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Food & Wine
Why we’re noted for
wine, beef and lamb
Glen Innes – Celtic Country – is traditionally a high rainfall area and that combined with a cool climate, soils and temperate pastures means we’re noted for our distinctive wines, fine wool, lamb and beef production.
By 2007 there were almost 50 vineyards and wineries from Tamworth to the Queensland border with the Wright family of Glencoe, 20km south of Glen Innes, among the pioneers.
Scott and Julie Wright launched their vineyard and winery following extensive national research and chose the Glen Innes district after establishing the temperature regime closely equated with France’s Bordeaux and Cognac.
Their Wright Robertson Winery has won awards for organic wines produced from dry land farming on 4ha. The range includes Syrah, a medium bodied European-style red, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, New England Dry Red. Grapes are processed from almost a dozen other New England growers.
The wines are distributed regionally, to the NSW North Coast, with Glen Innes outlets at bottleshops, most hotels and restaurants.
David and Deirdri Robertson-Cuninghame, son Keith and wife Jennifer have also been district viticulture pioneers.
They are at Deepwater, 40km north of Glen Innes, producing award-winning wines under the Wellington Vale labelfrom their 2ha vineyard.
The Wellington Vale range includes a 2005 barrel-fermented Semillon, 2006 Semillon and semi-sweet Semillon, 2005 and 2006 Pinot Noir, 2005 Rose, with plans for a Riesling in 2008.
The wines are produced by winemakers Rod McPherson at Preston Peak, Wybera, near Wallangarra, and Mike Hayes, Symphony Hill, Ballandean, Stanthorpe district. Wellington Vale wines are available at the Glen Innes and District Services Club, Railway Refreshment Rooms, Commercial Hotel, Deepwater, and Red Lion Tavern, Glencoe.
They can also be ordered from the Robertson-Cuninghame family phone/fax (02) 6734 5226.
Try these superb products
If you love beef, lamb and pork, don’t leave Celtic Country without savouring the superb New England products from our three butchers Campbells, Hoopers and Whans.
Each has their own specialty: Campbells, in Grey Street, personally purchased grass-fed yearlings; Hoopers, southern end of New England Highway, their ownhams smoked on the premises; Whans, Grey Street, easily prepared meals such as Chicken Cordon Bleu and Peking Pork Medallions.
Glen Innes’ bakeries take pride in their creativity, providing a wide range of breads, pastries and other foods.
In Grey Street, the Glen Pie Shop’s specialities include roast lamb pies with honey, rosemary and potato; Peking pork pies; varieties of pasties, including vegetarian; and gourmet breads such as ploughman’s loaf and four-grain.
Smeatons, Bourke Street, has been in business for almost 70 years and uses the original recipe for pies and sausage rolls. Its specialty breads include sourdough, soughdour rye, apricot and grain, gluten-free and for the wheat-intolerant; Smeatons also has a salad bar and quiches.
Super Strawberry, on Glen Innes’s southern outskirts, produces and sells strawberries, strawberries and cream, jams, sauces, milk shakes, Byron Bay coffee, Guyra tomatoes, locally-produced potatoes and eggs, as well as giftware.
Free range eggs are produced under the River Gum and Sarah Downs labels, are available in Glen Innes as well as extensively elsewhere in NSW and Queensland.
Regional olives are sold at the Visitor Information Centre and other outlets.
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