Greetings from Skillogalee

You can cook for three guests (living or dead): who are they, and what would you cook them? Also give us a run-down of what you'll be drinking

Guests:  Dame Margot Fonteyn, Spike Milligan, Eric Clapton.  (People whom I admire and who might, with just sufficient of the chosen wines, provide an impromptu cabaret performance after coffee and the petit fours!)

Menu

Entree  Vodka & Lemon Risotto with Grilled Spencer Gulf King Prawns
Wine – Compte A. De Dampierre 2007 Family Reserve Champagne Grand Cru

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Main – Herbed Rack of Clare Valley Lamb with Skillogalee Shiraz Glaze, Heirloom Carrots and Spring Asparagus
Wine – Skillogalee 1996 The Cabernets

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Dessert – Apricot Panna Cotta with Grilled Peach and Hazelnut Crumb
Wine – Chateau Climens 1980

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Coffee & Petit Fours

What's your nickname when you're at work?

No-one's brave enough to use one to my face

What's your winemaking philosophy?

Careful fruit handling, minimal intervention and letting fruit speak for itself

What's your favourite cocktail?

Negroni

Tell us about your most memorable food and wine moment.

Recent birthday dinner which ended up with Apricot Suedoise and Chateau Climens 1924

You’re a castaway and you can only take three wines, one book and two luxury
items with you - what are these and why?

Three Wines
Dom Perignon 1996 (plus a solar fridge)
Skillogalee Riesling 2002
Ashtons Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2010

One Book
Puckoon by Spike Milligan because it makes me laugh

Two Luxury Items
Caviar
Speedboat so I can go home every so often for more wine

If you weren't working in wine, what would your 'Plan B' be?
Live by the coast and go fishing

Tell us the story of the winery
Skillogalee vineyards were planted in 1969/70 by the George family – they were at that time the highest vineyards in S Australia at almost 1600ft above sea level and the Georges were advised against planting vines as it was believed by some experts the fruit would not ripen!
First vintage under the Skillogalee label was 1976 with the 1978 Riesling winning major trophies at the Adelaide Wine Show and the Australian National Wine show, proving the experts wrong and establishing Skillogalee firmly on the winemaking map. Wines were made under contract in a nearby winery and predominately sold at a vibrant Cellar Door on the Skillogalee premises.

In 1989 the Spencer George decided to sell up. Dave & Diana Palmer, relatively new British immigrants to Australia, had long harboured vague dreams to have a business in hospitality. Learning from Spencer’s son that Skillogalee was for sale, a fit of mid-life crisis took control. A feasibility study was prepared by Dave, submitted to the Bank and a substantial loan sum was approved at 19% interest! The Palmers went to auction, bid at the right time and were suddenly thrust into ownership and operation of a vineyard and wine business.

Under the Palmers, the wine continued to be made under contract until 2002 when a modern on-site winery was built. Diana established a restaurant at the cellar door in 1990 and it has operated 364 days a year since – guest accommodation for wine tourists was added in 2003. Dave Palmer has overseen/made the wine and managed the business since its purchase.

Skillogalee continues to be awarded medals and trophies for its wines, regularly featuring in Matthew Jukes Top 100 Australian Wines and nominated by the Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine as one of the Top 10 producers of Riesling in Australia.

Skillogalee has been associated with Enotria in the UK for the past 25 years!