Symphony Hill Wines
Star Cellar Door
(07) 4684 1388
symphonyhill.com.au
Nothing makes for a better visit to a cellar door than superb wines, and those from Symphony Hill, under the guidance of Ewen Macpherson and the winemaking skills of Mike Hayes, have never looked better. Macpherson fell in love with the region on a visit to celebrate his 30th birthday. Before long he had established his own winery and, with Hayes, has worked tirelessly ever since, promoting the region and making better and more exciting wines. Elissa, Macpherson’s wife, looks after the cellar door and matters such as labels. Their combined success is reflected in an array of medals and third-party recommendations. It’s a small cellar door but a welcoming one, and it offers a chance to try some of the region’s best wines, including exciting new releases, as they become available. Expect more great offerings from the excellent 2016 vintage, including vermentino, barrel-fermented gewürztraminer, nero d’avola, lagrein, sangiovese and a dry moscato giallo that won gold at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show 2016. In addition, a percentage of the price of their Danying Cabernets is donated to Asian orphanages. Hayes says to keep an eye out for the 2016 Home Block Shiraz when it’s eventually released, as he believes it’s the best wine they have ever made. KEN GARGETT
OUTSTANDING WINE: 2014 Symphony Hill Reserve Lagrein, A$95