Stretching along 221 kilometres of coastline envied for their cool-climate drops, The Great Eastern Wine Week is a 10-day festival and is a collective of events at the region’s boutique wineries and other local businesses.
Showcasing the region’s best food and wine experiences, the Great Eastern Wine Week returns to East Coast Tasmania this September, with its most impressive lineup to date.
Returning from September 9 – 18 and spanning 221km of Tasmania’s pristine eastern coastline, Great Eastern Wine Week will showcase the best of the region’s culinary and cultural experiences, providing locals and tourists alike the ideal winter Spring escape.
Keep up with the latest food and booze news across the region here.
The event offers the perfect opportunity to experience over 60 food and wine events created in collaboration with the region’s best producers; in addition to East Coast landmarks such as such as breathtaking Freycinet National Park, Wineglass Bay, Bay of Fires, and the wombats of Maria Island, alongside lesser-known gems of St Helens Mountain Bike Trails and the Hazards.
After two years of border restrictions impacted incoming tourism, a raft of new culinary and cultural experiences will be included as part of this year’s event; including the recently reinvigorated Devil’s Corner Cellar Door (recently appearing on MasterChef Australia’s ‘Tasmania Week’) and newly launched one-of-a-kind salt sommelier experience as a partnership between Tasman Sea Salt and Mayfield Estate Cellar Door.
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“After last year’s lockdowns closed off the region to the mainland, we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome visitors back to the beautiful East Coast of Tasmania. Our annual Great Eastern Wine Week is the perfect time to visit, as the region’s best winemakers, artisans, restaurants and cafes come alive with special events and experiences rolling out over 10 days. The week has without a doubt become one of Tasmania’s most loved events in the food, wine and travel calendar – the region is a wine and seafood lover’s paradise”, says Rhonda Taylor, CEO East Coast Tasmania Tourism.
“Spring is such a beautiful time of year to visit East Coast Tassie. From the well-known natural wonders of Freycinet National Park, Wineglass Bay and Bay of Fires; to the more adventurous experiences of St Helens Mountain Bike Trails, the unique wukalina Walk and visiting the wombats on Maria Island; through to exploring the East Coast Wine Trail – there’s something for every type of traveller”.
Established in 2015 at Freycinet Lodge, the event has grown from strength to strength, driving visitation and stimulating the economy of the entire region. Due to phenomenal success, the initial weekend-long festival has been extended to 10 days, becoming the Great Eastern Wine Week.
Highlights from this year’s event include a Black Tie and Blundstone cocktail party at the new Devil’s Corner Cellar Door; The Battle of the Vineyards at Furneaux Restaurant; High Tea with perfectly matched wines at Craigie Knowe Vineyard; Great Eastern Wine Cruise with Wineglass Bay Cruises; ‘Wild Abundance’ cooking with game workshop at Twamley Farm; and Mayfield Estate’s Grazing Walk with Tasman Sea Salt.
For the music lovers, there will be Live Music at Spring Vale with 19twenty, Boil Up and Pretty Things, as well as Unwind In The Vines where guests can spend an afternoon unwinding on the lawn among the vines to live music with great wine, great beer, great food and a great atmosphere in the beautiful surrounds of the Craigie Knowe vineyard.
There will also be a selection of masterclasses on offer including Flavours of the East Coast Wine masterclasses at Freycinet Lodge; Plumm Glassware masterclasses at Craigie Knowe Vineyard; and VIP Whisky and Gin masterclasses at Spring Bay Distillery.
For those who would prefer to take a more spontaneous approach, there are a selection of events on every day including Pop-Up Tasting and Cheese Platters at Hurly Burly Wines; Tasting Plates and Old Vintages at Milton Vineyard; and wine tasting at all of the East Coast Wine Trail cellar doors every day of the festival.
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Great Eastern Wine Week Curator, Glenn Travers adds: “We truly feel that some of Australia’s best wine and produce come from Tasmania and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to experience the East Coast’s unique terroir and merroir, along with our world-famous beaches, landscapes and adventures, not only during the event, but all year round”.
Great Eastern Wine Week 2022 will run from 9 – 18 September, with tickets on sale now. Tickets and full program details can be found via the website.
