Best Kept Secrets Blog
The History of Winemaking in Great Western
As a region, Great Western is responsible for pioneering innovation around styles and winemaking techniques. Let us tell you a little bit about the history of our local region…
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27/09/2018 at 2:52 PM
PermalinkBest’s is named alongside the Best of the Best: Langton’s VII Classification
Every four years, the prestigious auction house Langton’s releases a new classification of Australian Wines which highlights the best performing, most collected, and esteemed wines, based on the wines reputation and track record at auction. Best's has featured prominently since 2005, and are now thrilled to announce an elevation to "exceptional".
Continue »Exploring Best’s home town of Great Western
When you stop by our cellar door in Great Western, be sure to enjoy all that the area has to offer. The town has a fascinating history and plenty of attractions to explore. With a population of just 700 people, you’ll find our tiny home town nestled along the Western Highway, about 225 kilometres from Melbourne.
Continue »Taking Best’s Wines to the world
Vinexpo is arguably the most important and influential wine trade fair in Asia. It gathers the who’s who of the wine industry and is a perfect platform for us to showcase our unique wines internationally and share stories about our history and winemaking process. Held every two years, it attracts wine importers, buyers, on-premise trade and media from around the world.
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Best's Wines: The little known grapes in our Nursery Block
The Nursery Block at Best’s Wines has always been one of our treasured vineyards, and it is incredibly unique even on a global level. This block is a 1.2-hectare vineyard believed to feature the most extensive pre-phylloxera plantings in Australia, and possibly the world. Within the collection, there are more than 39 separate varieties planted, eight of which remain unknown and un-named to this day. International viticulturists have visited over the years, keen to research and take cuttings to discover more about some of the more unusual mix of vines within our custody. It’s a living museum and a vital part of our history – Best’s takes very seriously its role as custodian of this important piece of earth.
Continue »Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
This lamb shank recipe is winter comfort food at its best. Chris Thomson still uses an old Pyrex 250ml cup measure that belonged to Grandma Thomson. Chris’s tips? Before adding the wine, bring it to the boil (the alcohol evaporates!) and it will impart a more mellow flavour. Cook and enjoy this dish with Best’s Bin No. 1 Shiraz.
Continue »Beef & Walnut Tagine
Looking for some dinner inspiration? Perhaps give this Thomson Family Beef and Walnut Tagine Recipe a try.
Continue »The history of Bin No. 0 Shiraz
The evolution of Bin No. 0 began more than 150 years ago when Henry Best planted vines at the Concongella Vineyard in 1868. Continue »
Justin’s 2018 Vintage Update
2018 vintage has certainly been fast and furious. We started picking the Riesling on 22 February and anticipate that this years’ vintage will be over prior to Easter. We’ve processed over 300 tonnes in a short 2 week window. You can visualise it being like fruit Tetris, constantly shuffling bins of fruit and making room in the winery to move parcels around to keep the grapes in optimal condition as we process it. Continue »
Family-friendly places to visit in The Grampians
A trip to Victoria’s Grampians region makes for a fabulous family affair. By car, the journey from Melbourne’s CBD to Great Western is only 250km and takes about 3 hours (read our top tips about where to stop along the way!). Continue »