Tasting packs create cellar doors at home

It was during this uncertain time that Dowie Doole winemaker Chris Thomas came up with a 'Tasting Pod Pack' - which paid homage to their recently closed McLaren Vale cellar door called the Dowie Doole Tasting Pod.

The $50 pack comprises six 100-millilitre sample wines - a generous tasting sample for two - plus two wine glasses, tasting notes, an information pack about the Dowie Doole team, history and the geology of the property.

There is also a $50 voucher inside each box, which can be redeemed on any purchase of 12 or more bottles of Dowie Doole wine.

"Chris' idea was - if the people couldn't come to us, then we would will bring the tasting experience to them," Dowie Doole marketing manager Olivia Brigden said.

Ms Brigden said they have since sold hundreds of boxes, which has helped keep the cash flow going during the shutdown.

"We even had to get casual staff back in to help with the orders," she said.

Ms Brigden said it had been entertaining to see friends and families using the packs as part of their online catch-ups.

"It is definitely something we plan to continue even once the restrictions are eased," she said.

"People really enjoy it, as it is a fun and easy way to taste a few of our wines if they find they can't come to visit us."

SOME of the best-known names in the Barossa Valley wine business are joining forces to connect with the world through virtual winery tours, tastings and behind-the-scenes sessions, after cellar doors were forced to close as part of COVID-19 restrictions.

Barossa Grape & Wine Association's Emily Hay said since the Facebook Live tours started about a month ago, the group's online followers had grown 191 per cent in 28 days to 9000 people.

The reach has also grown by 48pc, with wine lovers from across Australia, the United Kingdom, United States, Italy, France and Hong Kong tuning in to learn more about Australia's most famous wine region.

Barons of the Barossa grand master Louisa Rose was the first to deliver a Facebook live story from The Barossa Cellar on March 20, giving a virtual tour of the new regional wine museum that is the only facility of its kind in Australia.

The series has also included Troy Kalleske from Kalleske Wines in Greenock walking virtual guests around the property his family has farmed since 1853, while talking about the high quality of the most recent vintage and showing how his wines are made.

Husband-and-wife team Derek Fitzgerald and Kirsten Harvey from Paisley Wines also answered questions from their kitchen bench during an online tasting of their boutique wines.

There has also been tours of Chateau Tanunda and a chat with John Hughes and Mark Thomas from RieslingFreak.

Ms Hay said most of the winemakers and grapegrowing families were happy to get in front of the camera to share their passion over a glass of wine.

"We go live at five o'clock three days a week and it's an open platform for them to talk and engage with people, we've had virtual tours, winery tours, talking about the vintage and winemaking process, barrel turnings and behind-the-scenes question and answers," she said.

"Now I've got people booking in to host the happy hours, my next available spot is in mid-June."