Over the weekend we went on the second Brisbane Urban Wine Walk. It was a great day out trying some incredible wines, and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you all. We went to the last one in the Valley and had a great time, so knew we couldn’t miss the second one!
In Brisbane, we don’t have any wine regions nearby (the closest being over three hours away), so events like the Urban Wine Walk are a great way for us to try new wines from different regions around Australia. The Neighbourhood Wine Co bring wineries to Brisbane and partner with bars around the city. Each winery takes over a bar, and then participants of the walk get to go to each bar and taste the wines. So not only do you get to try new wines, but you also get to try new bars across the city. It’s a great day out experiencing your own city but also having a taste of a winery tour. Add some delicious food, and great company, and you’ve got a great day out!
The day was full on with 11 venues across Brisbane to try. We didn’t end up getting to all of them because we were enjoying speaking to the producers, trying good food and walking around in the sunshine so much. This was probably for the best because it was such a big day!
There were so many wineries I tried for the first time on this walk, and it was hard to pick my top wineries. But here are some of my favourites so you can check them out for yourselves.
Pete’s Pure
Pete’s Pure was camped out at the Silver Fox Wine Bar. If you’re in Brisbane, this is definitely one to visit. It has a prohibition-era feel to it with nice leather chairs and a dark finish. I had never been before and this was one I put on the list to come back to.
Pete’s Pure comes from the Murray River in south-western New South Wales. The vineyard was established by one of Australia’s best known viticultural families in the 1980’s with 803 hectares under vine. They focus on nine different classic and Mediterranean varieties. They started Pete’s Pure to have a play around with producing some of their own wines without taking it too seriously, and the result is some seriously drinkable drops!
The aim of Pete’s Pure is to produce wines that are a pure expression of the variety and the region. The wines are meant to be consumed fresh and young with a focus on drinkability and simplicity across their range. Due to temperatures in the area, they pick young, and minimal winemaking keeps their wines crisp and clean, all with a relaxed vibe. These wines are the sort of wines you’d bring to a BBQ and everyone would enjoy. They are approachable, easy-drinking and delicious.
The Cheeky Vino picks
The wines from Pete’s Pure were delicious, and I was happy to learn my local bottle store stocks them so I can pick them up any time! However, the standout for me was definitely the Pinot Noir. I enjoyed the Prosecco as well, but the Pinot was something special. It was such a deliciously uncomplicated wine, with notes of cherry and vanilla. And at under $20 a bottle, a price point unheard of for tasty Pinot Noir, it’s an absolute no brainer!
I tell you what, this wine is going into my drinkable wine rotation as soon as I can get to my local bottle store!
Yal Yal Estate
I’d never heard of Yal Yal Estate but it was definitely one of the highlights of the day. They had come all the way from the Mornington Peninsula, and I am obsessed with Mornington, so there is no surprise here that I loved their wines. The label was established in 2010, but the vineyard itself has been around since 1997.
Their vineyard focuses on low yield, single estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These grapes are perfect for the cooler climate of the Mornington Peninsula. In addition, they also source fruit from across Mornington for their Pinot Gris.
Yal Yal Estate focuses on smaller yield with their grapes being hand-picked and pruned, and minimalist winemaking focusing on the unique terroir.
We loved meeting the team from Yal Yal Estate who were up for a good laugh and incredibly passionate about their wines. For good reason too – these ones really stood out!
The Cheeky Vino picks
Definitely the standout for me was the Yal Yal Estate Chardonnay 2015. It was beautifully rich and buttery with really complex flavours. However the Pinot Noir 2017 was also absolutely delicious. Mornington is known for these varieties and I found the wines from Yal Yal Estate really hero the grapes as well as the region. The wines sang and left you wanting another sip, or a whole bottle!
I’ll definitely be seeking Yal Yal Estate out next time I’m in Mornington!
La Petit Mort
We visited La Petit Mort second on our Wine Walk at Greenglass. As a side note, I’ve never been to Greenglass before, but after seeing it I will definitely be back! It was full of light and absolutely beautiful – and their wine wall was something I would like to channel into my own home to take my obsession to the next level! They focus on French cuisine, and we had a delicious cheese platter while we sipped on our wine.
La Petite Mort is from the Granite Belt and is part of the Bent Road Wine family. They’ve been getting a lot of accolade for their wines recently, and so they were definitely top of my list to check out on the day. They focus on new and different ways of producing their wines, creating some incredible drops! This includes using clay vats to age their wines, which they even showed us when we were at the stall (side note, you can fit a whole person inside).
The wines from La Petite Mort are experimental, unfined and unfiltered. They are rustic with minimal intervention, and as a result, are packed full of flavour. I found their wines to be really interesting and different, but overall absolutely delicious!
The Cheeky Vino picks
One of my favourite wines of the day had to be the 2017 La Petite Mort Rosé. We loved it so much we had to get a whole glass to enjoy with our cheese platter. It is made from Pinot Noir grapes with minimal skin contact, however it is surprisingly a bright red! Don’t be fooled by the colour though, because this wine was so delicate and balanced with crisp flavours and a hint of acidity. This wine was absolutely delicious, and definitely one of the highlights of the day for me!
Robert Channon Wines
Robert Channon Wines was difficult to find at the venue John Mills Himself. It’s tucked away down a few stairs and an alley, so you need to go hunting. But when we got there it was absolutely packed. Robert Channon was there doing the tasting, and I really loved his no-nonsense approach. We got to chatting to him and between serving wine he told us a bit about his winery.
Robert Channon Wines are famous for their Verdelho, which has had accolades from James Halliday and many other wine reviewers. Despite being a smaller producer from the Granite Belt, they are producing some incredible wines that are award-winning. And when you taste them it’s easy to see why!
The Cheeky Vino picks
I loved the Verdelho from Robert Channon Wines, even though I’m not normally a massive fan of white wines. You can see why it has won many awards. However, the wine that really stole the show for me was The Reserve Shiraz 2016. It was truly something special, with complex flavours and great characteristics. I loved the depth of the wine and could imagine really enjoying it with a nice meal. For something special, this was definitely my top pick of the Urban Wine Walk.
Skigh Wines
Skigh Wines is based our of Margaret River in Western Australia and focuses on making wines from across the region. We tried their wines at Super Whatnot and absolutely loved them! The place was packed so you could tell everyone was excited by their wines, and for good reason too. Despite how busy they were, the winemaker still made plenty of time to talk us through the different wines.
Skigh Wines have a range of different wines on offer, whether it is fruit-driven, affordable wines or experimental and natural. They also have a range of premium wines which showcase classic Margaret River Classics. I was impressed by the variety of wines they had and how despite the range, they seemed to do everything so well!
The Cheeky Vino picks
The wines I loved the most both came from the Strange Brew Range – one white and one red. I absolutely loved the Arneis which was a white wine I’ve never tried before. However, my favourite had to be the Grenache. It was fruity, delicious and easy drinking. Everything you could want from a nice young Grenache!
The final word on the Urban Wine Walk – Brisbane City
We had a great day out at the Urban Wine Walk last weekend. There seemed to be a focus on alternative varieties, and it was great to try new wines and winemaking techniques throughout the day. It’s always good to try the different wines coming onto the market, and I was impressed by the quality of the producers throughout the day.
We loved so many of the wines we tried, it was hard to pick a couple to showcase. But now that I’ve experienced some of these wines, I have some more producers to check out when I’m looking for a bottle. I seriously didn’t think I would love these experimental wines as much as I did, but I feel this event opened my eyes!
If you have an Urban Wine Walk in your city, definitely check it out. It’s a great thing to do with friends, and truly offers a great day out.