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MELBOURNE | Fancy a glass of pinot noir paired with wild yeast art installations? Stoneleigh Wild Valley knows you do. For four weeks only, the vineyard is launching a pop up interactive wine project on Flinders Lane. The warehouse has been transformed into a series of rooms that recreate Stoneleigh’s most defining features. After attending the launch party and coming out 50 Instagram posts stronger, I’m convinced that this experience will impress even the most elite of your wine drinking friends.
As you meander through The Stoneleigh Project, you’ll be treated to free samplings of the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. White wine in hand, you’ll enter a room dedicated to the stones that give Stoneleigh its name. Walk a bit further and find a collection of mirrors depicting the necessity of Marlborough’s sun in the winemaking process. Get those cameras ready; this room was made for photo ops.
Berlin-based artist Susi Sie has created a macro video projection from the microscopic movements of Stoneleigh’s pinot noir. One of the highlights of the experience for me, the video is both unconventional and mesmerizing. The way in which the droplets dance and entwine is almost identical to watching videos on the human circulatory system. Except its wine, so way cooler.
The final room represents the wild yeast used to ferment Stoneleigh’s grapes. While majority of vineyards use commercial yeast in the winemaking process, The Wild Valley range utilizes the indigenous micro- flora of the Marlborough sub region. Pop floating smoke filled bubbles depicting the wild yeast and take selfies next to the floor to ceiling installation of a yeast strand. Sounds unusual? Absolutely. But the weirder the art, the more remarkable the picture.
After making your way through the warehouse, you can enjoy a full glass of Stoneleigh at the bar and cellar door. A range of Stoneleigh bottles are also available for purchase. And if you’re lucky, a select few will be invited to a three-course dinner and wine pairing in the secret dining room.
The Stoneleigh Project
Where: 524 Flinders Street, Melbourne 3000
When: 13 October – 5 November 2017
Cost: Free