A trip to our favourite wine region, the Yarra Valley, is off the cards for a while as Melbourne endures Lockdown 2: Lock Harder. The Yarra Valley is itself under lockdown orders, but that doesn't mean your trip is completely off.
Six Yarra Valley wineries have banded together to create a virtual trip down the Melba, allowing you to try six lesser-known varietals, explore the region and sample some of the wineries' rib-sticking meals, all without leaving your own home.
The Alternative Taste Trail Red Six-Pack box comes with a bottle each of De Bortoli – 2019 the Estate Vineyard gamay; Mandala Estate – 2019 Estate pinot noir; Steels Gate – 2019 bastardo; Zonzo Estate – 2017 Estate shiraz; Fergusson’s Winery – 2015 Benjamyn cabernet sauvignon reserve; and Sutherland Estate – 2017 sparkling tempranillo. It's a perfect mix of familiar favourites and more unusual varietals, and at each stop along the trail, you can use a special QR code in the box to be transported to the cellar door and do a special video tasting with the winemaker.
The box also includes recipes from De Bortoli, Zonzo Estate and Steels Gate, so you can cook sumptuous meals to accompany your virtual trip. Think winter warmers like homemade gnocchi with pine mushrooms, or a slow-cooked leg of lamb. Enjoy the road trip with members of your household or send a pack to a friend as a gift, and you can go on a Zoom trip together.
The Alternative Taste Trail would make a fantastic birthday present for anyone whose birthday has fallen during lockdown, perhaps with a promise to follow it up with an IRL version when we're allowed to hit the road again.