Gadgets and goings on...wining and dining

Spring has sprung THIS year’s Spring in the Valley festival, to be held on the weekend of October 11 and 12, will feature events at more than 50 Swan Valley food, wine and art venues. Now in its 20th year, the festival is one of the largest of its kind in Australia, attracting more than 50,000 people from across the country. Among the premier events this year, Jane Brook Estate Wines is holding a closed ticketed event limited to 200 guests offering premium wine tastings, wine master classes, live music, food tastings, and local art and craft. Renowned oyster shucker Jerry Fraser will be working his magic on Sunday. Lamont’s Winery invites guests to a ‘small tastes’ lunch, a ticketed event with seated dining. The cellar door will be open for guests to enjoy wine samples during the day, with Lamont’s new-release verdelho, semillon sauvignon blanc, quartet, rose, cabernet merlot and malbec all available for tasting. Sitella Winery, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary, is also offering a ticketed lunch featuring a special spring festival menu, with live jazz. Swanning about THE Swan Valley Wine Show public showcase will be held at Houghton Winery on Sunday September 21, giving wine buffs a chance to be among the first to taste award-winning wines from the region and chat with the producers. Run by the Swan Valley & Regional Winemakers’ Association, the Swan Valley Wine Show is one of the leading events for the judging of wines in Perth. This year’s judging panel is led by Dorham Mann (chairman of judges), Alan Dineen from the Chateau Guildford, and Tony Devitt from Ashbrook Wines. Judging for the awards will be held on September 18, with the awards dinner to be held on September 19. Italy down south A LITTLE bit of Italy will come to Margaret River later this month when Perth restaurateur Maurizio Di Ciano brings his Roman Banquet to luxury bed and breakfast, Erravilla Country Estate, on Sunday September 28. The long-table lunch will include a 12-course ‘slow food’ banquet and wines from the region. Located off Abbeys Farm Road, Erravilla Country Estate is a private estate set on 54 hectares and featuring a selection of spa suits and a stand-alone villa. Voyager dinner MARGARET River winery Voyager Estate will reveal its restaurant enhancements with a dinner to mark the arrival of spring in the region. Visitors can see the results of a recent refurbishment to the restaurant while enjoying a three-course set menu using the best of this season’s local produce later this month. The dinner will be held on Friday September 26.