Allan McKeown and Jane McIntosh are partners and Newcastle business professionals who share a passion for the finer things in life and are the proud owners of a Hunter Valley vineyard.
You might recognise Allan as the former deputy chairman of the Newcastle Knights and the Greater Building Society. The one-time director at Newcastle Port Corporation Limited and NorthPower Limited is founder and chief executive officer of Prosperity Advisers Group.
Allan and Jane own Bonvilla Estate at Pokolbin. They purchased the 100-acre property in 2019 and were finalists at the 2023 Hunter Valley Legends Awards this year in the Wine Selectors Cellar Door of the Year category.
On July 13 they are hosting a Bastille Dinner (their first) at Cooks Hill Surf Club with chef James Borg of Fennel & Co. Catering. Tickets are $135 at bonvillaestate.com.au.
"Jane and I have always had a love of wine and travel. The idea of wine as a business dawned on us when on a river cruise in Bordeaux," Allan says.
"We both have full-on roles in businesses we are very much engaged in. Jane has a successful and fast growing property management business. The vineyard is a lot of hard work, like any business, with the additional risks that come with agriculture.
"However seeing what we have developed with the help of many good people and hearing the joy and laughter of a crowd enjoying our wines at the cellar door makes us quite proud. Our wines have already won some silver and bronze medals at wine awards and we are looking to improving those rankings."
He says the "hallmark of the property is a lovely Tuscan-styled building set on a hill with a fantastic gum tree backdrop". The building's original cellar door was "totally redeveloped" and opened to the public just last year.
"As Bonvilla is a new brand we didn't want price to be a barrier for people wanting to enjoy our wines for the first time. We have a great tasting experience with our single vineyard wines, a wine and chocolate matching experience and a picnic option on our estate that has led to three engagements in the few months since it has been going.
"Our newly appointed operations manager Jo Minett has an extensive hospitality background and is developing some exciting additions to the list. We also have a vision to add further accommodation and a reception centre to the property and those plans are well advanced."
Verdelho, chardonnay, semillon, shiraz and muscat varieties are grown at Bonvilla and the award-winning PJ Charteris is the estate's resident wine maker. Liz Riley is Bonvilla's viticulturist and Will Capper is the contract vineyard manager.
And finally, why the decision to host a Bastille Day dinner on July 13? "Jane has always been a Francophile and the idea to maybe one day operate a vineyard came when we were in Bordeaux. The name Bonvilla is "good estate" in French. We have a grape picking and stomping event in the first week of February each year which we call La Vendange which is "harvest time" in France. As Bastille is the name of our premium shiraz we thought it appropriate to celebrate our wine with fine food and all things French."
Food Fight 2023
Flotilla head chef Jake Deluca has won top honours at yesterday's Hunter Culinary Association Food Fight, held at Rydges Resort Hunter Valley. Diners voted his course the best of the day: barbecued octopus with smoked bone marrow, potato foam, gremolata and crispy eschalots.
Jason Dean, head chef at Sydney's O Bar & Dining, prepared the first course (yellowfin tuna tataki and spanner crab koshihikari rice with young almond, finger lime and fermented chilli); Muse Kitchen's head chef Richmond Rodrigues the third course (Malai lamb with tikka sauce, coconut and mint), and former Automata head chef Sarah Knights was responsible for dessert (baked ricotta cheesecake with caramelised white chocolate, hazelnut and mandarin).
And let's not forget the apprentice chef volunteers who helped each chef in the kitchen, as well as those responsible for the outstanding canapes: Sydney rock oyster with green apples, celery and lemon balm (Cooper Stewart, Crystalbrook Kingsley); beetroot parfait with Melba toast, macadamia skordalia and sorrel (Lara Hagan, Margan Restaurant); pork rillette (Lachlan Dowsett, Bistro Molines); and chicken and mushroom arancini (Ethan Kaminski, Voco Kirkton Park).
Read more: Top chefs sharpen their knives for Food Fight 2023
Short and sweet
Ray's Pizza Joint has taken over the bistro at the Grand Junction Hotel in Maitland. It's open seven days for lunch and dinner.
Central from Peru is the best restaurant in the world according to The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list. Fellow Peruvian restaurants Maido, Kjolle, and Mayta also made the list. Australia missed out.
Mutha Kitchen at Mayfield West is now open for dinner, Wednesday to Friday, 5pm to 7pm.
The Landing at Honeysuckle's social media accounts yesterday changed to Hope Estate at The Landing. Something's brewing ... Watch this space.
Sabor Dessert Bar at Pokolbin has changed hands. Owners Fernando and Renata Antao are moving on after 12 years for "health reasons". Best wishes to them both.
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