NEWS

Crittenden Awarded Top 100 Winery Status

The Halliday Wine Companion has awarded Crittenden a place in their inaugural Top 100 Wineries.

Announced on Saturday morning, 21 October 2023, the Top 100 Wineries of Australia is a new initiative and we are thrilled to be included in the awards for the very first time.

Out of more than 2,000 wineries in Australia, Crittenden achieved sixty-eighth spot. The listing states:

Crittenden Estate can always be relied upon to produce good or excellent wine across the board. It does traditional wine styles as well or better than most. But the wines to really lift it into the clouds are its Cri de Coeur range, all of which excel, most especially the nutty, quixotic, Savagnin that has promptly risen to icon status in the space of just a few years.

Congratulations to all the wineries included in this impressive list and particularly to Oakridge Wines and those included in the top 10.

We know it takes a lot of work, passion and dedication to achieve great wines consistently every year. As editor Campbell Mattinson explained:

"In short, this is a list of producers who know, in their heart and in their head, that consumers don’t owe them a living. This is a list of producers who are prepared to stake their reputation on every single wine they release."

We're grateful, humble and proud of the work we've done to be included in Australia's Top 100 wineries for 2023.

Read more here: Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wineries 2023

21/10/2023 at 9:45 AM Permalink

Pinocchio Aperitivo

Book your table for an afternoon of Pinocchio Aperitivo every Friday at Crittenden this October.

We're serving up a taste of Italy at the Crittenden Wine Centre from 3.30pm to 7.00pm. 

You can enjoy a glass of Pinocchio, a refreshing spritz and a selection of antipasti to enjoy a shared moment with friends, family or loved ones.

No matter the weather, you’ll get to enjoy a taste of Italy in a beautiful and comfortable space - outside on a sunny day or by the fire in cooler weather.

Spritz Menu

• Oggi Spritz
• Aperol Spritz
• Naked Life Spritz (non-alcoholic)

Vino Menu - By The Glass or Bottle

• Pinocchio Moscato
• Pinocchio Prosecco
• Pinocchio Pinot Grigio
• Pinocchio Rosato
• Pinocchio Sangiovese

Antipasto Menu

• Mount Zero Olives
• Montasio Cheese & Grissini
• Antipasti Platter

Members of the Crittenden Wine Alliance will a complimentary spritz or glass of Pinocchio wine on arrival.

Book your table today via the booking link or contact the Wine Centre on 03 5987 3800 or email winecentre@crittendenwines.com.au

04/10/2023 at 12:57 PM Permalink

WIN a Year's Worth of Pinocchio Wine

For the month of October, you have a chance to WIN a year's worth of Pinocchio wine with participating retailers across the Mornington Peninsula.

All you need to do is buy one or more bottles of Pinocchio from a participating retailer, enter your details here & hold on to your receipt for proof of purchase.

The winner will win a mixed case of Pinocchio wine to your door every month for a year!

The competition is open to any resident of Victoria over the age of 18. You can find all terms and conditions for the competition here.

Here's where you can purchase your Pinocchio for your chance to win:

• Back Beach Cellars, Rye

• Bittern IGA Plus Liquor

• Bottlemart, Point Nepean Cellars, Capel Sound

• Cellarbrations at McCrae

• Provincia, Safety Beach

• Rosebud Cellars

• Sea Breeze Cellars, Dromana

• The Bottle-O, Hastings Cellars

• Thirsty Camel, Nepean Highway Cellars

• Thirsty Camel, Sorrento Cellars

• Thirsty Camel, Tootgarook Cellars

• Waterfall Gully Cellars & General Store

• Wilsons Wine Cellar, Mornington

Create your story with Pinocchio this October!

03/10/2023 at 2:58 PM Permalink

October is Pinocchio Month!

Create your own story with Pinocchio wines.

This October is Pinocchio month at Crittenden where you can take time in the sunshine to sit back with an antipasto platter, a glass of Pinocchio or an Aperol Spritz featuring Pinocchio Prosecco.

Pinocchio Aperitivo is available every Friday afternoon at the Crittenden Wine Centre throughout October from 3.30pm to 7pm, to celebrate extended daylight hours and our love of Italian wine varieties.

There is also a chance to win a year’s worth of Pinocchio wines with any purchase of Pinocchio from selected retailers in South East Victoria.

Our fresh new-look Pinocchio wines were crafted by seasoned winemaker, Rollo Crittenden and are inspired by a colourful Italian way of life.

Best enjoyed with friends, family, good storytellling and a taste of Italian cuisine - we invite you to think about enjoying a glass on a sunny afternoon with antipasti, fresh seafood and simple yet flavourful appetisers.

Pinocchio is a much loved wine brand on the Mornington Peninsula because of their fresh and effortless style. 

Our five Pinocchio wines are perfect for an outdoor lifestyle and those treasured moments Australians enjoy entertaining with easy food and summer flavours.

First created by the Geppetto of our family, Garry Crittenden nearly 20 years ago, siblings Rollo and Zoe Crittenden have breathed new life into this much-loved range of wines with new-look labels exploring elements of the Pinocchio story across each wine.

The Moscato features the whale where Pinocchio and Geppetto reunite, the Blue Fairy brings a little magic to the Prosecco and the Pinot Grigio invites us to think of the sea.  

The Rosato tells the story of the cunning encounter of Pinocchio with the fox and the cat, while the Sangiovese reminds us of Pinocchio’s journey to the Land of Toys and his unfortunate transformation.

The new labels created by local Mornington Peninsula designer, Bek Thompson of Luui Design, bring a sense of fun and artistry to the Pinocchio range.

If you would like to join us for Pinocchio Aperitivo at Crittenden any Friday this October, be sure to book here.

We hope you also get to share these wines with a touch of sunshine, great people and your favourite Italian food flavours. Happy drinking!

20/09/2023 at 2:25 PM Permalink

Easy Entertaining with Pinocchio

Crack open a Pinocchio Pinot Grigio next time you have friends over for dinner & serve up this tasty Caprese Salad.

Course: Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Caprese Salad, Caprese Salad Recipe, Insalata Caprese
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan 

Ingredients

3 large tomatoes sliced
8 ounces mozzarella sliced
handful of fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic reduction
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Methodology

1. Prep the tomato and cheese. Add a slice of tomato to a plate, then add a slice of mozzarella on top. Keep alternating slices of tomato and mozzarella until you've used up all of the ingredients.

2. Add the basil. Place fresh basil leaves in between the layers. I prefer smaller basil leaves to keep them whole, but if you have large basil leaves you can cut them up.

3. Finishing touches. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic reduction on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then serve immediately.

20/09/2023 at 2:14 PM Permalink