May is an official a reason to enjoy more wine with Aussie Wine Month 2016, the biggest annual celebration of Australian wine.

With a range of wine-focused activities and events in full swing across the nation to support the month-long promotion of Australian wine, Aussie Wine Month aims to raise awareness among consumers of the exceptional quality and diversity of the wines made in their own backyard.

Now in its fifth year, this initiative driven by Wine Australia is encouraging consumers to discover something new about Australian Wine throughout May.

Some of the Margaret River region's best known wineries will be celebrating with a calendar of engaging events designed to take visitors on an extra special wine journey.  

Leeuwin Immersion Experience - A relaxed and informative introduction to the Estate. Be treated to morning tea, inclusive of coffee or tea and freshly baked scones in the alfresco verandah setting. Your tour host will provide an overview of the history of the Margaret River Wine Region and Leeuwin Estate. Following that you will be escorted on a behind the scenes tour of the wine-making process, incorporating a visit to the onsite Art Gallery. The Estate's famous Wine and Food flight awaits you at the conclusion of the tour as your host guides you through five wine and food matches, perfectly created from the seasonal menu. Learn more.

Ultimate Cabernet Tasting at Voyager Estate -  Cabernet lovers, rejoice! This is your opportunity to taste some extremely limited, and rarely opened, Cabernets. Take in a Cabernet masterclass including a 10-year vertical tasting before joining the team for a Cabernet-focused tour of the Estate including barrel tastings and a sneak peak at some new and unreleased wines. Finish the day in relaxed style with a Discovery lunch; a six-course sensory dining experience matched with museum and limited release wines. Learn more.

Meet the makers at Happs Wines - Meet the people behind some of Margaret River's best local produce. Join Mark Warren, Happs Winemaker of 14 vintages and Alana Langworthy, Artisanal Cheese maker at the Yallingup Cheese Company for a relaxed wine and cheese pairing at the Happs Estate. The event includes an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the winery, followed by a seated wine and cheese tasting journey in the beautiful Happs gardens and a picnic lunch. Learn more.

Wine Sensory Garden at Whicher Ridge - For the month of May, the team at Whicher Ridge will be providing visitors with a guided tour of their unique Wine Sensory Garden. The garden is laid out in a formal kitchen garden style with sections around the Garden devoted to a specific varietal wine made in the winery. It is a totally different wine tasting and food matching experience to anything else that you may have experienced. Learn more.

A taste of history at Willespie Wines -  Join Willespie patriarch and winemaker Kevin along with eldest daughter Trish, in a rare & delicious experience. Savour a range of aged wines from several decades, including fascinating verticals, hear the history & relish specially selected food bites, whilst you relax in the ambience & rustic authenticity of a working cellar... the closely guarded inner sanctum! Learn more.

Firetail Wines, Gold Medal Firetail Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical Tasting - Enjoy a vertical tasting of award winning Firetail Cabernet Sauvignon vintages including: 2011, winner of Gold at Royal Melbourne Wine Awards 2012, winner of Best WA Red Wine at WA Boutique Wine Show, 2014, winner of Gold at Royal Melbourne Wine Awards and 2013, 93 points from Ray Jordan. Learn more.

Follow 'Vintage to Vintage' at margaretriver.com - The story of the Margaret River Wine Region will continue to unfold at margaretriver.com with 'Vintage to Vintage', a year-long journey telling the story of the wine region like never before. Interviews and stories coming up in Aussie Wine Month will feature:

- Virginia Willcock, Winemaker, Vasse Felix
- Claire Tonon, Sommelier, Voyager    
- Rob & Karen Gough, Publicans, Settlers Tavern    
- 'The end of vintage' - a time to breathe, take a look back and at what's happening now
- 'The Viticulturist' - the unsung hero of the wine story

Visit margaretriver.com for the latest stories.

ENDS

Click here to download a high res image (please credit Happs Wines).

About us
The Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association (MRBTA) was established on 1 July 2015. With over 50 years' experience in destination marketing, visitor servicing and natural and historical asset management, we have been consistently recognised at a national and state level for our contributions to the tourism industry.

A not for profit incorporated association with more than 700 members, governed by a Board of nine Directors. The MRBTA operates six tourist attractions – Lake Cave, Mammoth Cave, Jewel Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse – and manages ground handling at Busselton-Margaret River Regional Airport.

With the funds generated, the MRBTA operates visitor centres in Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River and Augusta, and markets the destination intrastate, interstate and internationally, and services over 1.2 million visitors annually.

For more information on Your Margaret River Region, visit: margaretriver.com.
 

For further information please contact:

Jenny Lee
Marketing & Communications Manager
Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association
M: +61 (0)458 474751
P:  jenny.lee@margaretriver.com