Silver Travel Wine Club

January 2023 – More Than A Masterclass

Wine education becomes a lot more fun when you book an experience with Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia. Meet the makers, learn from the locals, and buy into DIY blending! Read on to discover four fabulous Australian wineries who offer blending and educational workshops in beautiful regional surroundings.

Winemakers Secret Art, Tahbilk, Nagambie Lakes, Victoria

Some say the winemaker’s motto is that “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts” and we agree – the art of winemaking is all about blending. When you book in and learn the Winemakers Secret Art at Tahbilk, you’re guided by a Wine Ambassador. You will start with individual wines then blend them to create a wine that is truly yours. A 750ml bottle of your own blend will be yours to take away to enjoy afterwards. Blenders often stay on after the workshop to enjoy a relaxing 2 course lunch with a glass of wine in Tahbilk’s Wetlands’ View Restaurant.

Blending Bench, d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, South Australia

Your Blending Bench experience is hands on and interactive, beginning as you enter the iconic d’Arenberg Cube, and start exploring this unique space filled with wall to wall art installations designed to excite and awaken your senses. Play winemaker with your palette of wine parcels, each with distinctive flavours and textures, all melded in search of balance, fullness, and finesse. We did the physical work – picking, crushing, fermenting, foot treading, basket pressing and barrel ageing, and you get to create a wine that is truly unique. You then bottle, name and label a 750ml sample to take home and show off to your friends.

The Perfect Blend, Mandoon Estate, Swan Valley, Western Australia

How hard can it be? Challenge your palate and develop your winemaking skills by booking The Perfect Blend, an interactive experience at Mandoon Estate, a beautiful winery in the Swan Valley just 30mins drive from the centre of Perth. Under the guidance of an expert host, you’ll dig a little deeper into the world of winemaking; explore the unique characteristics of different wine varieties and how they can work together to create harmony and balance; and create the perfect wine to suit your taste. At the conclusion of your experience you’ll be presented with your own unique winemakers blend, complete with personalised label.

Sparkling Scholar, House of Arras, Tamar Valley, Tasmania

House of Arras put Tasmania sparkling wine on the world map over forty years ago. Book in to become a Sparkling Scholar and discover the secrets of Tasmania’s diverse grape-growing terroirs, varying climates and fascinating viticultural history. Learn how old fashioned sheep farms were transformed into thriving vineyards throughout Tasmania, then compare and contrast an exquisite range of sparkling wines from the House of Arras, including vintage and non-vintage méthode traditionnelle wines. This premium masterclass is a rare chance to unfurl the tapestry of Tasmania terroir and gain a deep understanding of Australia’s most awarded sparkling wines.

Sparkling Scholar, House of Arras, Tamar Valley, Tasmania


How to win a case of d’Arenberg wine

Please note: this prize draw is now closed.

Comment below and tell us of something you look forward to celebrating in 2023 and which of the wines above you’d like to raise a toast with.

A winner will be chosen in early February 2023.
The competition closes on 31 January 2023.

Please note: by commenting below and entering the prize draw you consent to your email address being shared with Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia who will contact you on one occasion with more information about their offerings.

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114 Responses

  1. In the winter months it needs to be a big hairy red – something to warm the cockles of your heart!

  2. Sorry Silver Travel, but it hasn’t changed since my answer to the same question last month! Sauvignon Blanc!

  3. Birth of grandbaby in March 2023, we would celebrate as a family & raise a glass of fizz with bubbles

  4. Having visited Western Australia a long time ago, I’d love the opportunity of having contact with the wine.

  5. I’m celebrating my 50th Birthday this year and this amazing wine will really enhance the celebration with friends and family xx

  6. Looking forward to the chance of taking a holiday to Sorrento this year; my favorite wine for toasting is a rich and fruity red.

  7. I am celebrating my 50th Birthday this year and would love to celebrate with Red and Rose wines.

  8. I look forward to finally getting a job after being unemployed for the latter part of last year, and being able to celebrate with my daughter with a glass or two of House of Arras sparkling wine.

  9. This case of superb Australian wine will be perfect to help us celebrate our 50th wedding Anniversary. We still love to travel to exciting areas of the world and Australian wines are suited to our life style of exciting adventures with wines to suit.

  10. Our 53 rd Wedding Anniversary..I’d like to raise a toast to us with a House of Arras wine.

  11. I would choose to book a visit to the Winemakers Secret Art, Tahbilk, Nagambie Lakes, Victoria. My friends who live near Melbourne had this experience at a similar vineyard that offers Glamping and Wine Tasting Tour.
    It would be a great experience to blend and create my own wine for vintage as offered by Tahbilk with their Winemakers Experts. I would invite my friends from Melbourne to come with and enjoy the experience.

  12. I would like to celebrate the birth of my first grandchild with a d’Arenberg wine.

  13. Looking forward to some travel in 2023 after a year of waiting on hospital appointments for myself and husband. We don’t much like sparkling wines but enjoy a good red and often drink a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot.

  14. The most significant event for our family this year will be my wife’s 70th birthday. We have not made any detailed plans for what to do yet but I imagine there will be a family gathering to mark the occasion.

    I don’t see any actual wine names shown in the article above but given the celebratory nature of the occasion I imagine that a sparkling wine from House of Arras would be appropriate. As far as I can recall I have not had a Tasmanian wine before so that would be an additional twist.

  15. The sparkling House of Arras that I’d be sharing with my lovely sister-in-law – to celebrate finally meeting up again after so many false starts!

  16. We are looking forward to celebrating our 43rd wedding anniversary in September, hopefully enjoying a glass of something red and fruity!

  17. I would love to celebrate my great nephew’s engagement with a lovely bottle of red wine.

  18. My husband will be 66 this year and so looking forward to getting his pension, and then maybe we can fly to Australia and visit the vineyards

  19. I look forward to celebrating my daughter’s 50th birthday in April, my granddaughter’s 21st birthday in March and my grandson’s 18th birthday in December.

  20. Allegedly we will be celebrating our 70th and 60th birthdays in 2023. Would celebrate with an off dry pinot gris.

  21. I look forward to celebrating 25 years together and our 14th wedding anniversary with my husband

  22. Looking forward to celebrating our 60th wedding anniversary. The sparkling wine would be my first choice for toasts.

  23. I would celebrate finally going on a holiday after the years of Covid now seem to be behind us.

  24. I’m going on an overseas trip for the first time in a few years to celebrate both mine and my husbands 60th birthday and our retirement.

  25. I would like to raise a toast of the Tasmanian wine (Sparkling Scholar, House of Arras, Tamar Valley) because this year I will be celebrating 20 years of being cancer free! Quite an achievement as my original diagnosis was that I could only expect ten years at the most! Still having yearly check ups but still here!

  26. Visited Australia 10 years ago but neglected visiting many vineyards mistake !
    And by June 2023 I will have finished a course of radiotherapy which I hope will be successful. Then we celebrate

  27. Lots to celebrate as ever in 2023, especially more fantastic holidays with my husband of 35 years, so would love to raise a toast with Winemakers Secret Art – my own blend!

  28. I look forward to March when I hope my next doctor’s appointment will show great improvement with my breathing condition. I would raise a toast with Sparkling Scholar.

  29. We have our 10th Wedding Anniversary this year and would love to celebrate with a glass or two of Sparkling Scholar, My father is als0 70 this year and we have a surprise birthday planned for the Blending Bench, which would work perfectly with the meal, they all sound amazing we would love to try any of them!

  30. You really need a sparkling wine for toasting, so I’d plump for the Sparkling Scholar – plus, I’ve never tried Tasmanian wine. And I’m just looking forward to being a bit more sociable this year

  31. Sparkling Scholar sounds fantastic. Looking forward to a holiday in Jersey Channel Islands in May.

  32. I am celebrating my 70th birthday this year and would love to celebrate this with Tasmanian sparking

  33. I do not drink much wine as I find that it’s not sweet enough for me, but my husband enjoys wine, Whilst in Australia this year we may give some of this a try as we will be staying with friends for about 6 weeks so plenty of time to seek out some great wines.

  34. It would have to be fizz from House of Arras, and being renowned for someone who would attend the opening of an envelope if sparling bubbles were involved, the occasion and celebration wouldn’t matter!

  35. I would love to win this prize to share with my family and friends. Any of the wines would be enjoyable and we could toast the new King in May this year.

  36. My biggest celebration is my good friend being given the all clear this morning, what more could one ask for. x

  37. I am looking forward to celebrating my granddaughter’s 40th birthday with House of Arras sparkling wine.

  38. I am looking forwards to the birth of my first grandchild (a girl) in June 2023, so excited!
    I think a nice sparkling wine would be a perfect match for the occasion

  39. I’m looking forward to celebrating my son Freddie’s 16 birthday in August and Sparkling scholar would seem apt to toast this with

  40. I will be retiring at the end of March .. then I hope there will be plenty to celebrate!

  41. After 20+ years, the house will finally be mortgage free. What I was paying on the mortgage each month can finally be put towards something more exciting – like a holiday!

  42. I am looking forward to celebrating the birth of my first grandchild in February.
    My daughter is half-Australian and her mother comes originally from near Nagambie.
    I therefore have saved up some Tahbilk Marsanne and also some Brown Brothers reds from Rutherglen.
    I have always bought Australian wines ever since I was a visiting lecturer at Ballarat University years ago, and grew to love Aussie wines.
    I have never tried D’Arenberg wines but would be very happy to win some!!

    Best wishes

    Richard Brown (I’m a Pom, sadly no relative of the winery!)

  43. We love wine. We’ve done loads of wine tasting in Fracne and also in Australia, but have never had a masterclass in blending wines! Sounds great – an amazing experience!

  44. We’ll toast our new home & the long-drawn-out move with the House of Arras Sparkling Wine.
    Moving & all the legal stuff was a nightmare, now the rest of our life should be just fine!

  45. It’s my sister’s 60th birthday at the end of February, so a toast will definitely be raised! I’d love to do it with one of the sparkling wines from Tasmania, as my sister loves everything sparkling.

  46. I love Australian wines…I’ll never forget a memorable trip to Western Australia and a cruise wine tasting up the river, departing from Perth. Magical!

  47. The House of Arras sparkling wine to help celebrate our recent ruby anniversary and to bring the Australian sunshine to our winter.

  48. I will be celebrating my Kiwi grandchildren visiting their UK family for the first time – preferably with a glass of Sparkling Scholar.

  49. New beginnings and adventures. The world is our oyster so why not use it If I am lucky enough to win I will raise a big toast to my late husband plus friends and family who are no longer with me. Also a toast to all good friends which are few and far between. Watch out 2023.

  50. My husband and I will be celebrating another year together in 2023. We had our 40th Wedding anniversary together in 2022 but would like to celebrate in style with d’Arenberg wine (The Sticks and Stones). We have enjoyed wine over our years together many have been home made but this wine would be special and a treat just for us. We have had many happy times together and very sad times but we are looking forward to the years ahead.

  51. My husband and I plan to celebrate returning to Canada for the first time since we got married there thirty-two years ago with a delicious glass of d’Arenberg wine.

  52. Getting back to travel for the first time since Covid. Back in 2019 at the start of the pandemic we were all set to go on a belated honeymoon (and celebration of 25 years together) with a bucket list trip to Canada, including riding on the Rocky Mountaineer. Like many other people our plans were thwarted but I think 2023 is definitely the year to get back out there. I am sure we can all drink a toast to enjoying it while you can.

  53. We always enjoy Australian wines and would be pleased to raised a toast with any of the wines featured, I’m sure they are all excellent.

  54. I’m looking forward to celebrating my 80th Birthday with a trip to America this year (sorry, can’t manage Australia!) and I think Sparkling Scholar will be just the thing to celebrate with.

  55. I would like to toast to my 70th in March 2023 with the Tasmanian Arras sparkling wine. I never thought I would get here after a late stage cancer diagnosis in 2001. Cheers!

  56. I am waiting for 2023, and my hopes for happy changes are connected with it. I hope I have many reasons to celebrate. my choice is The Perfect Blend, Mandoon Estate, Swan Valley, Western Australia

  57. What I look forward to in 2023 is doing some travelling again after a few health issues. Any of the wine experiences would be fine by me but if I had to choose just the one Tasmania beckons as I have never been there and I have always wanted to meet a Tasmanian Devil. But not too close.

  58. I would like to celebrate my son’s 50th birthday with The Perfect Blend, Mandoon Estate, Swan Valley, Western Australia.

  59. I looking forward to celebrating my retirement. A drop of Sparkling Scholar sounds perfect for the occasion.

  60. We will be celebrating ( with my son) his 50th birthday in 2023; and I would be delighted to raise a toast to his future at Mandoon Estate, with the “Perfect Blend”.

  61. On July 21st we will have been married 50 years and our lives together just get better and better.
    We met on July 21st 1972 in a discotheque in Estartit, Spain. I was with a friend and in walked two young men. One sat down and started talking to Chris, the other one went to the bar. When he came across his first words to me were “ do you come here often?”
    His story is that his friend had first choice and he was left with me! We ere married exactly a year later. Some holiday romance and 50 years of marriage is definitely worth celebrating

  62. In 2023 I am looking forward to being healthy enough to be able to travel again, as I have received new knees for my severe arthritis. To celebrate I would love to raise a toast with sparkling House of Arras wine! Yummm!

  63. A sparkling Scholar would be perfect to celebrate my 60th birthday later this year wife my beautiful lady wife and family

  64. I would love to taste the Sparkling Scholar…. when I visited New Zealand 20 years ago I had an amazing time visiting many of the Kiwi vineyards….and the Sparkling Scholar sounds perfect for the wedding I am attending in June!!

  65. JULY 2023 My Brother comes home for three weeks holiday, he emigrated to Queensland Australia back in 2004 despite him retiring in the past I haven’t seen him for five years and he will be here for my birthday too in July so a great excuse for a celebration I reckon… Cheers 🍷

  66. I look forward to raising a toast with Sparkling scholar when I move out of my drafty old house which has been up for sale for what seems like forever. The sale has fallen through twice now and finally looks set for me to move to a nice warm place. I will cry happy tears.

  67. We are celebrating both our 60th birthdays in 2023 and for-me it’s a Red and for my Partner Heather, it will be a sparkling white wine

  68. I’d like to celebrate my recovery from serious illness and Tasmania would be a very special place to do so, a unique and special place in the world.

  69. I’d love to celebrate my April birthday with a d’Arenburg wine. Here’s hoping!

  70. This Easter will see my daughter’s first wedding anniversary. The wedding itself was postponed several times on account of Covid restrictions and now I would like to celebrate their first anniversary with them in a relaxed manner, looking forward to the future.

    I would like the Perfect Blend to create a wine for the harmony and balance I wish for them in their life together.

  71. On March 8th 2023 it will be 6 years since I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer which had spread to my lymph nodes. I was given a 1/3 chance of survival. I underwent surgery, chemo radiotherapy and a year of Herceptin injections. Happily I am still here. My husband and I went to Australia’s in November to visit our daughter. Wen went to Tasmania and were blown away by their fabulous wines. Would love to raise a glass of sparkling scholar on March 8th to celebrate being alive!

  72. Not many people get to visit Tasmania and I would love to toast my 45th wedding anniversary as a “Sparkling Scholar”

  73. Celebrating my 60th this year. Would love to visit Australia to celebrate 🍾 with the wonderful wine growers

  74. We have no special celebrations lined up so far this year, but are happy to celebrate the fact, that although we are another year older (although not necessarily any wiser), we are still in reasonably good health for a couple of oldies. So a nice warm Red would be ideal to celebrate.

  75. Distance & circumstances have impacted on our lives so to be able to get together with all the family and celebrate would be lovely.

  76. To celebrate our 55th wedding anniversary with a sparking wine would be the icing on the cake

  77. I am looking forward to my official retirement when I celebrate my 66th birthday on the 28th of February. I would love to toast my special occasion with a glass or two of sparkling wine of course!

  78. I’d like to be able to raise a glass of Sparkling Scholar from Tasmania to my only `child` should he finally manage to get a job since being made redundant before the pandemic; not easy for a 53 year old who doesn’t drive.

  79. As my husband and I will both celebrate our 80th birthdays this year, and 57 years of marriage ( God Willing ) we are hoping to be able to visit our daughter in Melbourne, Victoria. We have not seen her for almost 6 years, mainly due to Covid, and if we are able to make the trip this year, we would love to visit Winemakers Secret Art, Tahbilk, Nagambie Lakes Victoria

  80. Hi in 2023 we will be busy downsizing our home as in 2024 I am 70 my son is 40 and our daughter who is in Canada is returning to the UK after working in Canada for 5 years as a GP with her civil engineer husband During her time there she has had two children and because of COVID it has been difficult to see them but we have managed to spend 6 weeks with them this Christmas. So we have so much to celebrate with the wonderful Tasmania wines that sound delicious. You never know if our finances allow we will travel to Australia and Nrw Zealand which is a life long dream

  81. My wife and I will be celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary in April. It would be wonderful to celebrate with a “Sparkling Scholar”!

  82. My partner’s birthday is something I am hoping to celebrate with some style. A case of Sparkling Scholar would help!

  83. Next November I will be 80. As November is so dreary I am having an early celebration at my son’s house in August – fingers crossed for decent weather! All my family have been invited with beds only guaranteed for the more senior members. The youngsters can either sleep in a tent or on a mattress in the spare room! If outside they can look forward to being woken up by munkjac deer nibbling at the guy lines! They will also be able to see magnificent red kites flying overhead.
    I like the sound of the wine from The Mandoon Estate in The Swan Valley and look forward to tasting a wine specially blended just for me!

  84. I would love to just celebrate life and the joy of being able to freely see family and friends again. The simple but most meaningful pleasure. Add a touch of travel, maybe a family holiday or simple picnic with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc if summertime ,or Malbec if cooler, and we would be set for a perfect celebration 🍾

  85. I would choose Sparkling Scholar. Something bubbly every time for me. I am going for a balloon ride this spring and would celebrate afterwards with a glass or two of the Scholar.

  86. Tasmania is on when wish list and what better to drink while planning than a bottle of sparkling Scholar

  87. I love bubbly all year round so would be up for sparkling House of Arras to see the new year in 😀

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