regions such as Margaret River, Mornington, and Hunter Valley which had opened up a whole new world of what Australia wines have to offer.  We have to keep in mind that due to climate change some grape varietals in some wine regions may be in danger because of its warming effect and may affect high quality wine.

Victoria’s first vineyards and wine region dates back to 1833, and today there are over eighty personal wineries.  Some local wine producers around Victoria sell their wines at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne and the place where I learned the local wine jargon.  For example, ‘plonk’ is a bottle of cheap wine and a ‘flagon’ is a 2 liter bottle of wine. 

Say g’day mate to Australian Rieslings.  There is an international interest in Rieslings from down under and the Riesling producers showcased their wide range wines with pride.  Actually, I prefer bone dry crisp cool climate Rieslings so, needless to say, I really enjoyed some of those austere Rieslings of Australia.

Oh man, I miss those wines…On that note, I will click my heels twice and repeat “There is no Riesling like Oz, there is no Riesling like Oz”