Scarborough Wine Co's Liz Riley has capped off a successful 2022 by being named The WINE Magazine's viticulturalist of the year.
"Liz Riley's most important work has been done close to her home with Jerome Scarborough in the Hunter Valley. Her areas of influence, however, have spread to other NSW regions, the Granite Belt and Tasmania as well as through her role as a director of the AWRI for more than 10 years," chairman of judges for WINE Magazine's winemaker of the year awards, Peter Forrestal, said.
"Her hands-on work as a consultant, focusing on sustainable viticulture, has been widely influential and has resulted in Liz becoming our 10th viticulturist of the year."
Adam Wadewitz of Shaw + Smith was named winemaker of the year; Nadja Wallington of ChaLou is young winemaker of the year; and Dr Andrew Pirie AM won the Len Evans Award for Leadership.
Said Liz: "The wine industry is so collegial and it's a proud moment to be recognised for the role I play in it. For me, it's about being nimble and open to trying new things, while respecting the land that is under my stewardship. I am all for evolving viticulture practices in the vineyard when needed, and more than ever I'm looking to innovation and sustainability to build the resilience we need in the vineyard, to help us survive and thrive in unpredictable climates."
Liz has more than 30 years' experience in the winemaking industry and, in addition to her long-term commitment to Scarborough Wine Co, also consults for multiple wineries across the Hunter Valley and NSW region via her business Vitibit. She studied viticulture at Roseworthy Agricultural College where she met her winemaker husband, Jerome Scarborough. They have two children, Callum and Hannah.
In 2017 she was named Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology (ASVO) Viticulturist of the Year. In 2020 she became the first woman to win the prestigious 2020 Graham Gregory Award and was acknowledged by Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism with the Award for Excellence following her response to the bushfire challenges of 2020.
This year Liz, Jerome and her sister in-law Sally Scarborough collaborated on a special new range of Scarborough wine, Keepers of the Flame. Produced from small parcels of fruit from their Hunter Valley vineyards, this is a premium wine release that launched with three vintages of chardonnay.
Exciting new menu
CorEat Newcastle chef Sunny Chae has been busy. His "modern Australian with Korean influences" restaurant in Newcastle East has a new menu and I, for one, can't wait to try it. Check out this selection from the starters: crab salad with Tasmanian smoked salmon; scallop kilpatrick (Tasmanian half-shell scallops with smoked kilpatrick sauce and corn veloute); Korean fried chicken taco (teriyaki mayo, pickled radish, chilli sauce, Asian slaw, crispy shallots and corn tortilla); and the KimCheese Wagyu Cutlet (Wagyu beef, pineapple and kimchi salsa, cheese and smoked Korean BBQ sauce).
The mains include seafood bouillabaisse; smoked duck breast with sweet tofu, mustard sauce, seaweed noodles and crab meat, and the squid ink prawn pasta. Don't get me started on dessert. There's also a $75 tasting menu available over Christmas and New Year.
CorEat is at 35 Hunter Street and is open Wednesday and Thursday (5.30pm to 9.30pm), and Friday to Sunday (noon to 2.30pm, and 5pm to 10pm). Book by phoning 02 8376 2329. There is indoor and outdoor dining, plus a private dining room.
Take it easy
If you are a little overwhelmed at the thought of cooking for a group over Christmas, jump on Steph de Sousa's Instagram or TikTok pages and browse her quick and easy festive recipes. You can try her gingerbread truffles; eggnog tiramisu; easy mango trifle; turkey stuffing; Nutella Christmas tree; or the three-ingredient Christmas cake. All you need is mixed fruit, your choice of liquid, and flour.
She also has a whole range of quick and easy air-fryer recipes for entertaining guests. Steph, who lives in Warners Bay, was a contestant on MasterChef Australia in 2019 and finished just shy of the top 10. She cooks for events and private functions.
The Hunter's Pantry
Leonie Young, owner of The Essential Ingredient at The Junction, has long been one of my go-to people for foodie trends. She recently announced her intention to move to an independent business model (after 17 years with The Essential Ingredient): "Our focus has always been on sourcing sustainable, ethically made products with a transparent supply chain and supporting small, local and artisan businesses. Becoming truly independent will allow us the freedom to expand this component of our store," she explained online. The Hunter's Pantry will officially launch in January.
Happy New Year
You have three opportunities to celebrate New Year's Eve at Crystalbrook Kingsley on December 31. There's the family-friendly Sunset At Roundhouse at 5pm, the Romberg's Rooftop Bar Rooftop Party at 8.30pm, and the Midnight at Roundhouse Premium Rooftop Dinner and Fireworks at 8.30pm. Go online to crystalbrookcollection.com/newcastle for details and to book.
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