Valley wineries serve up a taste of the sweet life

Does it get any better than this. It was more a statement than question from Tina Kienhuis as she savoured a grapefruit cordial wine and soda served on ice with a fresh spruce of mint, relaxing with friends overlooking lush green vineyards and the rolling King Valley bushland on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Darling Estate. "You've got to try the chicken skewers...they're to die for," she enthused. Partner Shane Johnson, smiling behind his sunnies with a glass of 2024 Gewürztraminer in hand, nodded agreeingly, adding that the polenta chips were pretty good too. The pair, and many of their 30 friends from Melbourne - with their Fallons bus parked in the vineyard - were among more than 70 patrons relaxing on bean bags and tables, soaking up the live music and enjoying the fresh fair as part of the valley's La Dolce Vita Festival over the weekend. "We're staying locally and visit here several times a year...it's such a beautiful spot," said Tina, whose sister Leanne Dodd and husband Ross own King Valley Fine Foods. "We've been to King River Estate and Pizzinis and will be lunching at Chrismont on Sunday. "You're so spoilt to have all this here." The sentiment was shared by Kahlia and Dan Sceney from Albury, who were working off their sumptuous lunch of Italian fare with a game of bocce at Dal Zotto Wines. "We moved over here from Darwin and have been to the valley a few times, but this is our first festival...and we'll be back," said Kahlia. "We'll look to bring a bigger crew next year, and possibly stay locally and enjoy the whole weekend, rather than just a day trip. "We've just loved how relaxed and cruisy things are...with plenty of activities and space for our three kids. "It's really family friendly...with great food and of course wines. "Unfortunately I'm the designated driver, but I've managed to have one Prosecco." Kahlia wasn't alone with her choice, which was hardly surprising as Dal Zotto is known as the home of the sparkling Italian variety, celebrating 21 years since it produced Australia's first grown Prosecco. "Prosecco outsells all our other varieties four to one," said chief wine maker Michael Dal Zotto, helping entertain guest with his father Otto, recently crowned Australia's '2025 Legend of the Vine' for pioneering Prosecco into a wine worth more than $200 million to the Australian wine industry. "That was always the aim, to build something unique for the valley. "This festival also helps us do that." Certainly, 500 patrons at Friday evening's Dal Zotto Prosecco Nights did just that, getting the festival off to a flying start. Across the weekend thousands of visitors enjoyed the Italian food, wines and entertainment - together with family hospitality - at John Gehrig Wines, Pizzini, La Cantina, Politini, Brown Brothers, King River Estate and Dal Zotto. For festival veteran Aaron Cananzi of Melbourne, savouring his 13th event was an opportunity to introduce Piper Golias to her first festival - and she loved it. "It's just so chilled and feels oddly nostalgic for me...reminding me of the Red Hills area (Mornington Peninsula)," she explained, at home only metres away from the cellar door in the expansive and shaded grounds of La Cantina, where a dozen of so market vendors were offering everything from hand made pasta to metal sculptures. "It's just an incredible reprieve from the world." Aaron said they would spend the day there, enjoying the preservative free nebbiolo, sangiovese and riesling, and visit longtime friends the Pizzini family on Sunday, adding "this is my only guaranteed weekend off work each year...I wouldn't miss it". If you did, perhaps it's worth putting on the 2026 wish list.

Valley wineries serve up a taste of the sweet life

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