Pauline’s Blog

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About leftbank

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So far has created 28 blog entries.
Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe
27 06, 2012

Eggplant Parmigiana

fennel gratin recipe
27 06, 2012

Fennel Gratin

hazelnut sauce recipe
27 06, 2012

Hazelnut, garlic and rosemary sauce

olive focaccia recipe
27 06, 2012

Focaccia with olives and capers

roast-fig-recipe
27 06, 2012

Figs and grapes oven roasted in marsala

lamb-loins-stuffed
27 06, 2012

Lamb Loin stuffed with pinenuts, rosemary and garlic

stuffed-mushroom-recipe
27 06, 2012

Mushrooms stuffed with ricotta and crabmeat

mandala-wines-1
13 06, 2012

Top Yarra Valley Wineries for Summer

I always find myself looking forward to summer, whilst winter is enveloping me here in the Yarra Valley!!   There is so much to look forward to; the balmy evenings where it’s light til late, BBQs with friends, healthy crisp fresh salads with ingredients straight from the garden, a glass of chilled Yarra Valley Rose with friends out on the deck at a winery.

And it got me thinking of my favourite Yarra Valley wineries in summer and I realised it is hard to pick them because they all have their own character and reasons to be picked!

Many open late as part of the Twilight Cellar Doors – I hope they run this again this summer.  Here goes:

Mandala Wines has this lovely lawned area (pictured) to sit out on and enjoy the views of the vines and the hills from Dixons Creek, 

Punt Road and Dominique Portet win if you want a game of petanque on the lawn,

Tarrawarra Estate gets my vote if you want to sit on a lawn with a magnificent view.  De Bortoli takes gold if you want a nice informal al fresco area for spreading out a blanket, with one of their delicious platters.

Oakridge competes with Tarrawarra on views, and has a gorgeous deck area for sitting out on. 

– At Whispering Hills you are almost sitting in the vines with your glass of Barbera, and Sutherland Estate wins the prize for the greatest elevation (approx. 200 metres).

Pimpernel Winery has the prettiest cats and Medhurst Wines the funniest dogs, all of whom enjoy the attention from us visitors on a lovely warm summer’s night.

 

But they are just a few of my picks…where’s your favourite winery to head to in the Yarra Valley in summer?