Behind the bottle profile: India Munari

WHO AM I 

Contrary to my face, I'm a little older than I look and I've had some wonderful wine experiences in my 33 years. In 1992 I was 5 when my family moved to Heathcote from Brunswick In Melbourne. I had a great time growing up on the farm (as I call It) and It was from this age that I started helping around the place. My first official job during vintage was the 'pump girl', it was quite a limiting role which consisted of turning the pump on and off during the pressing, but it was perfect for me. It was as early as this that I remember what a hard slog that vintage was, even as a young girl I would be working well into the night with my father (or at least that's how it felt). Over the years the jobs became more labour intensive; disbudding, labelling, harvesting and mowing the lawns all came within my job description and so before I really even knew It I had quite an inherent understanding of how the business worked.

After moving to Melbourne for university and gaining some corporate experience working for companies Including the Boston Consulting Group, Zurich Financial Services & AIA I stumbled on a job advertisement which seemed too good to be true. It came in the form of a Facebook targeted ad promising that as a Wine Ambassador for Pernod Ricard Winemakers I would get to travel the world while being trained on their wine business in order to share it with others. After a gruelling Interview process five of us were successful - we would train together and be 'deployed' across the globe to become experts on the Pernod Ricard Winemaker products, these Included, among others, Jacobs Creek, St Hugo Wines, Wyndham Estate, Brancott Estate, Church Road (NZ), Campo Viejo (Spain), Kenwood Estate (Sonoma, USA) and Graffinga (San Juan, Argentina). For nine months I travelled from the Barossa Valley to Marlborough to Rioja, finishing In Sydney, spending time with winemakers and viticulturalists, touring the regions In depth, tasting competitor wines, understanding the different ways to run the tasting rooms and learning each winery's logistical processes. The experience was quite unbelievable. My colleagues moved to Poland, Japan, Vietnam & Canada while I was posted to Sydney. Pernod Ricard Winemakers was a great company to work for. My role was three-fold - engage and educate consumers through marketing activations, assist the sales team as a product expert for those on and off premise venues that needed a bit more attention & build the wine culture internally. As Pernod Ricard Is famously a spirits company, the wine side of the business needed a bit more attention. The job allowed me to travel Australia, training and educating and gave me access to some great training experiences including having my WSET 3 paid for as well as sitting on the National Liquor Magazine Tasting Panel.

India with mother Deborah Jones-Munari at around 10 years old during a harvest

Vintage in the Napa Valley, California.

WHY HEATHCOTE

I have my parents to thank for that. Adrian & Deborah looked far and wide when searching for a property. Over 2-3 years they explored the Yarra Valley, Pyrenees & Rutherglen. Dad was still completing his Associate Diploma of Applied Science at Wagga Wagga via correspondence and school teaching full time. They found our property in 1992 through a private sale - 5 acres of vines plus a tractor and all the farm equipment. My parents were already familiar with the Heathcote style at the time with Jasper Hill, Wild Duck Creek & Mt Ida becoming more well-known and they recognised that the style and location could definitely become one of the premier wine regions of Australia. That wasn't the only reason though, there was still room to plant on the property, they could find a job in nearby Bendigo, there were schools in the region and it was close to my dad’s family roots of Seymour. In 2005 I left home for University not quite knowing at the time that the industry would lure me back.

Flash forward 26 years, after leaving my job for Pernod Ricard Winemakers I completed a vintage at Mumm Napa and returned home to Heathcote with the passion to complete my first full vintage at home. It was to be a trial to see If I could live and work with my family. It was during this time in February 2018 when I heard the brewery was opening In Heathcote, I could hardly believe It. Palling Brothers, along with venues such as Rutherford & Maine and the Heathcote Inn were the city touches that I know I needed to return to small town living. I've been so impressed with the development of the region which has definitely contributed to my happiness while living In Heathcote.
 
In 2019 I was nominated to join the Heathcote Tourism & Development board and now I can help shape the future of the Region. As a board member and more personally, one of my key messages to consumers is around the versatility of the styles of the region as well as how incredibly close we are to Melbourne and what a perfect day trip it makes.

The Cellar Door in the 1990’s which was the original stables has come a long way since we purchased the property.

OVER THE FENCE

It would be remiss of me not to mention my parent’s admirable involvement in the early defining of the Heathcote Region. I'm glad they had the passion to recognise the benefits of stepping away from the Bendigo & Heathcote Wine Region to forge our own (regional) path. From originally putting pins on a map to identify the vineyards to finally defining the new Heathcote boundaries. It was through sometimes difficult conversations that this was able to take place.  My parents along with other passionate locals were the trail blazers for us all who carved the way for a successful region.

MEMORABLE BOTTLES

In my first week at Jacobs Creek we drove up to the famous Steingarten Vineyards on the edge of Eden Valley. One of my first formal wine tasting experiences was with Rebecca Richardson, the former Sparkling & Whites Winemaker at Jacob's Creek, where we did a vertical tasting of the classic, Steingarten Riesling. We tasted through around 5 vintages while throwing out terms like, custard apple, marmalade, fusel, lime, honey and green apple. It was an eye opening and memorable experience which marked the beginning of a Riesling love affair. I've since travelled to German & French wine regions Including Phalz, Mosel, Reingau & Alsace and in my opinion Eden Valley still produce some of the best Riesling in the world.
 
More fond memories rest closer to home in our rustic cellar door. After an event, a long day at the cellar or a random Friday night I take pleasure in picking a back vintage off the wine rack and tasting Munari Wines through the years. Most recently I had a 2004 Ladys Pass Shiraz which was still showing beautifully sweet fruit and great structure. Our friends and family join us to reminisce and I always feel so pleased to be able to share a piece of our history with them.

HIGHLIGHTS

From a personal perspective I've already had some fabulous experiences and highlights. "una copa de vino tinto por favor" became a favourite phrase while living in Spain for 9 weeks while working for Pernod. I was basically paid to eat tapas and drink Tempranillo in Logrono, the heart of La Rioja. I learnt there that even in a country where so much wine is so available, and in such a regulated wine industry that just\ like most places, and most people, the regular wine drinker had no idea what they were drinking. The locals didn't know the difference between Joven, Reserva or Grand Reserva - they simply knew If they wanted a wine from Rioja, or neighbouring regions Navarra or Ribero Del Duero they had to ask for that. Living there, commuting to work every day and experiencing the true geography and Spanish way of life was a great career highlight for me.

More recently completing a vintage at Mumm Napa was a delight. I have spent many weeks In the USA over the years and I've come to enjoy the company and culture of *most Americans. Spending three months in the states allowed me to understand the sub regional areas of Napa as well as the more underrated region of Sonoma next door. Working at a sparkling facility was a great eye opener and something vastly different which I would never ever had done in Australia.

India and her Pernod Ricard Wine Ambassador graduates touring Ysios Winery in Rioja, Spain

ANYTHING ELSE? 

I'd like to acknowledge the support of some new friends within the industry and the support network they have given me. You may have heard of the Heathcote Women in Wine which is a small alliance I am happy to be part of which was borne out of the horror that has been Covid-19. These women, Tracie Young, Jodi Marsh, Jess Dwyer, Emily Kinsman & Madeline Marson have been an incredible support to me through the challenges and changes which our business and cellar door have faced through the lock-down, re-opening and subsequent lock-down periods. I look forward to working with them and many more men and women of Heathcote as I believe it is the collaboration and broader regional view that will help us all succeed together and mark Heathcote as a world class wine region.

 As published in the Heathcote Winegrowers Association “Behind the bottle” Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 Heathcote Winegrowers' Association, All rights reserved.

Heathcote Women In Wine From top left: Jodi Marsh, Emily Kinsman, Madeleine Marson, India Munari, Jess Dwyer, Tracie Young

News from the Estate - July 2020

We've been busy behind the scenes at Munari Wines. We recently bottled our 2020 Vermentino & brand new white wine, 'The Veneto’ Garganega. This wine pays tribute to Adrian Munari's heritage and his fathers village of Gallio in the Veneto region of Italy. We’ll tell you more when we release it later this year. 

We've also released our 2018 Merlot which is looking fruit driven, plush and well structured. If you've been following our progress you might remember that this will be the last estate Merlot we will produce as we have grafted our Merlot & Malbec vines to Sangiovese. There is a discount on a dozen bottles in our online store so do yourself a favour and have a look. This wine will cellar!

The pruning is well underway by now, our older vineyards on the South side of the property have definitely suffered through the last decade of drought and dry conditions. The wood is very sparse and spindly which makes the pruning part easy but doesn't bare well for the vintage ahead. The new vineyard (planted in the early 2000's) is looking great and is showing wonderful promise. The current conditions, however, are looking good and we look forward to a vintage when the dams are full and the rain is more consistent. More on that in a future vintage update. 

The remainder of the 2018 reds are looking good in the barrel. It won't be long before we get back into the lab and start our blending trials for bottling. Typically this is done in December or January and of course it comes more quickly than you think every year.

We hope you've been enjoying your Munari Wines. Stay safe and well and we look forward to seeing you in the cellar door when the time is right.

Adrian, Deborah, India, Beau & Panther 

All hail Victoria - Herald Sun, Escape Lift out, 26th July 2020

Once it was gold. Now you’ll find nuggets of history, writes Kirrily Schwarz…

As soon as you open the door to the tasting room at Munari Wines, you’ll be greeted by a friendly face and a wet nose. The welcoming committee, a gentle black lab called Panther, wags his tail and accepts a scratch behind the ears before wandering off to sleep on a cosy chair near the heater. The cellar door is in the stables of a historic 1870s sheep station about 11km north of Heathcote. The walls and ceiling feature the original wood, while the space is divided into sections that feel like someone’s living room, filled with rugs, racks of dusty wine bottles, and an antique kerosene lamp. It’s warm, rustic and utterly charming. Winemaker Adrian Munari, a former teacher, and his wife, Deborah, have been in business for 27 years. They started with a single shiraz – the variety for which Heathcote is famous – and slowly expanded their portfolio to include an awardwinning selection of well-structured wines. “We hope people walk in and feel like they’ve discovered something,” says their daughter India Munari, also the winery’s marketing manager. “People can enjoy the family hospitality, and they can be surprised by the quality of the wine.” Right now, restrictions are keeping most of us at home, but when the tide turns against the virus, road trips will again be the best way to explore regional Victoria. Combined with apartment-style accommodation, they offer the safety of social distancing with the freedom of the open road. There are lots of excellent options accessible from Melbourne, but one of the best is a four-day/threenight drive through Ballarat, Bendigo, and Echuca. Central Victoria has always been rich in things to discover, like the first gold nugget found in the 1850s, which heralded the region’s rich history and incredible wealth. Today, you’re more likely to stumble upon family-run businesses, exceptional hospitality and some of the state’s most underrated scenery. Soak up the history by strolling down Lydiard St in Ballarat, marvelling at the ornate facades, sweeping staircases and extravagant interiors in buildings such as Craig’s Royal Hotel. It’s a pleasant way to pass an afternoon before stopping for dinner at one of the excellent restaurants. Try the tapas and cocktails at Meigas, just around the corner on Armstrong St. Spend your first night at Quest Ballarat, set in a 131-year-old former Catholic convent, before heading north. The Creswick Woollen Mill is the perfect place to stock up on hats, gloves, and scarves to keep you cosy on a winter road trip. Maze House, run by Chris Dennis and Trish Kevin, is exactly the kind of quirky discovery that makes road trips exciting. The couple planted a hedge maze almost 30 years ago, before adding an array of antique lawn games Chris had collected over the years. “You have to ask Trish about the hedge. I’m just the hedge trimmer,” he jokes.

Be sure to stop for scones at the property’s retro cafe, before driving on towards Bendigo. You’ll pass historic farmhouses, revived pubs, and beautifully preserved towns such as Maldon, a great place to stop for lunch and a piece of fudge. Drop off your things at Quest Bendigo before heading to Heathcote for an afternoon of wine tasting. Munari Wines and Sanguine Estate are must-visits. The experiences are like chalk and cheese – where Munari is rustic and homey, Sanguine is bright and polished – but both are family run, with wonderful hospitality and excellent wine. In fact, Sanguine’s elegant 2017 Inception has been voted the seventh-best shiraz in the world. “Social distancing has never been an issue in Heathcote,” says Amanda Flett, Sanguine’s cellar door manager, as she leads the tasting. “Social distancing is something we’re very good at – that and shiraz.” Bendigo’s food scene offers lots of great options. Try Edward’s Providore, in Kennington, for a hearty breakfast made with fresh produce, or ask reception for a local recommendation. It’s been an age since the gold rush, but Bendigo remains a cultural hubs and its art gallery has excellent exhibitions. Australia’s first major survey of contemporary Indigenous fashion, Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion, opens at the Bendigo Art Gallery on September 5. The first thing you’ll hear as you get out of the car at Quest Echuca is the laugh of kookaburras perched high in the river gums. The historic port town, on the mighty Murray River, is home to perhaps the biggest surprise of the trip: The Great Aussie Beer Shed and Heritage Farm Museum. Neil and Andrea Thomas opened the museum when Neil retired after more than 37 years with Victoria Police. He’s a lifelong collector and the museum displays everything from rare cans and beer paraphernalia to brewing history – including the original Carlton and United Breweries wagon. “It’s been called the premier beer and brewing museum in Australia,” he says proudly. Families with school-aged kids should book an afternoon at Billabong Ranch. The activities include a petting zoo, horse rides, and pedal boats. Back in town, Echuca Distillery is an essential stop for gin drinkers,while the Star Hotel is great for a meal beforethe PortAfter Dark tour, exploring the darker side of the town’shistory – the ideal way to finish your trip.

Stroll down Lydiard St in Ballarat, marvelling at the ornate facades, sweeping staircases, and extravagant interiors of Craig’s Royal Hotel.

The writer was a guest of Quest Apartment Hotels.

Heathcote Women in Wine Unite

There are not many positive messages resulting from the coronavirus pandemic except for the gathering of communities and increased support of each other echoing the “We’re all in this together” catch cry of the Australian Government.  Heathcote is also not immune to the rising of community spirit with the Heathcote Women in Wine as one such example.

The concept was derived from Sanguine Estate’s launch into Virtual wine tastings via Facebook Live and Zoom sessions since the closure of it’s cellar door and the need to connect with customers in a new way.  Starting initially with their own wines quickly grew into a more regional approach with an invitation to other Heathcote winemakers to join them in celebrating the Heathcote wine region and it’s vast array of winemaker philosophies and family stories. 

It was following a session titled “Four Brands of Heathcote” that Jodi Marsh (Sanguine Estate) spoke with Tracie Young (Silver Spoon Estate) about celebrating the many roles that women play in the Heathcote wine region and so the idea of “Heathcote Women in Wine” was born and the first two virtual wine tasting sessions were scheduled with 6 Heathcote women involved from varying backgrounds.  Mixed wine packs of each other’s wines were soon released based on the women choosing a wine in their range that was close to their hearts and interestingly resulted in a different variety chosen by each further emphasising Heathcote’s diversity from the recognised and celebrated highly awarded Shiraz to the plethora of new wave Italian, French and Spanish varietals gaining a lot of attention among wine judges. 

With the sharing of content and a collaborative approach to marketing, Part 1 of Heathcote Women in Wine has so far achieved 1,300 views on Sanguine Estate’s facebook page and Part 2 has achieved 874 views. 

Upon the sudden news of cellar doors being allowed to open by the Andrews government, five of the women (one does not have a cellar door yet) morphed their collaboration from the virtual world into bricks and mortar and the all important tourism that regions rely upon.  As it happened and not by initial design the 5 cellar doors are in close proximity to each other and with four cellar doors ready to go (the fifth cellar door will be reopening later in the year due to their small size), they shared their understandings and ideas around the strict covid19 cellar door requirements, investigated and developed a shared booking system, co-ordinated their booking times, developed a simple touring map and cross promoted each other’s cellar doors on the basis that similar covid19 practices are in place at each and you could visit all easily in one day with the furthest wineries only 10minutes apart. And so the Heathcote Women in Wine – Cellar Door Trail was borne and comprises Sanguine Estate, Munari Wines, Vinea Marson and Silver Spoon Estate with Armstead Estate joining the trail later in the year.

“Not only has the coronavirus instilled a strong sense of community spirit among us but in our case developed some lifelong business associations and friendships. I have absolutely loved working with these women who are like minded, energetic, innovative, entrepreneurial and just great human beings” states Jodi Marsh. 

What’s next on their agenda? Preliminary discussions have been had about hitting the road and touring together (including the sixth member Farmer & The Scientist) to not only promote themselves but also to promote visiting the Heathcote region.  

Glamping a must visit attraction at Munari Wines this Heathcote on Show 2020

cancelled

Glamping a must visit attraction at Munari Wines this Heathcote on Show 2020

---

Enjoy the region in unexpected luxury while you enjoy the glorious countryside of Heathcote looking directly onto the vines. Enjoy your own private glamping tent (either 4m or 5m wide) included mattresses, linen, towels, hot water bottles, heater, side tables, lanterns, rugs plus solar rope lights to help guide you at night. There is also a communal fire pit, a welcome bottle of prosecco (one per tent valued at $35), premium bottle of red wine (one per tent valued at $35), free entry into A mid-winter night of Music (valued at $25 each), a breakfast basket and a personalised tour and tasting. You will share bathroom facilities in a lovely bathroom connected to a small sitting area in case you need to put your feet up plus an additional glamping toilet close to the tents. Live music will be playing all weekend in the heated marquee and Soul M8's Food Truck will solve all your hunger needs.

2 person tents (4m) can be 2 x single beds or 1 x double

4 person tents (5m) can be 4 x single beds or 2 x doubles

Don’t delay, book now at eventbrite.com.au/e/94335984469

A mid-winters night at Munari Wines - Schedule

---

A mid-winters night @ Munari Wines 2019

---

Be entertained at our rustic cellar door with a glass of red, warming winter food and a selection of toe tapping, feel good original bands. Izzy Losi & the Auracles returning due to popular demand joined by Echo Del Tusker and Doc Halibut. These bands will get you dancing so don’t be shy and bring comfortable shoes!

How much: $25

Drink: Wines & Beer available at bar prices including exclusive unreleased wines

Eat: Made to order, full menu of hot food made to order from Soul M8's Food truck

Getting there: Return transport is available from Bendigo & Heathcote for $15 per person. Book here when you buy your ticket.

Buy tickets here: https://www.trybooking.com/BBMXU

Bus timetable:

5:30 Bendigo bus Departs Bendigo Tourism

6:05pm Bendigo bus arrives Munari Wines

6:20pm Heathcote bus departs Heathcote Tourism

6:30pm Heathcote bus arrives Munari Wines

10:30pm Heathcote bus departs Munari Wines

10.40 Heathcote bus arrives Heathcote Tourism

10:50 Bendigo bus departs Munari Wines

11.30 Bendigo Bus arrives Bendigo Tourism

What else: Be prepared to have a great time!

LIVE MUSIC LINE UP:

6.30-7.30pm Izzy Losi & The Auracles

7.45-8.45pm – Doc Halibut

9.00-10.15pm – Echo Del Tusker

Izzy Losi & the Auracles

www.izzylosi.com

Described as “..one of the finest vocalists coming out of the region” by Forte magazine following the release of ‘The Only Constant is Change’, alt-indie-rockers Izzy Losi and the Auracles received rave reviews. Happy Mag and triple j noting; “Izzy has one of the most powerful voices I have heard in a long time, rich and complex. Pulsating with warm keys, it’s sexy and soulful and it’s AUSTRALIAN!”

Doc Halibut

https://dochalibut.com

Doc Halibut’s music exhibits an authentic heart and youthful ferocity that makes them a joy for the ears and eyes. Whilst ultimately attempting to defy stylistic limitations, but incorporating elements of blues-rock and soul, their music is one of energetic revivalism, or ‘regressive rock’ as the band often quips. Soaring guitar and Hammond solos, driving beats with thoughtful lyrics and melodies make Doc Halibut one of Australia’s most exciting and sought after live acts. 

Echo Del Tusker

https://www.facebook.com/pg/EDTband/about/

Echo Del Tusker was formed when three Rock ‘n’ Roll lifers, Estelle Artois (lead vocals & guitar – ex-Tequila Mockingbyrd), Brendan Forward (guitar – ex-Massive) and Mick Quee (bass – ex-Dead City Ruins), all found themselves musically single and unattached at the same time. When you blend the styles and sounds of Artois, Forward and Quee, you get Echo Del Tusker: music that contains fragments of rock, blues, garage and R&B – or as guitarist Forward has labelled it “guitar-driven soul rock.” Despite still being a relatively new on the scene, Echo Del Tusker has already played dates with Rose Tattoo, been featured on Triple M’s Home Grown, partnered with Scenestr for a single release, received radio play in the US and UK and had write-ups in Classic Rock Magazine, The Music AU, Amplify and the Rockpit to name a few.

A Mid-Winters Weekend of Music - Heathcote on Show 2019

---

A mid-winter weekend of music at Munari Wines 2019

---

Queens Birthday Long Weekend, June 8-10th Sat, Sun & Mon 11am-5pm (FREE)

Enjoy a weekend among the vines with premium estate grown wines, delicious hot food & impressive live music all weekend.

» Wine tastings of your favourites including Prosecco, White, Rosé & Red wines.  Relax in the heated marque.

» Soul, rock and up-tempo live music all weekend including power-duo This Way North & more. Read below for further information.

» 'Home cooked' hot food available from Soul M8's & barista made coffee all day.

» Enjoy jenga, bocce & other lawn games in the sun

» Don’t miss our special evening event “a mid-winters night” featuring three hot out of town bands with plenty of atmosphere. See separate news section for additional details.

PLUS:

Sat, Sun & Mon @ 2pm - Wine 101 Masterclass with Assistant Winemaker, India Munari

» Learn how to ‘talk the talk’ with assistant wine maker India Munari and her Wine 101 - "Understanding the basics of wine" 2pm-3pm Sat, Sun, Mon $10 - Buy your tickets on the door or via https://www.trybooking.com/BBMXV

LIVE MUSIC ALL WEEKEND INCLUDING:

Saturday 8th June

11-1pm Emma Black

With a voice that will transport you, Emma Black is not to be missed. She is a well known face, appearing in various television shows (most recently competing on the Prime Seven singing show, All Together Now), feature films, training and social networking videos, educational films, commercials, short films, reality television programs and singing on stages all across the state.

1-3pm Chris & Josh DeAraugo

Father and Son Chris and Josh DeAraugo join forces to set about entertaining people with a collection of songs that are familiar and great to sing along or dance to.  They have a lot of fun playing together and love to get the crowd involved with requests and being part of their show. As they say "You can have a lot of fun with two acoustic guitars and some good songs".

3-5pm This Way North

http://www.thiswaynorth.com/

It’s easy to forget that This Way North is a two-piece band. Drummer/vocalist Cat Leahy and guitarist/vocalist Leisha Jungalwalla create a uniquely full, expansive sound that translates effortlessly from the studio to the stage. The Age, Music Virtoria Awards - Best Outer-Suburban Act 2018

“Those rumbling drums, that sneaky little slide guitar line... the way it all comes together to become a lush, powerful piece of music that’s so easy to get caught up in.” - Double J

“Powerful drumming and lush guitar work, This Way North’s live show is high energy, groovin’-roots. With their big sound, it’s easy to forget it’s just the two of them onstage.” - Fremantle Arts Centre

Sunday 9th June

11-1pm Emma Black

1-3pm Midweek Blues

Midweekblues.com

Midweek Blues are a bunch of 5 guys that started off jamming on a Wednesday night to overcome the Midweek Blues. The 2014 Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival gave the guys a taste of live performance and since then they have been busy establishing themselves as regulars on the local live music scene. From modern takes on blues classics to blues based rock, Midweek Blues have an original sound that has now extended to performing original material ranging from blues boogie to contemporary.

3-5pm Harlem

Monday 10th June

12-2pm Bently Grattan

Bentley is a solo acoustic musician with a very unique and memorable voice, that coupled with will honed guitar skills, produce a sound that is truly one of a kind!

2-4pm Mariah Mcarthy & Guest

mariahmccarthymusic.com

Heathcote born, Bendigo based, folk artist Mariah McCarthy is one of regional Victoria’s most prized possessions. Influenced by the story telling of Dylan and Young, with femininity reminiscent of Joni. This combined with her unique folk style makes for a captivating, intimate performance from the young artist.

Munari Wines Joins Heathcote Fringe Festival

---

Munari Wines joins Bendigo Blues & Roots Festival as official venue of “Heathcote Fringe Festival”

---

Enjoy an amazing day of live music at Munari Wines for 'Wine Down Sunday' on the 11th of November as part of the official Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival 2018.

Throw down a picnic rug amongst the elm trees with a glass of wine and soak up the energy of inspiring Blues and Roots artists – to be announced. Homemade, good old fashioned soul food will be available from Soul M’s Food Truck all day and buses will be available from Bendigo to Heathcote for your convenience. Mark it in your diaries.

More details to come or visit  http://www.heathcote.org.au/whats-on/whats-on-this-month/event/7129-wine-down-sunday for ticketing details.

Mid-winters Weekend of Music

---

Another successful Mid-winters Weekend of Music at Munari Wines!

---

For those who have followed us over the years you will be familiar with the annual “Heathcote on Show” event. Taking place over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June & organised by the Heathcote Tourism Committee, it is an event designed to showcase the exciting array of wine, food and entertainment that our gem of a region offers.

Every year the highlight at Munari Wines is our musical act, and this year we upped the stakes. We hosted not one but 5 incredibility talents bands who stole the show. The cellar door was open for free tastings all weekend and guests enjoyed the comfort of our heated marquee to watch the acts. When hungry they enjoyed good old fashioned soul food from our friends at Soul M8’s food van including burgers, rich soups, gourmet spring rolls and decadent onion rings. When tired from the entertainment they enjoyed coffees from Brew 2 U Coffee Van, and of course, when thirsty they bought cold Prosecco & Chardonnay and warmed up with our sumptuous array of reds.

This year we launched our inaugural “A mid-winter’s night of music at Munari Wines” on Saturday 9th of June. This special musical event was head lined by Geelong locals Izzy Losi & the Auracles and supported by Melbourne rock bands Dal Santo & Honeybone. Each band wowed and impressed the crowd and punters couldn’t resist dancing to one band or another. Rumour has it that no one was more impressed and entertained than Mr Munari himself who was spotted enjoying a Shiraz with a big smile.

Throughout the weekend Honeybone, Louie & the Pride and acoustic duo PureBlack added to the perfect weekend and when Monday afternoon rolled around we found that our guests were sad to leave.

We would like to give a huge thank you to everyone involved in the success of our event including; Busy Kingdom, Honey Bones, Izzy Losi and the Auracles, Dal Santo Louie & The Pride and Pure Black for their incredible and memorable performances on Saturday night and over the course of the long weekend. Also to our fantastic food and beverage partners Soul M8's Food Truck, Brew 2 U Mobile Coffee Van and Palling Bros Brewery for keeping our guests fed and refreshed. And last but not least, a huge thank you to our guests who were a brilliant bunch, I hope you enjoyed the event as much as we did and thank you for your support. We can’t wait to see you again next year for a bigger, better, weekend of music, wine and food.

‘Concours Des Vins’ Wine

---

Munari Wines wins trophy at French wine show ‘Concours Des Vins’

---

Munari wines has finished the year with the top award at one of Victoria’s most prestigious wine competitions, Le 25th Concours des vins de Victoria. A promising sign for Heathcote and less common blends such as Shiraz Viognier. Munari Wines Schoolhouse Red Shiraz Viognier 2014 was awarded the French-Australian Chamber Trophy for Best Wine of Show, ‘where Victorian taste meets the French palate’.