The festival includes a Caviar & Champagne weekend with caviar expert Lisa Downs, a sustainable Australian seafood dinner with Josh Niland, an 1832 Wolgan Gin Weekend hosted by Mikey Enright and Ian Glenn and a cheese masterclass weekend with Will Studd
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is hosting a series of incredible culinary experiences curated by Executive Chef Nancy Kinchela in collaboration with some of Australia’s leading chefs, tastemakers, and winemakers this winter. Each gourmet experience reflects the resort’s culinary philosophy, celebrating the very best of seasonal, regional and, where possible, organic produce, sourced from local boutique farms, private growers and vintners.
The Winter Culinary Festival launched on 21st June with the ‘Big Reds and Game’ dinner, hosted by Claudio Haye. Haye is from Domain Thompson, a family-owned winery with vineyards in both New Zealand and France. The experience kicked off with a wine tasting in the afternoon where guests were able to sample some exquisite pinot noir vintages, followed by a dinner prepared by Executive Chef Nancy Kinchella featuring game meats paired with Domaine Tomson wines.
The opulent Caviar & Champagne weekend, featuring a masterclass hosted by caviar expert Lisa Downs, took place a week later, with guests sampling a range of the finest caviar varieties, expertly matched with a selection of Perrier Jouet vintages. In the evening, guests were treated to an exquisite five-course caviar-inspired dinner, created by Executive Chef Nancy Kinchela and matched with Perrier Jouet Champagne.
July launched with Josh Niland cooking alongside Nancy to showcase the very best in sustainable Australian seafood, and for the whisky-inclined, Josh Walker, head distiller at the award-winning Timboon Railway Shed Distillery, will host a whisky weekend from 19th to 20th July. Ian Glen of Stone Pine Distillery will also co-host the ultimate 1832 Wolgan Gin weekend alongside Sydney’s leading gin specialist Mikey Enright on 26th-27th July, while Christmas in July will be celebrated all month long with a series of Yulefest-inspired experiences.
The first weekend of August, leading cheese specialist Will Studd will present an insider’s glimpse into the world’s best cheeses, with a selection of his personal favourites hosted within the Valley Bar Lounge. Two weeks later, Tim Kirk from award-winning Clonakilla Winery will give guests the chance to sample some of the finest Clonakilla vintages, followed by a Clonakilla truffle dinner.
All the experiences within the Winter Culinary Indulgence are complimentary to guests as a part of a two-night accommodation package. The package starts at $2,090 AUD per evening for two guests. Guests will stay in a Heritage Villa with the following inclusions: a private heated pool, gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner, local wines and beers with meals, non-alcoholic beverages with meals, a complimentary in-villa snack bar and selected nature-based activities. Spaces are limited, and advanced bookings are essential.