Electra House has long stood on the threshold of realising its promise to the Adelaide food and drink scene and we reckon this new festival will reveal its full potential, as winemakers from around the state, country and world take over the entire building this February.

CBD & Vines will unlock the massive potential of Electra House Hotel when the two-day wine festival takes over the venue’s three levels and back laneway in early February.

Unlike regional events and the massive Cellar Door Fest at the Convention Centre, CBD & Vines is shying away from the bulk or ‘volume’ market, instead creating a festival atmosphere up and down its three levels that is conducive to deeper discussion, less swarming and bottle necks, and greater respect for the products and producers participating.

This has been key to CBD & Vines attracting wine brands that otherwise would never set foot in a tasting event.

“Education is a massive part of what we want to do with this two-day wine party,” says event organiser and Electra House Hotel’s general manager, Chad Hanson.

“While we’ve got room to create a more serious and interactive experience for people while they’re getting their glass topped up at each producer’s station, we’ve also gone that extra step with the festival to schedule masterclasses and winemaker talks throughout the day,” he says.

The benefit of bringing a wine festival to the city and a massive venue like Electra House is that you will be able to sample wines from across the full spectrum of the state’s wine regions, as well as some important, up-and-coming sub-regions, says Chad.

“Places like Gumeracha aren’t necessarily known for winemaking – even though there’s been winemakers there for generations.

“Places like Blewitt Springs and Kuitpo are really putting out some excellent wine and I think it’s important, and also really useful to people attending this event, to be able to learn about these sub-regions – their unique terroir – direct from the winemakers,” says Chad.

The laneway behind Electra House will be reimagined as ‘Tin Can Alley’ with live music and beer from your favourite locals served in cans (of course)

The heritage building has some beautiful architectural moments throughout and Chad promises us this event will take full advantage of every nook and cranny

But just when we think we’ve got the event pegged as a sort of living, interactive wine list that allows you to talk to the winemakers and compare and contrast everything on the menu, Chad goes and expands the vision.

There’ll be a gin loft on level 2, with all of our favourite small batch producers. The beer garden has been taken over by Bombay Sapphire and will be fully decked out with a forest of plants and a garnish garden, where you can pick botanicals to add to your gin and tonic, should you require a reprieve from the tannins. At the front, the (under embargo) new room at Electra House will host the finest Scottish, Japanese and American whisk(e)y, and out the back, in a custom-built backyard, you’ll find all your favourite craft beer buddies and non-drinking-related activities.

“It’s a daytime party,” says Chad before clarifying. “We’ve always wanted to activate the entire building for a single event. We’ve done it a couple of times for other people’s events but this will be the first time we do it ourselves and I’m really looking forward to seeing it come to life in this way.”

Part of the reason CBD & Vines has been able to attract smaller and more unique wineries is its unique approach to tastings. Your ticket to the event can be purchased for $30 (if you hurry – that’s the early bird price), which gets you a Riedel glass, and then tastings are bought via a token system with each token costing $2.50.

“Historically, wine tasting events have asked a lot from producers,” says Chad. He explains that the usual approach from event organisers requires wine labels to pay for a stand and then give away wine, en masse, to a thousand hands all clamouring for a drop without any discussion.

Chad believes the token will not only be a literal exchange that creates value in both the winemakers’ and punters’ minds but will create a moment for a bit of a chat about what’s being drunk and where the wine has come from.

CityMag is proud to partner with CBD & Vines on its inaugural event. This daytime party couldn’t come at a better point in the calendar as we all return to postcode 5000 after our prolonged trip to the various beaches across the state.

We’ll be bringing you updates across the summer as more winemakers, beer, gin, whisky and food details are announced, but right now, you should jump on those early bird tickets because this event is sure to sell out.

cbdandvines.com.au