A strategic partnership between Victoria’s High Country and leading Melbourne restaurateurs, MoVida, culminated in an exclusive High Country Harvest lunch at MoVida Aqui in Melbourne on 24 June with a menu showcasing the amazing food, wine and spirits of the North East.

The MoVida team were delighted with the lunch, which was the largest ticketed restaurant event they had ever hosted and the quickest that one of their functions had ever sold-out.

Predominantly Melbourne-based patrons were served a superb selection of wines from Jones and Pfeiffers in Rutherglen, and Sorrenberg, Castagna, Mayford and Pennyweight from the Beechworth wine region. Reed’s Remedy Gin from Bright and craft ale from Bridge Road Brewers also featured.

High Country produce was from Tolpuddle Goat Cheese, Beechworth Honey, Long Lane Capers, King Valley Dairy, Indigo Lamb, Samaria Farm rose water, Myrrhee Premium Goat, Australian Pumpkin Seed oils and Bright Chocolate. The ingredients were sampled by a team of MoVida chefs and sommeliers on a tour of the region to meet local producers and growers ahead of the 2017 High Country Harvest in May.

The partnership has opened up new pathways to market for High Country producers, with MoVida now stocking a number of the region’s products on its permanent menu - a great outcome!

Pictured: MoVida chefs, including head chef Frank Comorra, and sommeliers with High Country producers, winemakers and TNE’s Sarah Pilgrim and CEO Amber Gardner, at the High Country Harvest lunch at MoVida Aqui on 24 June.

A full report on the results of this year’s High Country Harvest will appear in next month’s industry news.

Pictured: Brekkie at John Gehrig Wines’ 2017 High Country Harvest event, Yoga, Brekkie, Bubbles...Bliss