Date/Time
22/03/2024 – 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Information
“Preserving history for your enjoyment!” Leogate Estate Wine Tasting Lunch
Our first wine tasting lunch of the year is here and we welcome winemaker, Mark Woods, from Leogate Estate to share his expertise with us.
Leogate Estate is situated at the foot of the Brokenback Range in Australia’s oldest wine producing region, the Hunter Valley. The iron gates that form the entrance to Leogate Estate, were placed on the property by the current custodians Bill and Vicki Widin when they bought the Brokenback Vineyard in 2008 which set the tone for the entire property. These gates are considered the protectors of this old historic vineyard planted in the 1960’s by one of the founding fathers of the modern Australian wine industry, Len Evans AO OBE and the Rothbury syndicate. Each gate has a rampant lion figure positioned in the centre, which inspired the name Leogate Estate and company logo.
Leogate Estate holds the prestigious title of being a red 5 star James Halliday rated winery for an impressive 12 consecutive years, placing it within the elite top 8% of wineries rated by James Halliday in Australia. This recognition speaks volumes of its consistent quality and excellence in winemaking. For the past decade, Leogate Estate has been the wine of choice in Qantas First and Business Class cabins on international flights, showcasing its premium quality on a global stage.
In addition to its esteemed Hunter Valley location, Leogate Estate boasts a diverse vineyard portfolio that includes a second vineyard spanning 200 acres. Situated in the Central Ranges district of New South Wales, within the renowned Mudgee region, this vineyard is certified organic by NASAA, emphasizing Leogate Estate’s commitment to sustainable practices.
- 2-course lunch with wine tasting
- Special guest winemaker, Mark Woods, from Leogate Estate
- Set in the magnificent Cellos Grand Dining Room
Venue: Cellos Grand Dining Room, Castlereagh Boutique Hotel
Time: 12.30 pm
Tickets: $75.00 per person + booking fee
Includes 2-course lunch with wine tasting. Additional beverages are available for purchase. Inclusive of GST and Member Discount.
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Chief Winemaker – Mark Woods
JAMES HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION – 5 RED STAR RATING FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS
Leogate Estate Wines has won a slew of medals and trophies since its inception with its outstanding wines produced from the Hunter Valley’s Brokenback Vineyard. With every right to boast of the impressive collection of accolades, Chief Winemaker Mark Woods instead is a quietly spoken, modest and down-to-earth man with a great passion for creating wines that showcase the unique terroir from which they are sourced.
Mark Woods is a local to the Hunter Valley, and a laid-back sort of character, a man who thinks carefully before he speaks. Suffice to say, he prefers the background to the spotlight. Toiling away in the Leogate Estate winery, Mark works long hours to produce wines of great style and sophistication. He is also a great leader who encourages his wine-making team to have high aspirations. His enthusiasm for both the people and produce of the Hunter wine region makes him as popular as he is talented in local wine-making circles.
Mark recalls where his passion for wine began at 20 years of age whilst living with his father in Sydney. “Dad had a very expansive underground wine cellar containing several iconic Australian wines spanning many vintages. Each night before dinner we would go down to the cellar and select a bottle of wine we thought most suited to the meal.” This ritual continued till Mark moved to find his own apartment. “Whilst Dad said he enjoyed my company; the underground cellar was experiencing great pressure to continue supply!”
It was Mark’s low-key nature and excellent credentials for wine-making that attracted him to the owners of Leogate Estate Wines, Bill and Vicki Widin. Together, Leogate Estate strives to make wines that express both the vineyard terroir as well as Mark’s contemporary wine-making style while also respecting and embracing regional characteristics.
Nowhere is this more present than in Mark’s direction to split an exceptional parcel of shiraz fruit from the home Brokenback Vineyard into two world-class wines: “The Basin” and “The Western Slopes” Reserve Shiraz. Only separated for the first time in 2011, it already seems that Mark is onto a winner! The 2011 “The Basin” Reserve Shiraz was named Best First-Year Wine in the World at the International Wine Challenge 2014 in London with “The Western Slopes” picking up a silver medal also. True to form, both wines are wonderful expressions of Hunter Shiraz with different characteristics reflecting the different blocks from which the wine is produced.
It is anticipated that Leogate Estate Wines under the stewardship of Mark Woods will continue to perform strongly in regional, national and international competitions. With their commitment to produce premium wines that reflect the terroir of its region, Leogate Estate and Mark see their participation in these wine show competitions as essential to highlight the continued strength of Hunter Valley wines and reinforce the credibility of the Hunter Valley as a premium Australian wine growing region.
Outside of the competitions, Mark continues to engage with members and visitors to Leogate Estate on a daily basis. Working with new wine varieties and styles is an important part of delivering wine experiences that are meaningful and relevant to today’s wine drinkers. If his previous work at Leogate Estate is any indication, there will be a great deal of excitement surrounding the next release from Mark and Leogate Estate in the near future.
WE PRACTISE THE RESPONSIBLE SERVICE OF ALCOHOL
