A Rotary Progress Part 3

After the billabong boat excursion we repaired to the Tahbilk winery. For those not familiar with it, this has been a continuously functioning vineyard and winery since 1860- see http://www.tahbilk.com.au/about-us/background. Privately owned by the same family for the last 88 years, the estate is clearly French influenced, especially in its tower (that could have been made into a pigonnier), its signature Marsanne white wine grapes from the Rhone, and in its cellar design, the newer of which (dating from the late 1860's) is reminiscent of a French "cave".
We like the way Tahbilk Marsanne changes colour and flavour depth each extra year it is kept, and bought some 2006 for just four extra dollars more than the current 2012.

We had a short tour of the two cellars, during which the 'cellar ghost' duly appeared as a silent black smudge.

 Thence back east to Avenel for lunch at Fowles winery. A stylish modern building and probably the best table in the region:  promised a light lunch in anticipation of dinner to come, we were served a magnificent antipasto with seemingly endless variety, all of which had to be sampled, and then accompanied by expertly fried chips. Drinks were included, and I opted for the frizzante moscato style, a light sweet bubbly that went well with the food.

The winery signature label is "Ladies who Shoot their lunch", but I surmised that the clever design added to price, and we contented ourselves with looking at the posters, which vary with the vintage year.