Our Festa Del Vino (wine party) was run and won last weekend. It was an amazing weekend and all who attended had a fantastic time.

The aim from the Festa Del Vino Wine Show was to identify the top dozen wines made from grapes grown at Ricca Terra Farms.

Over eighty wines were supplied by thirty different winemakers. Judging was by wine writers Katie Spain and Tony Love and set on a boat in the middle of the spectacular Murray River. The weather was perfect, the water was like glass (and I had a ski) and the moment was memorable.

The wine selected by the judges as their top pick was the Terra do Rio Arinto.

The top dozen were presented to one hundred guests who attended the Festa Del Vino dinner on Saturday night. Each guest selected their favourite wine to determine the Grand Champion Wine of Show.

The top dozen included a number of wines made by Ricca Terra. The best rosé was taken out by Colour of Calmness. Bronco Buster made the cut, as did our Aglianico and Juicy June.

Festa Del Vino was held at our new vineyard at Jury Road, Berri. This property had been owned and run by three generations of Pech family, who originally came from the Barossa. The previous owners, Robert and Ruth Pech, attended the event on Saturday night. It was a great pleasure when the major gong of "People's Choice" was awarded to the Soldiers' Land Shiraz, which had been grown by Robert. 

To be able to present the winning trophy to Robert & Ruth was a great privilege (we told them to take the trophy home & keep it). It was the perfect way to end a long era of Pech ownership of the Jury Road property, as our family, also from the Barossa, takes over the reins. May have been fate?