Weekend at Amberley Amberley Estate will host its annual Semillon & Seafood Weekend on February 7 and 8. The event, which has been running for more than 10 years, features an impressive line up of Australia’s finest semillon-based wines along with a selection of Western Australia’s freshest seafood to be prepared by Amberley head chef Jason Davenport. Melbourne-based singer songwriter Clare Bowditch will perform. Six days in the Great Southern The annual Taste Great Southern festival is being held from February 25 to March 2. The six-day event, organised by the Great Southern Wine Producers Association and Great Southern Region Marketing Association, features local produce and a diverse range of wines from the state’s second oldest and largest wine-producing region. Events include master classes, farmers markets, a wine festival and tastings and food events. On March 1, Duke’s Vineyard in Porongurup will host the Porongurup Wine Festival, which will feature about 10 different wineries from the region. As part of the festival, a range of Great Southern produce will also be featured on the menus of some Perth restaurants throughout the month. A taste of the valley Held at various venues over the last two weekends of April, the Taste of the Valley festival in the Swan Valley is a celebration of the region’s food, wine, beer and art. Visitors can meet food and wine producers and experience all the region has to offer, including premium wines, olives, history, art, music and entertainment, indigenous culture, chocolate, fresh produce, pottery, fine food and preserves. The festival will be the first for the region in 2009, after the cancellation of this year’s Midsummer Feast, an annual event usually held over a weekend in February. Margaret River celebrates The 2009 Margaret River Wine Region Festival has been confirmed for the April 16-20. The Margaret River Wine Industry Association has this year engaged local event company TMG as event manager, with the company working directly with association chief executive Nick Power in staging both this year and next year’s festival. The organisers say they aim, as with previous years, to retain a whole-of-region focus with the festival. Current plans for 2009 include a major street party in Margaret River, a ‘Cabernet Cabaret’ with a fine wine auction at Saracen Estate (pictured), a centralised food and wine event and family concert at Leeuwin Estate, along with a host of events at other wineries. New additions to the 2009 festival include a number of arts and food events, adding to the diverse range of events and attractions.
