Last weekend we headed to the Good Food and Wine Show in Brisbane for 2019. We try to go every year, and this year we managed to rope more of our friends in than ever before! It is such a fun day out full of wine, more wine, some food, cheese and…oh yes, more wine! Honestly, it is such a big day, but here is why I love it so much:
- For only $25-$30 a ticket, you get access to over 500 wines and many more other food and drink samples. There are cooking demonstrations too, but we are there for one thing only! Considering some other wine events cost three times this amount, it’s a great deal!
- In Brisbane, we aren’t lucky enough to be surrounded by wineries. The show is a great way to sample wines from across Australia in one place!
- It’s a great intro to wine for your friends who aren’t super keen on wine yet but want to learn more. You can try so many different varieties from different regions to work out what you like
- Purchase as much or as little as you want. You don’t have to purchase a pack of six or twelve wines to take some home with you. You can pick and choose the ones you like from each producer and so get a true mix of your favourites!
I’m not paid to say this, by the way, I just really enjoy the show! Last year I did a bit of a round-up of my favourite places and the wines we bought. Last year we also way overspent on wine – this year we were much more controlled. So the wines that I bought were definitely my top picks! Let’s dive into my highlights from the Good Food and Wine Show 2019, and the wines I can’t wait to crack open.
Brini Wines
We loved Brini Wines so much last year that I got very excited that they were back again this year. Their Rosé is so affordable and oh so delicious! I was a bit sad when I ran out, and so to have the opportunity to stock up again made me very happy!
Brini Wines are from McLaren Vale and once again Michael from the Regatta was there to take us through the wines. They’ve named a bottle after him which, to be honest, is something I think should be on everyone’s bucket list.
What I love about the Brini wines is how affordable they are. Many you can pick up for under $20, and they are really delicious. The premium range is also incredible, and really not that expensive. We nabbed one of their Single Estate GSMs because it was so delicious, as well as a Rosé of course!
Schild Estate
I was introduced to Schild Estate when we went to Game of Rhones a few years ago and I have seen them popping up here and there since. I am a little biased here because at Game of Rhones I won a Magnum from their range. Sadly this year at the Good Food and Wine Show I did not win the Magnum, but hey at least I got to try some of their incredible wines!
Schild Estate is from the Barossa Valley and the oldest family-owned vineyard. The family moved to Australia from Germany in 1866 and made the Barossa family their home. Generations on, Schild Estate is still family-owned and producing some seriously good wine!
It was really interesting tasting their wide range of wines. What I found the most intriguing was trying their oaked and unoaked Chardonnay. My friend is not a fan of oaked Chardonnay, so we tried the unoaked. It was delicious, crisp and fresh. Exactly what you’d want from an unoaked Chardonnay. However, we were nudged into trying the Alma Schild Reserve Single Vineyard 2016 Chardonnay. It was an oaked Chardonnay and I have to say it absolutely blew me away. My friend also loved it and said it was the best-oaked Chardonnay she’s had. If it can make an oaked Chardonnay hater love it, it must be good!
The other wine I absolutely loved was their Sparkling Shiraz. It wasn’t overpowering in its flavours as some Sparkling Shiraz is, and was really pleasant to drink. We are lovers of Sparkling Shiraz but it can be hard to find a good one, so when I tasted this I knew I had to pick up a bottle!
Cape Mentelle
Cape Mentelle won the award for the prettiest stand at the Good Food and Wine Show. They had a fully kitted out area outside of the main wine tasting areas with wooden benches, nice lanterns and even spaces to sit. It felt like stepping into a beach bar, and I was all for it!
Cape Mentelle is a famous vineyard from Margaret River, but I can’t say I’ve had much of their range before. They focus on interesting varieties as well as sustainability in their winemaking and have been doing so since 1970. Although they are now owned by Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and quite a substantial producer, I was still blown away by how delicious their wines were.
My favourite, however, was definitely the Zinfandel. It was the most expensive bottle I bought at the show, but it was totally worth it. You don’t find many Zinfandels in Australia, and this one absolutely knocked my socks off. I loved it so much I may have taken my partners tasting, which he wasn’t very happy about!
Hayes Family Wines
We spent much of the day in the Barossa section of the Good Food and Wine Show. There were just so many wineries I wanted to try! I loved so many of them, but one of the standouts was Hayes Family Wines. Started in 2014, this winery on a historic site focuses on the region’s hero varieties – Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and Semillon. They also farm using organic and biodynamic practices with minimal intervention.
We really enjoyed being taken through their wines on the day, and I truly enjoyed so many of them. However, the highlight for me was the Shiraz 2018. You’d think I would be drawn to something less vanilla, but I really loved all their Shiraz wines. There were a few that were more expensive, but I thought this one was absolutely delicious and very affordable. However, it was great also getting to try some of their Limited Series wine and comparing them!
Pizzini wines
Pizzini wines were on my list last year, but I loved visiting them again! As always they had music pumping and the red and white table cloths out to give their stand the authentic Italian feel. We visited them first off and I was so impressed by all their wines!
Pizzini wines are from King Valley and focus on Italian varieties. So you can see why they are right up my alley. Some of my usual favourites were there: the Prosecco, the Nonna Gisella Sangiovese and their Rosé of course. However, I loved trying their other Sangiovese and comparing the flavours. They also had a brand new Prosecco which completely knocked my socks off. It was full of green apple flavours, and absolutely thirst-quenching. They weren’t selling it at the show because it was so new, but I can’t wait to buy a bottle! I seriously need it in my life!
The final word on the Good Food and Wine Show 2019
Whether you are a wine lover or just getting into wine, the Good Food and Wine Show is a great day out. First of all, it is super affordable to attend. Definitely one of the cheapest wine events of the year. And with access to over 500 tastings, you are getting serious value for your money!
No person could actually try all the wine at the show, so you have to pick and choose. I hope these highlights might help you pick out who you might visit next year, or better yet check them out for yourself before the show! Personally I cannot wait to crack into these wines, and I think you should look out for them too next time you’re after some tasty Australian wines.