Melbourne Restaurant hosts wine dinner with one of Australia’s oldest and most significant vineyards

Apples + Pears Entertainment Group, the passionate restaurateurs behind Meat Fish Wine, Red Spice Road and Burma Lane, are honoured to be partnering with veteran winemakers, Best’s Great Western, to host a rare and unique wine dinner at award winning Melbourne restaurant, Meat Fish Wine.


On Thursday September 1st, the team at Meat Fish Wine will host an unforgettable event to honour one of the oldest and most significant vineyards in Australia. Celebrating their 150th anniversary this year, Best’s Great Western started producing world-class wines back in 1866. The winery remains in family hands to this day, and are honoured to be the legitimate founders of the Great Western wine region, continuing to be important producers for the wider Grampians area. 

“There were two ways of seeking fame and fortune in the Victorian gold rush decades of the second half of the 19th century. One was to buy a miner’s licence, a high risk with an occasional high return. The other was to feed hungry miners and slake their thirst with wine and/or beer.” - source winecompanion.com.au.

The Best’s family chose the latter, and very successfully.

Winner of prestigious wine list awards from Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, World of Fine Wines ‘World’s Best Wine Lists’ and Wine Spectator ‘Best of Award of Excellence’, Melbourne Restaurant Meat Fish Wine was the natural choice to host a Best’s 150th anniversary dinner and celebrate the James Halliday 2017 wine of the year award. 

The dinner begins with a delicious canapé, followed by four handcrafted dishes, finishing with artisanal cheeses - a selection of Best’s wines matched to each course. Twelve wines from 1994 to current vintages have been personally chosen by Best’s winemaker, Justin Purser, including back vintage wines directly from the Best’s Museum Wine selection - so each wine is of proven provenance - which is certainly key when looking at wines dating back more than 20 years. Justin will be presenting and discussing the wines on the night. 

The line up is contrasted by a number of new cuvées and previously unseen releases from Best's, highlighting the diversity of wines available from the vineyard. 

Of particular importance and off the back of the very recent James Halliday Wine Companion Awards, the 2014 Best's 'Thomson Family' Shiraz was awarded not only Best Shiraz, but Wine of the Year 2017. Guests at the dinner will be lucky enough to enjoy a stunning back vintage expression of this wine.


The menu itself will have a focus on locally sourced produce. Head Chef Darren Mercaldi has displayed once again the importance of the local artisan at Meat Fish Wine by showcasing  ingredients handselected for their freshness, high quality and sustainability. 

“For me, these events represent what I love about cooking. Quality food should be enjoyed with premium wine, and to be able to create a menu to match with wines of this standard, is a great opportunity.” said Darren.

The Best’s Great Western Wine Dinner will offer something special to guests. The interactive nature of the evening, the stunning locally sourced menu, matched with some of the most rare and limited wines, offers diners the opportunity to enjoy experiential dining at it’s best.

Source: Apples + Pears Entertainment Group, 18th August 2016