Homeless Grapes, Tasting Australia, Gin-Tastic
Food and drink happenings in SA, including a community grape-picking exercise in the Coonawarra, a gin-paired dinner at the Walkers Arms, Fork food trucks in Elder Park, and a host of Tasting Australia events.
Homeless Grapes Project Coonawarra – April 14
This Vinomofo project offers members of the public the opportunity to join in a community grape-picking exercise to raise money to help people experiencing homeless. Saturday’s event will take place across three different Coonawarra wineries, beginning at 9am (with coffee) at Raidis Estate, then moving on to Patrick of Coonawarra and ending with a grape stomping and sausage sizzle at Hollick Estates. Money raised from the resulting wine will be distributed via the charity AC Care. Registration and details here.
Walkers Arms’ Gin-Tastic Evening – April 12
The Walkers Arms Hotel in Walkerville will be serving up a five-course tasting menu paired with gins from SA distilleries Never Never, Barossa Distillery, Lyrebird, Ounce Gin and 23rd Street at this Gin-Tastic event. Tickets are $59 and the eating and drinking begins at 6pm.
Tasting Australia – April 13-22
Charred at the Tasting Australia Town Square in Victoria Square. Photo: Daniel Purvis
The program for this year’s Tasting Australia features more than 140 events across 10 days in April, including workshops, master-classes, degustation dinners, foraging adventures and underground feasts. The ‘Town Square’ in Victoria Square is the festival hub, open every day but Tuesday and featuring bars, the Glasshouse Kitchen, and “Charred” food vendors including Andre’s Cucina, Comida, La Popular Taqueria and Pizzateca. The full TA program is available online, with events including:
Dinner and a Uraidla takeover on the Pontoon – April 13-14, 20-21
The Riverbank Pontoon is back in action during Tasting Australia, beginning with two sit-down dinners on April 13 and 14 curated by Tasmanian guest chef Iain Todd of Frogmore Creek and showcasing SA produce teamed with Adelaide Hills wines (tickets $65 plus booking fee). The following weekend, the Pontoon will feature a pop-up bar hosted by the Uraidla brewery, bakery and hotel, plus DJs.
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Forage Feast and Ferment Adventure Tour – April 15
Run by Conscious Lifestyles, the Forage Feast and Ferment Adventure Tour in the Adelaide Hills will include morning tea, a guided forage for wild edibles, a visit to the organic Forest Orchards (with natural winemakers Anton von Klopper and Tom Shobbrook) and a three-course course “rustic sit-down share lunch” with wine and cider. Tickets are $159.
Great Wine Voyage – April 15
Wine lovers will have the chance to compare wines from the eight international Great Wine Capitals with their South Australian equivalents in this event, which will take place across eight Adelaide bars. Details here.
East End Cellars Masterclasses – April 13-21
East End Cellars will present more than 20 wine, beer and spirit masterclasses in the Tasting Australia Town Square (in Victoria Square), including a gin-blending masterclass with KIS Spirits, a “Night Caps” whisky class with Tasmanian distiller Bill Lark, and a tasting of 10 vintages from Henschke’s Mount Edelstone Vineyard. View all the masterclasses here.
Electra Hotel’s Sushi Bubbles Go – April 17
Electra House’s Level One head chef Jamie Kang will teach you everything you need to know about sushi-making while you enjoy bubbles from Sidewood Estate and a champagne masterclass from Champagne XS. Sushi Bubbles Go runs from 6.30pm-9pm and costs $105.
Ayers House gueridon dinner – April 18-21
Historic Ayers House is bringing back its gueridons (trolleys) for a series of $195-a-head silver-service dinners in the Henry Ayers Room. Executive chef Paul Groves will present six dishes from the room’s last silver-service menus, from around 1991, which will be accompanied by matched wines and served with “bygone panache”. Read more in this InDaily story.
Valley to Verandah – April 14
Hardy’s Verandah will host a special tasting in the 165-year-old cellars under Mount Lofty House, followed by a 13-course degustation upstairs presented by chef Jin Choi and showcasing Adelaide Hills produce. $299 per person; details here.
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Fork Around the World – April 15
Around 25 Fork food trucks will return to the city for this Sunday event on the banks of the River Torrens in Elder Park. As well as street food from around the world, there will be local craft beer, cider, wine and spirits, DJs, kids’ entertainment and a big screen showing the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. It’s on from midday until 10pm.
Mother’s Ruin at Hains & Co – April 15
West End small bar Hains & Co is promising “lots of gin, a dash o’ rum and a pint o’ beer” at its inaugural Mother’s Ruin event this Sunday. Among those making an appearance will be Carolyn ‘The Gin Queen’, Sean Baxter of Never Never and David Danby of Ounce Gin. The fun begins at 6pm, with details here.
Sean’s Kitchen Crab Carnival – until April 22
In what it describes as “a celebration of the crustacean to get you out of your shell”, Station Road restaurant Sean’s Kitchen is serving up a menu of crab-themed dishes – from the Louisiana crab roll to a king crab mac & cheese – at its month-long Crab Carnival. There’s also a weekly Louisiana Crab Broil every Thursday, for $40pp. Details here.
Baltic Beer and Cider Tasting Feast – May 3
The Latvian Lunchroom at the Adelaide Central Market is hosting this meat lovers’ long-table event. Food such as smoked ribs, crumbed pork fillets with apple sauce, fried potatoes and sauerkraut will be served alongside Baltic-style Robetown beers (from pales to porters and stouts), LOBO ciders, Latvian vodka and liqueur tasters. Bookings here.
Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend – May 18-20
More than 30 wineries, two breweries and regional restaurants will take part in this year’s Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend, with events including degustation lunches and dinners, the Gourmet Farmers’ Market, masterclasses and a wine sale. The popular Gourmet Hub will be relocated to the Clare Showgrounds and include wine from new boutique labels that don’t have cellar doors. See the full program here.
Urban Wine Walk – May 19
This self-guided wine-tasting experience offers the chance to sample wines from makers such as La Prova, Yeti & the Kokonut, Hither & Yon, The Lane Vineyard and Chaffey Bros Wine Co at West End bars including Udaberri, Electra House, Hains & Co, MYLK Bar and La Buvette. Tickets are $55 and must be purchased prior to the event. For details see the Facebook event page.
Tasting Bench Discovery Wine Dinner at Pranzo – May 19
Guests will be introduced to six wines from six different Australian wine regions – from an Old Vine Grenache from Yangarra in McLaren Vale to a Cabernet Merlot from Mountadam in Eden Valley – in this long-table experience at East End restaurant Pranzo. The menu comprises three courses (seasonal antipasto, slow-braised beef cheek and matured cheese) with tickets costing $130 or $110 for earlybirds (before April 20). Details here.
News, tips and information?
Please send details of any upcoming food and/or drink events to: [email protected].
