by Mat Churchill

Port Douglas has long been known for its restaurants and fine cuisine, and wine will soon be added to the list thanks to a partnership between the newly formed Port Douglas Wine Company and one of South Australia's top growers, Honey Estate Wines from Watervale in the world famous Clare Valley.

Port Douglas Heritage Series Wines will be gracing the tables of restaurants and resorts in October, but it was in China earlier this year where the idea for a "drinkable memory" was forged in the mind of Port Douglas Wine Company's Sam Cullen.

"I was in China in May for the Great Wall Marathon, and they were selling Great Wall Wines," he said. "It was a real conversation starter and I saw it as a celebration of our travels. It told a story of our experiences there and it was a nice memento."

"We have taken that idea and built on it to better represent the premium brand that is Port Douglas."

The Port Douglas Heritage Series Wines range will initially include a Shiraz and a Riesling, made from grapes grown at Honey Estate Wines in the Watervale region of South Australia's famous Clare Valley. 

The Riesling has been selected to perfectly complement the predominant seafood and asian fusian menus that many restaurants in the area favour and the Shiraz will do an equally proficient job to help diners enjoy a steak selection.

Grapes grown at Honey Estate Wines in South Australia have gone into producing award winning wines from Tower Estate, Penna Lane, and Kilikanoon Wines. And there is a strong local connection with Honey Estate Wines', Darry Honey being a long time visitor and part time resident of Port Douglas.

"I've been coming to Port Douglas regularly since 1982, and was lucky enough to be able to buy a place here last year." he said. "The partnership is a great marriage that reflects the sophistication of Port Douglas and the quality of the Clare Valley wine region in South Australia."

And it seems that the new range has already sparked the interest of restaurants and resorts around town. "They've embraced the concept and love the taste," said Mr Cullen. "The product is of a very high quality and will be sold at a reasonable price. We aim to over-deliver on people's expectations."

Port Douglas Heritage Series Wines will be instantly recognisable by the heritage listed Sugar Wharf on the label. "It's obviously an icon but the image of the Sugar Wharf on our label also honours our pioneering history as it was the life line of this area." Mr Cullen said.

He added that the range of wines will compliment Port's already famous culinary industry. "We've got the venues, we've got the food, now we've got a wine range to be proud of."