Vintage 2021: Beyond the Bushfires

As we launch our first Vintage 2021 wines, we're taking the opportunity to update our many loyal customers on how we've adapted our winemaking processes to ensure we can continue to supply you with the wines you love. 

We also share an update on the outlook for The Islander Estate Vineyards as we continue on our road to recovery from the 2020 bushfires.

Order 2021 Wine Releases Now

Kangaroo Island Cellar Door trails with something for everyone

Kangaroo Island is a destination for families, couples, and friends.  For wine lovers, the Kangaroo Island wine region is a new discovery, but it’s not always easy to keep the whole crew happy on a cellar door tour.  We’ve put together two one-day itineraries that blend cellar door experiences with loads of other attractions to keep everyone happy. 

Itinerary 1: Cruise the Cygnet River and Surrounds

Breakfast at Emu Bay Lavender Farm 

Start your day with a delicious breakfast at the Emu Bay Lavender Farm.  They’re famous for their lavender scones (legitimate breakfast food we think) but there’s so much more on the menu.   They have a stunning setting and when the scent of lavender is in the air, how can the morning be anything but relaxing?  www.emubaylavenderfarm.com
 

Stroll along Emu Bay beach 

Work off breakfast with a stroll along this stunning 5km beach, one of the most popular on Kangaroo Island.  The sheltered North Coast waters are mostly calm and clear making it a great spot for a morning swim.  The main car park also has a playground where the kids can work off breakfast or explore the jetty for sea creatures.

Get off the bitumen and head along Boxer Road

En route to your first wine tasting, stop to check out the White Lagoon salt lake.  This road will take you past traditional farming properties and at the right time of year, you’ll pass stunning fields of bright yellow canola.
 

Get tasting at The Islander Estate Vineyards cellar door

Start your tasting day with an introduction to our world of wine at The Islander Estate Vineyards.  Come in for a personalised guided tasting of our French-influenced cool climate wines crafted by our owner, Jacques Lurton.  After a career spanning several decades making wine in his native Bordeaux and around the world, Jacques fell in love with Kangaroo Island in 2000, purchased a property and established a vineyard with a vision to showcase the true potential of our Island region on the world stage of wine.  On Kangaroo Island Jacques combines his expertise and traditional French winemaking techniques with the freedom of winemaking offered in Australia.  The result is a range of wines that blend old world and new world wine styles. 

If you want the royal treatment book one of our food and wine experiences.  Or after your tasting, choose your favourite wine and let our team help you create a picnic hamper of French charcuterie, regional cheeses, and local produce to match. 
 

Picnic in nature at Duck Lagoon

Just a few minutes from Islander Estate’s cellar door, Duck Lagoon is a stunning natural lagoon.  It's home to a huge array of birds, echidnas and resident koalas.  It has picnic facilities, BBQ’s, toilets, and a bird hide.  Duck Lagoon is a fantastic spot to relax with a picnic while the kids explore and count how many different animal species they can spot.
 

Get in the spirit at Kangaroo Island Spirits 

Continue exploring the Cygnet River Artisan trail with a visit to Kangaroo Island Spirits for a paddle of their award-winning gins or settle in the garden with a cocktail.  KIS has a fantastic rustic atmosphere at their cellar door and if you have the time, you can even join in a cocktail masterclass (book ahead).  www.kispirits.com.au

Our pick:  We can’t help but be partial to the Wally White gin, aged in barrels used for our stunning Semillon.  It brings together the best of spirits and wine.
 

Get sweet at Frogs N Roses 

If you’re visiting on the weekend, refuel at Frogs and Roses, a green oasis incorporating a nursery with a café offering the best cheesecake on Kangaroo Island.  There’s plenty of room for the kids to roam or bounce on the trampoline while you relax under a tree.  www.facebook.com/frogsandrosesgardencenter
 

Sip a new wine style at Springs Road Wines

Our neighbours and great friends, Joch and Louise Bosworth have a strong reputation for their organic wines in McLaren Vale under the labels Battle of Bosworth and Spring Seed wines.  So, we were excited when they also fell in love with Kangaroo Island and purchased an established vineyard in Cygnet River in 2016.  Joch and Louise bring a new dimension to the Kangaroo Island wine industry and their intimate tasting room set overlooking the vineyard is a must-visit for any lover.  One of their McLaren Vale staff members also runs Second Valley Cheese company, so a glass of wine paired with their cheese is a unique experience.  www.springsroad.com.au

Our wine pick:  James Halliday’s 2021 Wine Companion rates the Springs Road Wines Kangaroo Island Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2018 at 94 points and we can’t argue with that. 
 

Sundowners at Bay of Shoals 

Vineyards don’t get much closer to the ocean than at Bay of Shoals.  Their cellar door overlooking Reeves Point and the Bay of Shoals is a great place to wind up your tasting tour. Their grapes are grown, harvested, and made onsite alongside the Cellar Door, offering guided tastings and build your own platters to enjoy outdoors overlooking the bay. www.bayofshoalswines.com.au

Our wine pick:  Bay of Shoals produce some wines unique to their label on Kangaroo Island.  Try their Savagnin or popular Sparkling Shiraz.

Wind up the day

Finish your day with an early dinner and a cleansing ale at Kangaroo Island Brewery (www.kangarooislandbrewery.com.au) on the weekends or back in Kingscote where we recommend The Ozone Hotel for contemporary cuisine (www.ozonehotelki.com.au/restaurant-bar) or Café Bella for fantastic Italian fare (www.bellacafekangarooisland.com.au).

We’ve even created a Google map for our Cruise the Cygnet River & Surrounds itinerary, click here and you’re good to go!  

Stay

Get a good night’s rest because tomorrow has a whole new day of Cellar Door touring in store!  

There’s no shortage of unique luxury accommodation options within reach of today’s trail.  Some of our very favourite places to settle in are: At Emu Bay, Hamilton and Dune www.hamiltondune.com.au.  On the northwest coast,  Lifetime Private Retreats www.life-time.com.au and Top Deck at Snellings Beach www.topdeckatsnelling.com.  At Stokes Bay, Stow Away www.stowawayki.com.au

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Itinerary 2:  Explore the East End
 

Get nourished with breakfast at Millie Mae’s

Start your day in Penneshaw with breakfast at Millie Mae’s Pantry.  This café has become a star of the east end’s eating scene.  Treat yourself to local pastries, great coffee, fresh juices, or a cooked breakfast.  They’ll even wet your whistle with a mimosa made with The Islander Estate Vineyards Petiyante sparkling.www.milliemaespantry.com

 

Stretch your legs on the Kangaroo Island Sculpture Trail 

Just a few minutes walk along the Penneshaw foreshore from Millie Mae’s, this sculpture trail is a constant evolution, set amongst 4.5 hectares of dunes overlooking stunning Hog Bay beach with views back to the mainland.  The 1.5 kms of the trail, winds through the dunes and feature lookouts, steps, boardwalks, a swing bridge, seating, and scenic views with a surprise at every turn.  Stunning sculptures are dotted along the trail with new installations always appearing, each one bringing to life an aspect of our Island’s culture, community, and natural environment. www.kangarooislandsculpturetrail.com

Look for surprises on the Wallaby Track 

If you have kids on board with some energy still to burn, the ‘locals secret’ Wallaby Track a little further along the foreshore is an entirely different trail for the little visitors to explore.  Look out for the signs at the start of this 3 km return hike which follows a spring-fed creek bed with naturally occurring waterfalls (in winter) into limestone features. Look out along the way for hidden animals, real and play. Find it here:  
 

Land at Dudley Wines for lunch with a view

Head out of Penneshaw on the road towards Cape Willoughby lighthouse and you can’t miss your first cellar door stop at Dudley Wines.  Relax on the deck with a pizza or platter and a wine paddle while you look back over the Backstairs Passage to mainland Australia and see if you can spot a whale.  They have a great nature playground for little kids and a golf tee for the big ones.  The Howards have a true family-run business incorporating wine and traditional farming on Kangaroo Island.  www.dudleywines.com.au

Our wine picks?  Dudley Wines have some great options for wine drinkers who enjoy fruit-forward wines.  Try Thirteen Sparkling Shiraz NV, Dudley Ripple or Glossy Black Sweet Red.
 

Explore where the river meets the sea at Antechamber Bay

After lunch, continue on the road towards Cape Willoughby lighthouse.  After about 10 minutes you’ll spy the signs for Lashmar Conservation Park which includes the vast Antechamber Bay and the Chapman River flowing to the sea.   A wonderland for kids, take the second Southern turn off and you’ll pass a great variety of picnic and camping spots dotted along the river.  Continue to the end of this trail and you’ll come to a picnic area beyond with a magical grove of stringybark trees to play amongst and gently sloping riverbanks, perfect for paddling, feeding the fish or kayaking.

Make your way down onto the Antechamber Bay beach where you can walk on white sand for miles.  Stunning views back to mainland Australia make this a tempting spot to stop for a play or an afternoon nap.  Explore more here:  

Step back in time at Cape Willoughby Lighthouse  

At the most easterly point of the island, Cape Willoughby Lighthouse has stood guard over this part of the Kangaroo Island coastline since 1852.  A guided tour offers the chance to walk in the shoes of the lighthouse keepers and their families who worked 24 hours a day to assist the safe journey of ships passing through the treacherous stretch of water known as Backstairs Passage. Explore here:  

Hint:  While you’re here, stop and explore the stunning granite boulders and surf of Windmill Bay.

Get back on the (wine) trail at False Cape Wines

By now you’ll be ready for refreshments and False Cape Wines cellar door is a great spot to explore another dimension to Kangaroo Island wine.  Head back from Cape Willoughby before taking a turn west along Wilson River Road.  You’ll drive by stunning Lashmar Lagoon and through farm country before finding the signs for False Cape’s cellar door.   Set amongst the vineyards where owners Julie and Jamie Helyar grow their fruit, False Cape Wines are made by Greg Follett of Lake Breeze in Langhorne Creek, bringing a signature style to their wines.

The kids will be happy feeding the farm animals and rolling on the lawn in the sunshine while you relax with a wine paddle and a platter (if you’re really hungry their pies are delicious).  If the weather is cool, they’ll have their indoor and outdoor fireplaces roaring.  www.falsecapewines.com.au/Cellar-Door

Our wine picks? We’re partial to False Cape’s Riesling and their new fortified Shiraz is an excellent way to top off a meal by the fire.

Watch the sun sink into the sea at Brown Beach 

After leaving False Cape, turn onto the East-West Road and within 10 minutes you’ll roll down the hill towards the coastline, landing at Brown Beach campground. A stunning place to pop open a bottle of wine you’ve collected during the day for a sundowner while the kids play or swim in the safe waters.  Explore more:  

If you’re equipped, take advantage of the excellent BBQ facilities here and stay for a casual dinner, head to American River to the Reflections Restaurant at the Mercure Hotel (see below) or otherwise complete your day's loop with a short drive back into Penneshaw for dinner at the Penneshaw Hotel (known as ‘The Penny’ by the locals).

Stay

Two of our favourite places to stay on the eastern end of Kangaroo Island are:  American River, Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge www.kilodge.com.au or Cape Willoughby, Sea Dragon Lodge:  www.seadragonlodge.com.au

We’ve even created a Google map for our Explore the East End itinerary, click here you’re good to go! 

Don’t want to drive?

Let a local do the driving, there’s a range of local guides now offering unique cellar door trail experiences, two of our favourites:  Exceptional Kangaroo Island www.exceptionalkangarooisland.com or Kangaroo Island Hire A Guide  www.kiguide.com.au.

Spring Events not to be missed on Kangaroo Island

Spring is shaping up to be events season on Kangaroo Island

Check out this handy guide to all the events coming up for Spring 2021.  Make sure to get your tickets & be a part of our authentically Kangaroo Island community events.

Download the Spring Events Calendar Here

or click straight through to these fantastic events:

Kangaroo Island Wildlife Carnival:  3 October

Humans of Kangaroo Island Festival:  8-10 October

Tunes in the Dunes:  23 October

New Shoots Music Festival: 20 November

Gastonomo Dining:  October/November

See you there!

 

To stay healthy in old age, pour a glass of red & cut a piece of brie

A recent study suggests ‘responsible’ consumption of wine and cheese could help to protect brain function as you age.

The study’s authors, led by a team at Iowa State University in the UK, examined data from more than 1,500 UK adults to explore links between diet and age-related cognitive decline.

"I was pleasantly surprised that our results suggest that responsibly eating cheese and drinking red wine daily are not just good for helping us cope with our current COVID-19 pandemic, but perhaps also dealing with an increasingly complex world that never seems to slow down," says lead researcher Auriel Willette, an assistant professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition. 

The study, the first large-scale analysis of its kind that connects specific foods to later-in-life cognitive acuity – has found that particular foods and drinks, such as wine and cheese, are protective against age-related cognitive problems.

The four of the most significant findings from the study:

1) Cheese, by far, was shown to be the most protective food against age-related cognitive problems, even late into life;

2) The daily consumption of alcohol, particularly red wine, was related to improvements in cognitive function;

3) Weekly consumption of lamb, but not other red meats, was shown to improve long-term cognitive prowess; and

4) Excessive consumption of salt is bad, but only individuals already at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease may need to watch their intake to avoid cognitive problems over time.

In the study, 1787 people aged 46 to 77 completed a Fluid Intelligence Test (FIT) between 2006 and 2010, to get a baseline marker of their ability to “think on the fly”. They then completed two follow-up assessments in 2012-13 and 2015-16. The participants also answered questions about their food and alcohol consumption throughout the testing periods.

Find out more about the study here

Make a start on your health,
order red wine here

Our favourite things to see & do on Kangaroo Island in winter

It’s a secret mostly only known by Island locals, Kangaroo Island is at its most beautiful in Winter. 

Spectacular windswept coastline, deserted beaches washed clean by the sea, stunning green fields full of winter lambs, wildlife in abundance.  And the best part?  You can join the locals in feeling like you have Kangaroo Island almost to yourself.

With so many Australians holidaying at home this year, the secret is out.  And local businesses like ours are loving having the Island humming during winter.  So, The Islander Estate team are sharing our favourite ways to make the most of Kangaroo Island during these stunning cool months.

Meander the delicious Tasting Trail

Where else could we start but with the opportunity to spend time with our fantastic array of local producers?
Our cellar doors and farm gates are more relaxed in winter.  Producers are always happy to see you and they have plenty of time to stop for a chat to share their story - and to learn yours.

Central to the Island, Cygnet River trail offers two cellar doors (The Islander Estate Vineyards and our neighbours Springs Road Wines) and Australia’s most awarded gin at Kangaroo Island Spirits.

If you enjoy a brew as much as wine, then Kangaroo Island Brewery is a fantastic spot a little further afield on the way to Emu Bay.  Stop for a paddle of their fantastic hand-built beers and a platter by the fire (check their Facebook page for opening days).  A little along the road Emu Bay Lavender are super popular for their lavender products and their café fare – their lavender scones are legendary and their curries and burgers are favourites for lunch. 

Back a little towards Kingscote, the wine tasting trail continues at Bay of Shoals wines just five minutes outside of Kingscote.  You can’t visit Kangaroo Island without experiencing our famous Ligurian honey – both Island Beehive and Cliffords Honey Farm are worth a stop.

Head east, stop in at The Oyster Farm Shop in American River – oysters are at their prime in winter.  Then continue the tasting trail at Dudley Wines for wines with a view and great pizza, or the fantastic new False Cape Wines cellar door, their platters are becoming famous.

 

A bird watcher's paradise

Kangaroo Island has over 260 bird species and they abound in winter in many sheltered spots.

Just minutes from The Islander Estate Tasting Room, Duck Lagoon fills with winter rains and attracts a huge array of birdlife (you might see more than one Koala sharing the trees with the birds).  Stop in for a visit at our Tasting Room, grab a bottle of wine, cheeses and French charcuterie then spend a peaceful hour or two picnicking and bird watching. If you're with the family, the kids will have a ball koala spotting here.

Stormy southerlies from the Southern Ocean often bring in albatross and other pelagic species – Cape du Couedic is a favourite location for local birders. Endangered Glossy Black-cockatoo are nesting at this time of year and feeding near Penneshaw, American River and Stokes Bay, as are Yellow-tailed Cocktaoos. Cape Barren Geese are also seen in abundance with their young during winter. Be sure to view nesting areas from afar to avoid disturbing nesting pairs.

In the quiet of winter evenings (the stars on Kangaroo Island are definitely worth an evening venture), you may hear Cuckoos calling – hearingtheir distintictive “mo-poke... mo-poke” call is something special.

 

Stormy Beach Walks

Nothing is as refreshing as a beach walk during a winter storm to restore the soul – and of course to give you a good excuse to recover with an afternoon curled up with a wine by the fire.

For spectacular rolling surf, visit the south coast beaches like D’Estrees Bay, Vivonne Bay and Hanson Bay.  Kangaroo Island's north coast offers more protected beach walks, washed clean by the rain.  Our favourites include Western River Cove, Snellings Beach and Stokes Bay 

In the east of the Island, Antechamber Bay is truly spectacular and you can follow up a beach walk with a sheltered picnic by nearby Chapman River.

Green fields full of new life

Nothing represents the renewal that Winter brings to our region like vibrant green fields full of bounding baby lambs, bright white with their new wool. They represent the promise of future prosperity for our region’s farmers and they simply make you smile.  It's worth keeping an eye out in paddocks all over the Island and stopping the car to watch their antics.

At this time of year Echidnas begin breeding, if you see an Echidna train it’s a very lucky day indeed so keep an eye out on roadside verges and wherever you are hiking.  And baby joeys begun venturing from their mother’s pouch to feed all over the Island, but often visible at Pelican Lagoon.

Hauling in a bounty 

Kangaroo Islanders often say the best meal you can have is fish, freshly caught yourself, cooked and shared with friends (with a fantastic local wine of course). 

The weather may be a little wilder, but the fishing can be at its best during winter, especially in the calm that follows a storm, when the fish often bite the hardest.  Whether you are fishing from a beach, a jetty or boat, bringing home your bag limit of our famous King George Whiting is a satisfying way to spend a day.  They are at their plump best in winter and extra active as they breed.

Salmon Trout can be caught from beaches like Hanson Bay (our tip, cooked super fresh in a beer batter perfect with Pinot Gris) and squid from jetties.  If you have a boat, Nannygai are great catching and eating.

Do make sure you’re familiar with Kangaroo Island’s protected by Marine Parks and Marine Park Sanctuary Zones and bag and size limits before you head out fishing.  Get all the essential info from Tourism Kangaroo Island's KI Fishing Guide. Or for a guaranteed catch, hook up with one of Kangaroo Island’s fishing charters and let the experts find the fish.

And if you can't catch them yourself, stock up in American River at The Oyster Farm Shop or KI Fresh Seafoods in Kingscote for the freshest local fish.

Watching monsters leap from the sea

There are over 80 whale species in the world, 29 of these species visit our South Australian waters each year.

The Southern Right Whale, one of the largest, weighs up to 80 tons and grows to 18 metres in length. They are the most frequent whale visitors to Kangaroo Island waters, and often travel past between May and September before they return to Antarctic waters in October. Look for them close inshore right around the coast. Mothers may rest with young in more sheltered bays.

Blue Whales and Humpback Whales also visit, and Killer Whales (Orcas) sometimes drop by for a seal meal.

Hunting for native orchids

With such amazing vistas and coastlines, it can easy to focus on the wider landscape when taking a winter hike on Kangaroo Island.

But for a mindfulness exercise that will have you reconnecting with the details and forgetting everything, there is no better activity a hunt for our native orchids. With over 80 native species, a hunt for these tiny but spectacular flower really makes you slow to a meander and absorb the beauty to be found on a micro-level.

Whether it’s these tiny flowers, lichen and fungi, flowering native ground shrubs or the spectacular Wattle it’s worth slowing down and meandering.

One of our favourite spots is American River’s Cannery Walk.  Find out more here

Slow cooking over a Bonfire

Gather your mates, light a fire, have a few wines while you wait for the coals to burn low, then nestle a camp oven on the coals.  It takes a while to cook but there's nothing better than passing the time with good conversation, plenty of red wine and a jam if you have a guitar on hand.

Spending an afternoon this way is iconicially Kangaroo Island.  And there’s nothing better than slow cooked local lamb, vegetables and red wine simmered for hours.

So what are you waiting for?  Start planning your cool season trip to Kangaroo Island.  We'll see you soon!

Tourism Kangaroo Island

South Australian Tourism Commission

Close up on Chardonnay

May 27th is International Chardonnay Day.
It’s the most widely planted white grape variety in the world.  And its time has come around again.  So, let’s get reacquainted with Chardonnay.

Chardonnay’s Origins

Chardonnay’s birthplace is the Burgundy region of France, in a small village of the same name.  Chardon being the French name for a thistle, chardonnay’s name originates from “place of thistles”.  Believed to be from the Noirien family of grapes, chardonnay is descended from Pinot Noir and the ancient variety Gouais Blanc.

In Burgundy, where chardonnay is known simply as white Burgundy, it is the most prized white grape variety, seen as truly capturing the region’s incredible terroir. Although it originated in France, chardonnay is now grown in almost every wine region on Earth, mostly because of its ability to adapt to different environments and grow almost anywhere.

Chardonnay down under

Chardonnay was first bought to Australia by James Busby (widely known as the ‘father of Australian wine’) who planted the first cuttings to Australia in the 1830s.  It didn’t become a core Australian variety for almost a hundred years, but by the 1980’s chardonnay became on of the most recognised Australian white wine varieties; flourishing in our climate and mainly produced in robust, rich, ripe and buttery styles.

Over the next several decades Australian wine consumers palates changed as they moved towards the zesty, higher acidity alternatives like Marlborough sauvignon blanc. Australian winemakers began to adapt, taking advantage of chardonnay's ability to take on many different characters guided by the winemaker’s technique. 

Today chardonnay accounts for more than half of Australia’s white wine production, having a renaissance in a more lighter style closer to the Chablis style of France. This contemporary style has inspired The Islander Estate Vineyard’s The White Chardonnay.

Chablis Style Chardonnay

Located in the Burgundy region of France (also famous for Pinot Noir), the Chablis appellation lies in the north, alongside the River Serein with the best vineyards planted along the south facing slopes.  Chardonnay here is all about the terroir.

Forget all your preconceptions of oaky, buttery Chardonnay.  The Chablis style is entirely different, some say this style is the purest form of Chadonnay, fermented in steel, usually with little or no oak so the Chardonna grapes' taste and arome can shine.  The Chablis wine style is dry, lean, light-bodied with higher acidity and green apple, citrus and minteral notes.

At our Tasting Room two of our most common guests comments are "I don't usually really like chardonnay but this is really nice" or "Sauvignon Blanc is my go-to white wine, but this is really delicious". 

Are you a champagne lover? Then you'll like Chardonnay. 

Chardonnay is the main component of most champagne’s (blended with its mother variety, Pinot Noir as it is in our Petiyante sparkling).  And if you’re a fan of Blanc de Blancs you’re drinking a champagne made entirely of chardonnay.

Chardonnay’s food companions

Our The White Chardonnay is designed for everyday drinking, we think it makes a phenomenal sunset glass of wine with friends or with a simple soft cheese, but there are loads of cool weather matches with chardonnay.  Simply, chardonnay prefers subtle spices and creamy or buttery flavours with seafood, chicken or even port. Try it with a few of these classic Autumn dishes:

Vegetable Risotto	Classic Roast Chicken
Garlic Prawns	Vegetable Soups

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drink now or wait?

Contemporary unoaked styles just like our The White Chardonnay is made in an everyday drink now style but can happily hang out in your wine rack for two years.  More heavily oaked examples offer more cellaring potential.

Get intimate with Islander Estate The White Chardonnay

Priced for everyday drinking, now is great time to get your hands on The White.  Order a case, pay for 11 and we'll add the 12th on us.  Click on the image below to add some to your shopping cart now.

Secret Autumn Sunset Spots on Kangaroo Island

When Summer’s warm weather passes & Anzac Day is over, visitor numbers to Kangaroo Island traditionally slow through the cooler seasons of Autumn & Winter.

This is the ‘Islanders’ secret – the cooler months are some of the most stunning on Kangaroo Island.  Warm days, crisp nights, rain transforming dry paddocks to a vibrant green. 

And our favourite part of Autumn?  The light in the late afternoon and at sunset is magic.  Autumn Sunsets are our favourite.  We asked our team to share their favourite spots to end the day with a glass of wine.
 

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Yale, General Manager, Managing Director,
Winemaker, Money Man, Wrangler of Staff

Favourite Sunset Spot?  West Bay Beach, Flinders Chase National Park

“I love watching the sun sink behind the horizon into the southern ocean at West Bay. Sitting on the beach with a glass of wine, feeling like you’re at the end of the earth.  Such a secluded spot but still totally accessible to anyone willing to make the drive.”

Favourite Sunset Wine?  Wally White Semillon
“Our white wine for red wine drinkers.  With enough  creaminess & texture to go with a fire & some fish caught fresh from the beach & cooked in a pan with a little wine”,

Image courtesy of Lauren Garret on Instagram

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Sophie, Cellar Door Manager extraordinaire

Favourite Sunset Spot? Flagstall Hill Lookout, Reeves Point
“Just a few minutes from Kingscote, Flagstaff Hill is a stunning elevated spot for an evening walk to watch the sunset over Bay of Shoals.  With elevated views for almost 360 degrees, there’s no better place to let go of the day.” 

Favourite Sunset Wine?  Varietal Range Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
“A limited release wine, this is my new favourite for when you want something a little more textural & sophisticated in the white wine spectrum.  I’ve visited Jacques in Bordeaux & this reminds me so much of the Bordeaux Blanc blends that I tried there.”
Image courtesy of Ross Evans Photography on Instagram

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Luca, Cellar Door Hand, Tour Guide & resident Italian

Favourite Sunset Spot?  The hill overlooking Stokes Bay
“Most people visit Stokes Bay in the height of summer to swim at the secret beach.  We love to visit it in the cooler months, when it’s almost deserted & the sunset views are ours alone”

Favourite Sunset Wine?  Varietal Range Sangiovese
What else for an Italian?  Taking its inspiration from a Tuscan Chianti Classico blend, the perfect pair to sunset picnic of antipasto, pizza or a great pasta dish.

Image courtesy of Carla Horton on Instagram

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Sue, Cellar Door Hand, Luxury Accommodation Specialist, Farmer

Favourite Sunset Spot? One Kangaroo Island, Brown Beach
“There is no more luxurious experience on Kangaroo Island than sitting in a warm outdoor bubble bath on a crisp evening, in total privacy, overlooking Brown Beach & the sunset to the west.  Unforgettable”

Favourite Sunset Wine?  Petiyante
What else is there to drink in an outdoor bath at sunset than a delicious glass of Methode Champenoise sparkling?

Image courtesy of One Kangaroo Island on Instagram

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Tracey, Our most loyal team member & wrangler of all things financial

 Favourite Sunset Spot?  Cygnet River
“In the late afternoon, just as dusk descends, the light through the trees surrounding the Cygnet River is something else.  And it only happens during the cooler months.  It makes you look up from your computer, step outside & take a deep breath.”

Favourite Sunset Wine?  Tracey’s been drinking Bark Hut Road, Shiraz/Cabernet Franc, our signature blend for 15 years ago.  It brings together our French & Australian heritage in a bottle & it suits just about any cool evening dish.

Image courtesy of Cath Williams on Instagram

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Cath, Marketing & Story Teller

Favourite Sunset Spot?   Baudin Beach
“My home, Baudin Beach.  We live in a cottage snuggled behind a sand dune.  Just near our house is a path along the cliffs with a special chatting seat in honour of a much loved local.  After a long day on the keyboard, I can be there with a glass of wine, my partner, daughter & dog in just a couple of minutus, we all take a deep breath & let go of the day.  Then back home out of the evening chill & into the warm cosiness of the fire.”

Favourite Sunset Wine?  “When I worked in the Tasting Room I sold more Old Rowley Shiraz/Grenache than any other wine because I absolutely love it.  Elegant but robust, complex but drinkable.  Simply one of my go-to blends & I’m yet to find one I love more than the one we make at The Islander Estate Vineyards.”

Image courtesy of Cath Williams on Instagram

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Plan your cool weather visit to Kangaroo Island now

Click to Visit The Islander Estate Vineyards
map of Favourite Autumn Sunset Spots

and
Visit the Tour Kangaroo Island Website

 

Take a fresh look at Sauvignon Blanc

One of the comments we hear most often at our Tasting Room is "wow, I've never tasted a Sauvignon Blanc like this". 

With its huge rise in popularity in recent years, all Australian white wine drinkers have included Sauvignon Blanc in their wine repertoire.  But we think there's lots more to learn about this variety that can produce such varied characteristics.  Here's some new facts about one of our favourite varieties:

1. It’s no new kid on the wine-block.  Sauvignon Blanc originated in France in the 1500’s the Loire Valley & Jacque Lurton’s native Bordeaux where is features in famous wines like Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.
    
2. Sauvignon Blanc has a wild side.  Its name comes from the French words ‘sauvage’ meaning wild and ‘blanc’ that meaning white.
    
3. Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux is most known as a major player in the sweet wine Sauternes.
    
4. Bordeaux’s most famous white blend, Bordeaux Blanc, pairs Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc in the world’s original Sem-Sauv-Blanc blends.
    
5. Believe it or not Sauvignon Blanc is the mother of the robust tannic red wine variety Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabernet Franc is the father).
    
6. Sauvignon Blanc grows best in cool or maritime climates (both Bordeaux & Kangaroo Island feature maritime climates) where long even growing conditions balance its crisp acidity with fresh fruit character. 
    
7. Sauvignon Blanc was one of the first varieties to be described in terms of one of its dominant flavour compounds, methoxypyrazines. This compound is responsible for the Sauvignon Blanc’s herbaceous nature, including characters like asparagus, cut grass, capsicum, dried herbs and gooseberries. Next time you taste wine with friends, drop this term!
    
8. Not all Sauvignon Blancs are the same.  It can vary wildly based on where its grown & wine making techniques, so try a wide range of regions & styles.
    
9. It has an alias. Fumé Blanc –coined in California in the 1960s and popularized by Robert Mondavi. Fumé Blanc is Sauvignon Blanc. Sometimes it is aged in oak, giving it smoky  notes (fumé means smoke), but it is not required that it be aged in oak.
    
10. Looking for foods that pair beautifully with Sauvignon Blanc?  Easy, if the dish would be enhanced by a squeeze of lemon, you’ll be on a winner serving them together.

We have very limited quantities of our 2019 Sauvignon Blanc left online & at our Tasting Room, order yours now:

The Islander Estate Vineyards Awarded Star Cellar Door, Best Large Cellar Door & Best Tasting Experience

Being recognising in one category of Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine's annual Australia's Best Cellar Door Awards is compliment enough, but we're positively blushing at the recognition in the 20201 awards.  

Kangaroo Island has a great range of Cellar Doors, each offering a different experience, a different approach & a range of cool-climate wines to explore. Everything that helps promote our island wine region is a positive and of course we don't mind when we share in the recognition.

Jump over to GT Wine Magazine to read their fantastic write up on our region & our other great winemakers to visit. Thanks so much for showcasing Kangaroo Island wine. Read Here

Demystifying Malbec

Let's get intimate with stunning Malbec

Malbec's Provenance

Malbec originated in Jacques' native Bordeaux (and also Cahors) where it primarily played a bit-part in classic Bordeaux blends, never really getting the chance to shine in the spotlight in France.  In the late-19th century, phylloxera nearly destroyed the Malbec wine business. The vines eventually recovered, before being later hit by the deadly frosts in the mid-1950s. The variety struggled to return in France until the mid 1970's.

Luckily then, that a French agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget had introduced the variety South America in the mid-1800's, where the variety found its day in the sun in the hot high-altitude Argentinian climate around Mendoza.  Malbec finally found its place centre stage as a single varietal, becoming the shining star of Argentinian wine. 

In modern day wine, Malbec has travelled all over the world, but Argentina still produces 75% of the world's Malbec & Cahors in France’s south-west the second largest producer. 

It found its way to Australia in 1860 where is grows particularly well in South Australia, production is still selective, Malbec represents less than 0.5% of Aussie grape and wine production.  In Australia Malbec’s beginnings were as a blending grape, these days a small but growing number of producers are taking inspiration from South America and showing Malbec’s potential as a single varietal.

A Malbec love affair spanning 3 continents

Jacques Lurton’s relationship with Malbec began in his native France where the variety originated, the love affair really took off when he spent extensive time in South America establishing vineyards in partnership with his brother Francois in Argentina & Chile, experiencing Malbec as the powerhouse of the wine industry there.

As a flying winemaker, he had also spent time in Austalia, seeing how well the variety transferred from the hot high-latitude climate of Argentina to South Australia’s moderate Mediterranean climate.  When Jacques set up his own Australian business, The Islander Estate Vineyards on Kangaroo Island he had it planted to use as a blending wine with flagship varieties. 

Those plans changed from almost the first vintage, when the quality of his Malbec on Kangaroo Island impressed Jacques so much, he saw it deserved to shine on its own. The Majestic Plough was born as the region’s only single variety Malbec.

The quality continued increase vintage to vintage.  Jacques was determined to show the true potential of Malbec on Kangaroo Island, so in 2015 The Islander Estate's flagship wine range was joined by The Independence Malbec – rated as one of the country’s best single variety Malbecs (96 points James Halliday's 2021 Wine Companion). 

The Islander Estate Vineyards is the only winery commercially producing Malbec on Kangaroo Island.

So, what's so special about Malbec anyway?

Often considered as an alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz, Malbec is a powerhouse wine in its own accord, the most structured and tannic wine we produce on Kangaroo Island.

Malbec is a thick-skinned, purple grape variety with an inky red hue.  On Kangaroo Island the vines are low yielding and always the first red variety to be picked at vintage.

In the glass, it has an intense deep red colour, magenta-tinged at the rim.  On the nose you’ll find savoury aromas of leather, tobacco, blackberry, dried herbs and spices with plenty of toasty oak.

In the mouth expect big, juicy and plush flavours of dark fruit with a robust structure and moderately firm tannins with natural acidity and a longer finish than you expect from overseas examples.

Malbec’s best food friends

Malbec loves a lean protein like a good quality steak barbecued over coals (even better with a herb or chimichurri sauce on the side), roast lamb with robust stuffing, roast game like duck or pheasant. 

It also loves hard or blue cheeses and sits beautifully alongside charcuterie.

Drink now or wait?

Malbec has great cellaring potential 15+ years if you have the patience!

 

Get up close The Islander Estate’s Malbec

The Independence Malbec from our Flagship range has just been rated as one of the best in the country by James Halliday with a 96pt rating in the 2020 Wine Companion.  Pop this one away and try not to think about it for a few years – it will pay off.

Our Estate Range Majestic Plough Malbec has a huge following. While it's sold out for now due to the impact on our Malbec vines in the 2020 bushfires, jump onto our mailing list to be the first to get your hands on our 2021 vintage Majestic Plough.