The very best of the Cowra and Canowindra wine region is set to be showcased with the annual Cowra Wine and Forage Tours to kick off next month.
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Media and friends of Cowra Tourism got a sneak peak of this year's lineup last weekend, wining and dining at Antonio's Wines, Rosnay Organic Wines and Wallington Wines.
First stop was Antonio's Wines, formally Gardener's Ground, to wander through an organic vineyard and sample some new releases of Shiraz and Chardonnay.
Operator of Antonio's Wines, Antonio D'Onise, spoke about how the climate, water retention and the organic practices he implements helps to create medium bodied wines with great aromatics, in particular his reds.
"We offer a bit more generousity and a bit more intensity than some of the reds that come out of Orange for example," he said.
"What we do is we make sure that we plant things or promote the growth of things which provide food for good insects and also shelter the good insects.
"We don't have the benefit of zapping a vineyard with harmful chemicals so we need to manage it accordingly."
The group then moved onto the vines and olive and fig trees at Rosnay Organic Wines.
Winemaker Sam Statham spoke about how Rosnay and Antonio's Wine are part of a community of organic growers - Rivers Roads Organic Farm.
"We use community title to create a little group of organic farms," he said.
"We've got something that glues us together, that's the organic claim."
Mr Statham then went through the processes of growing and maintaining olive trees, fig trees and the vines in an organic fashion.
The group was then treated to samples at the cellar door and a look behind the scenes of winemaking process.
Last stop on the tour was Wallington Wines, located just outside of Canowindra.
Operated by the Wallington family, the vineyard is organic and biodynamic, with every step of the winemaking process taking place on the farm.
"We hand pick, we hand process, we hand label, we get in and do everything ourselves," winemaker Steve Mobbs said.
Margaret Wallington spoke the family's beginnings in the wine region in 1989 and how winemaking became a family passion.
The Cowra Wine and Forage Tours will be throughout spring, with the first one to be held on Saturday, September 14.
Tickets are available at the Cowra Visitor Information Centre or https://www.trybooking.com/BDVRN
For more information, call 6342 4333.
