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Stella Bella
Scholarship January 2006
by Alexis Gouk
Alexis
Gouk,
Intrepid Traveller! |
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The
Stella Bella Scholarship trip to Margaret River in January
was some of the most beautifully situated and rewarding
hard work that I have ever done. The scholarship is hosted
by Stella Bella Wines in January each year in partnership
with Alliance Wine and The Australian Wine Bureau. It
is used as both a reward to loyal Stella Bella customers
and also an educational opportunity for them to truly
experience the rationality which is being expressed in
the top wines from the region and also Australia as a
whole. |
Alliance
Wine brought out nine of Stella Bella’s most loyal customers
from different areas within the UK and Ireland:
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John Power, Witchery Group Restaurants, Edinburgh
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Fiona Morley, Heritage Portfolio Catering, Edinburgh
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Gary Quinn, Forte Hotels, Edinburgh
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Tony Singh, Oloroso Restaurant, Edinburgh
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Jean Lambert, Ubon Restaurant, London
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Richard Hamblin, Conran Restaurants, London
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Peter Horton, London Capital Club / Smiths of Smithfield,
London
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Stephanie Delmotte, Great Eastern Hotel, London,
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Matthew Tindal, Tindal Wine Merchants, Dublin
| Vineyard
visits with viticulturalist Peter Wood to both Isca and
the Suckfizzle single estate gave us an understanding
of different styles of viticulture, with the“soil
pit” inspection at Isca vineyard showing the different
types of geology affecting terroir in different sections
of the vineyard. |
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Janice
McDonald,
Winemaker & Director
Stella Bella Wines |
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It
wasn’t all work though, and the hospitality extended
to being invited into the family home of Debrah Luxton
for an amazing BBQ complete with Hairy Marron and pet
Kangaroo (cuddled not eaten), surf lessons with Cam,
kayaking and trips to olive groves.
We
joined and became locals at the only pub around, the
“Tav” to those in the know, if only for a
week.
The final dinner held in the barrel room at Stella Bella
was cooked for us by the best chef in the region Amanda
Smith, who used fabulous Australian produce to compliment
the wines which started with the best from Stella Bella
and Suckfizzle and later included stellar wines from
other regions in Australia and Europe, showing their
confidence in a world wine perspective.
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