An intimate experience with Tex Perkins, Murray Paterson and Kelly Menhennett. This is a rare opportunity to catch three of Australia’s premier songwriters tell their stories and share their compositions in the surrounds of the 1868 stone Glen Roy shearing shed. Supper and wine on arrival, included with your ticket. Wine then available for purchase
8pm | May 18th
Glen Roy shearing shed
14183 Riddoch Hwy, Coonawarra.
It pays to dream! If I have learnt anything whilst establishing Bellwether it is that you need to say out loud what you would like to happen and then it has a much better chance of becoming reality – Sue Bell, creator of Bellwether in Coonawarra.
I wrote the pozible campaign for our winery to go ‘off grid’ two years ago. I waited to launch it until we had a video twelve months later. Then I waited another twelve months as the solar battery sphere was evolving so quickly, that is still the case but eventually you have to be brave and put your neck on the line. So on the 1st December I launched an effort to crowd fund $25,000 by the 20th January to support our plans for solar panels and batteries estimated at $45,000.
The campaign wasn’t seeking straight charity, instead in many cases the rewards for donating were experiences at the winery, from a $50 ferment tasting, a $300 climate change dozen, a $350 glamping weekend in the new Bell tents at Bellwether, a $1,300 personalized dinner party for 10 people or a week of working vintage in the boutique winery for $1,200.
The support, sharing, love and money generated was $28,390, which was an incredible feat given the time of the year.
Many of the experiences bring people to Bellwether so we will get to thank people face to face and include them in our place.
The Glen Roy shearing shed is a very positive environment, it has a long history of hard work, from the Chinese miners who built the 1868 stone building, to the 150 years of shearing through to the digging and plunging of vintage these days. Somehow the sharing of food, stories and culture comes naturally here so it is thrilling to get affirmation that people like what we are doing.
Thank you to everyone – looking forward to solar power, a bit of help during vintage and seeing you here one day.
Cheers
Sue Bell
Bellwether Winemaker/Gardener/Director
0417080945
Richard Freckleton
It was with great sadness we received the news that the younger of the brothers who grow our Wrattonbully Malbec Richard Freckleton died suddenly on the 8th July.
We were very fond of Richard a kind hearted generous man and we extend our love and support to his best friend and wife Janine & daughter Belinda.
We will miss his wicked wit and enjoyment of life. Richard has worked with Sue since 1999 as a significant grower for Hardy's in Wrattonbully. He enjoyed making a bit of wine himself with a close group of friends, getting Sue to come and taste check their efforts over a social BBQ. Their 'backyard' crusher/destemmer would ultimately be used for the first few vintages of Bellwether. Like all the growers for Bellwether for the first 5 years Richard would help crush the fruit he delivered. In hindsight the conversations over that crusher with grower passing on their season's work to the winemaker are the foundation of the essence of Bellwether.
Richard also supplied and installed the first bore water pump for Glen Roy one Christmas Eve, to help the Glen Roy produce garden flourish, better than Father Christmas - delivering the gift of water!
He could make the impossible happen during the peak of vintage and truly loved wine and the process of growing the best grapes he could.
He will be sorely missed and has now put a lot of pressure on his brother Peter to be twice as cheeky and outdo his Christmas party record. We are so lucky to have known him.
Is a long lunch cooked by the fabulous Stefano de Pieri from Mildura in the surrounds of the 1868 Glen Roy Shearing Shed enjoying Italian varietal wines from across Australia with friends of ours local and further afield enough to tempt you?
Cheers Sue
