How to host the perfect outdoor dinner party

In these last few weeks of summer in the southern hemisphere, here are some great tips from Monisha Iswaran on how to host an outdoor dinner party - not forgetting the Katnook Coonawarra Wine! 

How to host the perfect outdoor dinner party.   Monisha Iswaran 13/02/2017 mydeal.com.au 

Are you throwing a dinner party and hoping to make the most of the warm summer weather? Turn your patio or back garden into the perfect party venue with just a few small tips and tricks. Making an outdoor party run seamlessly is an art, and planning and preparation is imperative to make sure you have an enjoyable evening with your guest instead of being stressed the entire time. Follow these simple guidelines to help you keep your food, drinks and decor in check, while keeping your guests entertained and happy.

Prepare Prepare Prepare

When you plan to host outdoors, you face nature in its full force, such as the possibility of rain, extreme sun, pests and a whole other host of unpredictable elements that could ruin your party. As such, event manager Lel Brassel Ngo, co-founder of The Party Kit Company, emphasizes the importance of preparation:

“The key, as with any party, is preparation - especially if you’re entertaining outdoors. Not only is the weather unpredictable, there are issues related to pests, food freshness, guest comfort and lighting. Get prepared by assessing your space: ensure there is adequate seating and shade, noting where to store food and drinks safely, and having measures in place to deter pests.

By developing a menu and preparing food in advance, you will save effort as well; think salads, charcuterie, fruit - things that can be prepared in advance, rather than you having to slave over a stove or barbecue when guests have arrived.”

For more party planning advice or to purchase style Party Kits, check out her online store on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Dress Up Your Dinner Table

One aspect of the night that can be done well before your guests start to arrive is the setting up of your table. Your choice in decor can make the difference between a seemingly shabby, thrown together dinner and making your home and garden a stylish party venue.

When planning the aesthetic tone of your table, start with choosing a centrepiece! You might want to accentuate your outdoor environment by choosing something nature-related, like an eye-catching flower arrangement. Other table decorations with an outdoor feel could include small succulents, a table runner filled with moss, lanterns and a variety of candles. Another option is to include a selection of wooden objects, to contribute to the earthy atmosphere in which your dinner is set.

You also need to consider what type of dinnerware you are planning use, depending on the degree of formality you are hoping to achieve. Generally, choosing plates and cutlery that have colour add to the fun, stylish vibe of the table without have to appear stiff and formal.

Be Ready With Drinks

From the moment your guests arrive, you should have drinks on hand to welcome them into your home, particularly as a dinner party set outdoors may be slightly warm at the start of the evening, and you want to keep your guests feeling cool and cheery. Be sure to have a constant supply of ice on hand, as you are likely to underestimate how much will be used throughout the night, particularly if you have a large party of people coming for dinner. You will also want to have a bucket or tub filled with ice to keep the drinks cold and ready for consumption!

Anna Aldrige from Katnook Coonawarra estate winery, suggests how particular wines are perfect for an outdoor summer dinner:

“Outdoor dinner parties usually call for fresh, fruit driven styles of wine. The reason is that the great outdoors usually send us all into an immediate state of relaxation and focusing on a wine’s subtleties is often better suited to indoor dining. Katnook Coonawarra crafts the Founder’s Block range which are fruit forward, ‘drink now with food’ styles of better known varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.”

Keep The Pests From Your Guests

An important factor to keep track of for an outdoor party is the possibility of insects, such as mosquitoes and the like. Firstly, take preventative measure such as ensuring that any pots, containers or gutters that could contain stagnant water are emptied prior to the evening. This will also help to keep your venue looking clean, smart and ready for hosting.

Understandably, you will not want to be spraying insect repellent throughout your evening, as this is sure to dampen the festive mood. Luckily, there are other options you can consider such as plugging in a number of fans to keep the air moving and the bugs at bay. This will also keep your guests cool and comfortable, killing two birds with one stone. You may even want to place a small fan on the table to keep the food items safe from lingering insects. You can also consider other repellent products, such as a gadget that you can set-up in the garden, or bug wipes that your guests can use on their skin for a pest-free evening!

Sweeten Up Your Summery Party

No outdoor dinner party is complete without the perfect dinner party dessert. Sweets For Tilly has some tips for planning the perfect end to your evening meal:

“Light and simple. For those of you who do not like a heavy and over filling dessert, stick to something light such as cookies with tea and coffee. Macadamia nut cookies or vanilla shortbread go great with some herbal tea or coffee, will not leave you feeling too full and will ensure your guests aren’t rolling home.

Add some variety. If you want to mix things up for your guests instead of having just one simple dessert, add a few different elements to the batter. Cookies, cupcakes, or cheesecake cups. This is a great idea to cater to everyone’s needs and gives the option of more than one dessert. Your guests can also eat as much as they want or keep it to a minimum.”

If you want to get more tips on planning a dessert menu, and get inspired by more creative ideas and themes, check out Sweet For Tilly on Facebook and Instagram.

So there you have your guide to pulling off the perfect outdoor dinner party without a single glitch. Now you have no excuse to be sitting indoors during the months of summery weather. Happy party planning!

 

Gifts sorted!

Let's face it. The holiday season is a time to relax and enjoy the finer things in life. Like Coonawarra wine!

Katnook Cellar Door is open every day over Summer except Christmas day. Our hours are: weekdays 10am - 5pm and weekends noon - 5pm. Check our Cellar Door page for details about the warm Katnook welcome that has made us one of the top Coonawarra attractions on Trip Advisor.

Our online store is always open and ready to freight wine to you anywhere in Australia.  Offering wine priced from $18 through to $100, you are sure to find a style to suit your taste and wallet.  Or grab a gift voucher from our store for that last minute present and let your special person choose their favourites.

Wishing all our wine friends a fabulous Festive Season and summer break.

Katnook hits the high notes with Opera Australia

As another year of Katnook holding the title of Opera Australia's official wine draws to a close, we are super excited about two events remaining on the Opera 2016 calendar.

Katnook is again proud to support Opera Australia's annual free opera concert held 'under the stars'  for the people of Melbourne to be held on Saturday December 3rd.  Then on New Year's Eve, our wines will be served in the Opera House as lucky guests witness world class fireworks to herald 2017.

OPERA IN THE DOMAIN. DEC. 3RD.
Pack a picnic, gather some friends and hear Lorina Gore, Sian Pendry, Diego Torre and Luke Gabbedy sing some of opera's biggest hits with the Opera Australia Chorus and Orchestra Victoria.

Gates open at 4pm, get there early to nab a good spot.  Performance starts at 7pm - check out the program below. Katnook wines will proudly be served during the VIP interval and post performance party.  For more information, click here.

Program...

BIZET Prelude to Carmen
ORFF 'O Fortuna' from Carmina Burana
ROSSINI 'Largo al factotum' from The Barber of Seville
BIZET The Flower Song from Carmen
SAINT-SAËNS 'Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix' from Samson and Delilah
VERDI The Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore
BIZET 'Au fond du temple saint' from The Pearlfishers
VERDI 'Sempre libera' from La Traviata

[interval]

ROSSINI Overture to William Tell
BIZET Seguidilla from Carmen
BIZET The Toreador Song from Carmen
LOEWE 'I Could Have Danced All Night' from My Fair Lady
RODGERS 'You'll Never Walk Alone' from Carousel
PUCCINI 'Nessun dorma' from Turandot

NEW YEAR'S EVE. 31ST DEC. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

New Year's Eve is the night when Sydney puts on the bling, kicks up its heels and shows the world what a gorgeous thing it is, as a festival of fire explodes across the midnight sky. 

Ringside seats to the greatest show on earth are hard to come by, but we've saved some great ones, and you're invited.  Leave the crowds behind as you enter the Sydney Opera House.

Be entertained at the Opera Gala, featuring favourites by Verdi, Puccini, Rossini and more.

Then, with a heart full of song, watch the fireworks the whole world watches. Interval is timed for the 9pm fireworks and the Sydney Opera House stays open well past the midnight fireworks.

There’s nowhere in the world like Sydney on New Year's Eve and there's nowhere closer to the action than Sydney Opera House. Make this your most glamorous and memorable New Year ever.  BOOK HERE.

October is Cabernet Month in Coonawarra

We know that you can't get enough Coonawarra Cabernet, so 2016 sees the traditional Coonawarra Cabernet Celebration weekend expand to a month-long extravaganza. With events spread across the whole month of October, there is sure to be something for everybody.

Click through here to check out the full online program.

Every day throughout October, Katnook Cellar Door is showcasing Cabernet Sauvignon "by the decade" - just call in, no need to book. Katnook is also hosting a Winemaker's Dinner on October 15th, just a few tickets remain.  

For accommodation and touring options, visit the Penola Coonawarra Visitor Information Centre or call them on +61 8 8737 2855 or 1300 045 373 or email penola@wattlerange.sa.gov.au

Two international medals for Katnook.

Katnook Estate's new release 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (RRP $40) has been awarded an international silver medal in The Drinks Business Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters which assesses wines purely by grape variety rather than by region.  Winning wines were judged by a cherry-picked group of Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers on 14 April  2016 in London. Divided only by price bracket and, for ease of judging, whether the style was oaked or unoaked, the blind tasting format allowed wines to be assessed without prejudice about their country of origin. Wines were scored out of 100, with those over 85 points being awarded a Silver medal.  

Not to be outdone, the Katnook Founder's Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (RRP $20) scored over 80 points, resulting in a Bronze medal. 

This same wine was awarded 93 points by noted UK wine writer, Sarah Ahmed in 'Decanter' magazine (August 2016) magazine. Ahmed described the wine as " Heady with a rich burnish of charry, spicy oak to its cassis and juicier mulberry and blackberry. Long, with ripe but textural gravelly tannins.

 

 

'My Fair Lady' chooses Katnook

Katnook Coonawarra is the wine of choice for the exciting new stage show "My Fair Lady"  which is set to open at the Sydney Opera House on September 5th, as the show celebrates 60 years since it was first staged on Broadway. Dame Julie Andrews is in Sydney to direct the stellar line-up of Australian stars.  Dame Andrews, the cast and theatre royalty will enjoy Katnook wines on opening night and during the season.

In 1956, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's masterful retelling of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion took the world by storm. Playing the irresistible Eliza Doolittle was a young Julie Andrews, in only her second role on Broadway, a role that would catapult her into international stardom.

In this world first, Julie Andrews directs this production of 'My Fair Lady', teaming up with the Tony Award-winning Christopher Gattelli and associates of the musical's original designers Cecil Beaton and Oliver Smith.  The Cinderella story about the Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle and the appealingly arrogant phoneticist, Professor Higgins, is an endearing tale that charms audiences with its warmth and vivid characters.

The triumphant score features unforgettable numbers including 'Wouldn't It Be Loverly?', 'On the Street Where You Live', 'I Could Have Danced All Night', and 'Get Me to the Church on Time'.

Headlining the new company are acclaimed British performer Alex Jennings as Professor Higgins and young Australian star, Anna O’Byrne, as Eliza Doolittle. Joining them is an outstanding cast. Reg Livermore will play the role of Alfred P. Doolittle. Robyn Nevin will play Mrs. Higgins and Mark Vincent will play Freddy Eynsford-Hill. The role of Colonel Hugh Pickering will be played by Tony Llewellyn-Jones and Deidre Rubenstein will play Mrs. Pearce

Katnook is proud to be served during the Sydney season of 'My Fair Lady'  runs until the end of October.  Learn more here.

Halliday 'Wine Companion 2017' - 5 stars again

Released today, the 'Halliday Wine Companion 2017' is the bestselling and definitive guide to Australian Wines.  Katnook was again awarded 5 stars, which denotes an "outstanding winery capable of producing wines of very high quality".

Katnook Coonawarra's star performers this year were its limited release range.  Prodigy 2012 Shiraz was the top scoring Katnook with 96 points, following by Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon from the same vintage at 95 points.  The Cellar Door releases of Amara Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 scored a stunning 95 points while its partner, The Caledonian Cabernet Shiraz 2013 scooped 94 points.

All wines reviewed are available here.  

Katnook Founder's Block Cabernet goes viral

Australia's biggest wine social media site  and indeed, one of the biggest in the world, the Winewankers, has just given the Katnook Founder's Block Cabernet Sauvignon a big wrap.  Racking up over 850 likes in less than 10 hours on Instagram -  here is what the boys had to say:

winewankers - 859 likes  A good value #Coonawarra#Cabernet by Katnook with enough going on to make it an interesting expression of this famedCabernet #wine region.#postbyconrad #vino #vinho #vin#winelover #wineoclock #winetime#winetasting #instawine #redwine#winewankers

Then on Twitter, the boys' post garnered 50 retweets when they said. " Top value @Katnook Coonawarra Cab with enough going on to make it a good expression of this famed Cab #wine region." 12:38 PM - 15 Jun 2016

At just $22, the current release 2014 Katnook Founder's Block Cabernet offers sensational value.

 

Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence

Katnook Estate Winery and Cellar Door today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence. Now in its sixth year, the achievement celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveller reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year. Certificate of Excellence recipients include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a quality customer experience.

The Certificate of Excellence accounts for the quality, quantity and recency of reviews submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

Cellar Door Manager, Michelle Stehbens says of the award, “We are thrilled to be recognised by Trip Advisor in this way.  Our Cellar Door and Functions Venues are beautifully restored limestone buildings that were originally used by Coonawarra wine region founder, John Riddoch over 100 years ago.  Visitors to Katnook can taste our full range of wine – including Cellar Door Exclusive wines, visit our famous terra rossa soil pit or just relax in our lounge with a glass of wine, cheese platter or coffee.  There’s also a toy basket for the kids and water bowl for travelling canines ensuring everyone enjoys the stop at Katnook.”

Check here for Katnook's reviews.

Heather Leisman, Vice President of Industry Marketing, TripAdvisor explains, "With the Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor honours hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong praise and ratings from travelers.  This recognition helps travellers identify and book properties that regularly deliver great service. TripAdvisor is proud to play this integral role in helping travellers feel more confident in their booking decisions.”

TripAdvisor® is the world's largest travel site**, offering advice from millions of travellers, and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 340 million unique monthly visitors***, and 350 million reviews and opinions covering 6.5 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 48 markets worldwide.   **Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, February 2016. ***Source: TripAdvisor log files, Q1 2016

Katnook Reds for Winter

Best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra has for many decades quietly offered equally impressive Shiraz. Think Wynns Michael and our own Katnook Prodigy which, upon its inaugural release, collected the 1998 Jimmy Watson trophy.

Looking back to Coonawarra’s first commercial vintage in 1896 made by John Riddoch and William Salter in the Katnook woolshed, it is clear that Shiraz was just as, if not more important than Cabernet Sauvignon.   Why is it then, that the elegant, spicy Shiraz styles from the fabled terra rossa are lesser known and therefore made in lower quantities?

Tasting our new release Katnook Founder’s Block Shiraz 2015 (RRP $20) and the current release Katnook Estate Shiraz 2012 ($40) may shine some light on this, especially when compared against our biggest selling wine Katnook Founder’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon (new release RRP $20).  Technical details for each wine follow.

KATNOOK FOUNDER’S BLOCK SHIRAZ 2015.  RRP $20

Grape Variety          Shiraz

Region                    Coonawarra

Harvest                   26th March – 15th April 2014

pH                          3.5

Acidity                    6.05 g/L

Alc/vol                    13.5%

Vintage                   The 2015 vintage was dry with below average rainfall.          

Oak Maturation       A combination of older French and American oak barriques for three months.

Cellaring Potential   Enjoy now or will cellar well up to five

KATNOOK FOUNDER’S BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014.  RRP $20

Grape Variety          Cabernet Sauvignon

Region                    Coonawarra

Harvest                   March - April 2014

pH                          3.4

Acidity                    6.3g/L

Alc/vol                    13.5%

Vintage                   The 2014 vintage was noted for its dry, mild conditions and below average rainfall. These dry conditions continued right through the growing season and produced red wines that have great colour and fine tannins.

Oak Maturation       27 percent of this wine was matured for four months in a combination of French and American oak barriques.

Cellaring Potential   Enjoy now or cellar for up to five

KATNOOK ESTATE SHIRAZ 2012. RRP $40

Coonawarra’s 2012 vintage was characterised by above average temperatures and below average rainfall. The warm and dry conditions produced ripe, full bodied reds with generous fruit, deep colour and fine, lingering tannins. The abundant fruit and structure of these wines ensure strong cellaring potential.

Grape Variety          Shiraz

Region                    Coonawarra

Harvest                   15th – 22nd March 2012

pH                          3.29

Acidity                    6.46g/L

Alc/vol                    13.5%

Vintage                   Coonawarra’s 2012 vintage was marked by above average temperatures and below average rainfall. Harvest was amongst the earliest starts on record. The warm, dry conditions accelerated development and contributed to a very early harvest of Shiraz. These conditions produced fruit in excellent condition at near optimum maturity.

Oak Maturation       Matured for approximately 15 months in a combination of French and American oak Barrels. All of these barrels were mostly two years old.

Cellaring Potential   This wine will age gracefully for 15 years.