Bird in Hand’s Autumn Vintage Interlude

Bird in Hand is not just a winery, it’s an experience.

Last week, we attended an exclusive Autumn Vintage Interlude up at the incredibly scenic Bird in Hand, located along the plains of our lusciously kempt Adelaide Hills wine region. We were treated to an intimate long lunch and preview of their divine harvest, alongside an informative tour of behind-the-scenes and all that makes Bird in Hand such a sought-after wine label.

The day started with attendees gathering in amongst the gorgeous, green vineyards and sampling the pristine Nest Egg Chardonnay. Our lovely host and winemaker Jared spoke about their Nest Egg range, pinpointing that Bird in Hand will only release a Nest Egg variety IF the fruit is good enough. Nest Eggs are a premium series, with reds averaging around $100 per bottle and whites around $75.

IMG_4847-1024x682

Wine among the vines.

Towards the end of our tour, we ended up in a giant shed full of wooden casks stacked to the ceiling and were offered the chance to taste some of the Bird in Hand goods coming straight from the casks! We enjoyed a trickle of Grüner Veltliner to begin with, which is made of the Austrian grape variety. The colour could have been likened to a glass of cloudy apple juice, with the scent smelling of fresh pizza dough and a hint of nashy pear on the nose. It is a very yeasty wine, and was unlike anything we’d ever tried before.

IMG_4858

Jared pouring Mel some Grüner Veltliner straight from the cask.

We definitely appreciated the Nero D’avola Italian red, deep purple in colour with aromatics similar to that of chocolate, cherry and violets. Being an Italian wine, it is always grown to be an exquisite food wine, pairing naturally well with heavy Italian cuisine such as pizzas and pastas. We finished on the powerful 2016 Shiraz, and headed back to Bird in Hand’s fine dining restaurant for our degustation at The Gallery.

IMG_4871

Inside The Gallery restaurant.

Three white-clothed tables were set up wonderfully for us in a fine dining setting, and the whole space just seemed to glow from the brilliant beams of sunlight shining through the large glass windows. We were warmly greeted by accommodating staff who offered us a glass of their Nest Egg Sparkling, Joy 2010 on arrival.

The sparkling was to be paired with our first entree, Prawn and Scallop Dumplings. The Asian-influenced dumplings were served on a wooden board beneath a bamboo leaf, lined up neatly with limes on the side. They were warm and scrumptious, not unlike our second dish, the Chicken on Polenta. Served with coloured capsicum, and a light, cream sauce on top, the Chicken Polenta perfectly complimented the paired Nest Egg Chardonnay 2012.

IMG_4873

Prawn and Scallop Dumplings.

IMG_4880

Chicken on Polenta.

The Green Papaya and Prawn Salad was also clearly Asian-influenced, this time distinctly hinting at a Thai flavour profile. This one was a personal favourite; it had the right amount of crunch and the right amount of freshness. Light and ever so refreshing, it went down an absolute treat accompanying the 2010 Riesling.

IMG_4881

Green Papaya and Prawn Salad.

As we came into our main course, we devoured some delicious meat dishes including Beef Fillet with Broccolini and Hollandaise and Marinated Lamb Loin and Harissa, both of which were of an excellent tenderness that made them a delight to try. We sipped on the M.A.C Shiraz 2010 and Montepulciano 2014 to match.

IMG_4887

Beef Fillet with Broccolini and Hollandaise.

IMG_4882

Marinated Lamb Loin and Harissa.

Despite being significantly full by this point, we could not say no to dessert. A sweet, immaculately presented Pavlova was served with mascarpone cream and topped with local berries. The Honeysuckle Riesling 2010 made for the ultimate dessert wine; we could not have been happier with our final dish and wine pair of the day.

IMG_4892

Pavlova.

If you’d like to find out more or buy some wines from this grandiose wine label, visit the Bird in Hand website here. Alternatively, if you liked the sound of some of these gourmet dishes we had the pleasure of sampling last week, why not book at the restaurant via 08 8389 9488. Reservations are essential!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.