Josef Chromy Wines has closed with firey changes for the vineyard already on the horizon.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The temporary closure enables a range of new features, including custom-made grills to be installed inside and outside, in a move to become more sustainable and showcase the winery.
Josef Chromy sales and marketing manager David Milne said executive chef Nick Raitt started in September with ideas for a new direction.
“With all the weddings, events and festivals already planned, there couldn’t be any huge wholesale changes for Nick to put his stamp on things,” Mr Milne said.
Now that the refurbishment was underway, they were keen to unveil some “exciting new changes to restaurant and the winery tourism experience we’re going down”, Mr Milne said.
Mr Raitt said the kitchen would be cooking more with fire and charcoal.
“We’re looking at bring more of a raw cooking element to our menu. We work with really high quality meats and vegetables.”
A custom-made charcoal and wood burning grill arrived late last week, which had been installed into the kitchen.
Barrel rack-framed, outdoor cooking grills and rotisserie would add to the tourism experience by being able to cook entire beasts, including lambs now living on the property, Mr Raitt said.
“I always try to work towards being a local and organic kitchen, and we’re very lucky we have really good relationships with several local gardeners.
“It’s exciting when you have a property you can utilise and when your staff are able to work with those ingredients on the property.”
Already plans were underway to improve the market garden to help it become a bigger part of the menu.
“It’s another layer for us on top of our wine.”
Additional boxes used to house sparkling wine were now used as planter boxes, which already grew all of the restaurants herbs in it and day-to-day leaves, he said.
The Art of Sparkling, a new wine experience to be offered by the vineyard, would go behind-the-scenes to find out how sparkling wine is made before each participant produced a bottle of their own sparkling wine, he said.
The restaurant is closed until July 16.