Ever wondered how the bubbles get into sparkling wine and stay there until the end of the glass?
I can’t say I’d pondered it for too long until we spotted the opportunity to create our own sparkling wine at Foxeys Hangout in Red Hill.
At 11am every Saturday, winemaker Michael Lee takes a small group through the traditional method of making sparkling wine with tastings to illustrate how the taste changes at each stage of the process.
And what a process! The bottles we saw had already been nurtured, turned upside down and rotated for nearly a year before Michael took us through the final dramatic stages, inserted the cork and added a personal label: Bottled for Jo……drink in two months.
Two months is a long time to wait! So, I’d suggest staying for lunch.
The restaurant is small and cozy but diners spill out onto the deck on warm days to graze on tapas with views over the vines in the distance.
We went for the fixed price chef’s choice to save agonising over what to order.
Our six sharing plates included quail with lemon and avocado with candied walnuts, which together made a delightfully light but tasty lunch.
And, of course, Foxeys Hangout wine was a great accompaniment, with or without bubbles.
Good to know: Create your own sparkling is by appointment only. Groups of more than six cannot be accommodated for lunch and the restaurant doesn’t take reservations.
