Christine Salins Book Review -  PS News Online (The Public Service News Network)

www.psnews.com.au  

"This guide to one of Australia’s most bountiful food and wine regions is self-published but what immediately strikes you is what a high quality production it is. Slickly organised with superb photography and quality entries about the food, wine, accommodation and attractions in the island state make this an essential travelling companion for anyone planning a Tasmanian sojourn.

Ian Parmenter, who wrote the forward for the book, describes Tasmania as not just the Apple Isle but the Total Gourmet Isle, because of its incredible array of produce, from mushrooms, seafood, edible seaweeds and truffles, to manufactured products, cheeses, wine, beer and even whiskies.  It also boasts some exceptional chefs, as well as superb wines which are most definitely under-rated in the marketplace.

Trudie Michels was well-poised to write about Tasmania’s gourmet offerings, having been involved in tourism, hospitality and marketing for more than 20 years. A Melbourne-based food and wine consultant who has travelled extensively in wine regions around the world, she is a keen photographer and was responsible for most of the images in the book.

While it is attractive enough to sit on the coffee table, it is also an extremely informative and functional book, and it seems Michels has thought of everything, right down to the inclusion of a bookmark which can be detached from the inside back cover.

The book is organised by region, with each section kicking off with the essentials and a snapshot “sense of place”.
The topics covered vary for each region but generally include listings of food producers, events, restaurants and cellar doors, suggested walks, historical notes and other snippets.There are maps and suggested itineraries, details of opening times and useful contacts. Importantly, none of the businesses have paid to be included in the book, but nor was there any intention to rate or review them.

The reader is merely presented with as much information as possible, and left to decide which ones accord with their own food and wine preferences. Some of the author’s top picks are provided in breakouts throughout the book.
Road Trip Publishing plans more Exploring Wine Country books including Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland, and if they are as well-researched and presented as the Tasmanian edition, Michels is clearly onto a winner."
http://www.psnews.com.au/Bookreviewpsn2814.html

Visit Vineyards Review (April / May newsletter) www.visitvineyards.com 

 

Got to Go Guide – Exploring Wine Country Tasmania. All you need for a gourmet island tour by Kerry Scambler

Got to Go Guide – Exploring Wine Country Tasmania is one of the best guides I've seen for my home state. Like us at VisitVineyards.com, author and publisher Trudie Michels wants to make it easy for you to get the most out of your wine and food experiences wherever you travel and this, the first in a series of Got to Go Guides, certainly does that.

The format is very reader-friendly and accompanied by Trudie's inspiring photography. After the sections on how to get the most from the Guide, an introduction to the states, background on its wine, beer, whiskey, cider and food industries, each regional chapter then includes these sections:

 

A regional overview

I particularly like the first page entitled  ‘The essentials – what you need to know’.  Basic things like how to get there, the best time to get there, handy things to know when you do get there (eg mobile phone coverage, national parks requirements etc) and a great section called ‘sense of place’ which gives you a feel for what to expect.

It then covers a history snapshop and background on each of the key towns in the region. A nice touch is to include pronunciation on many towns with uncommon names, after all it's easier to make friends with the locals when you call their home town by it's correct name!

 

A fast find guide

Topics vary in each region but generally include such things as where to find a cold beer, things for the kids, heritage walks, local providores, retail therapy and other activities of note and relevance to that area.

 

Colour maps

Each map shows you the region with the main roads marked and colour coded dots for wineries, food producers, things to do, places to eat, accomodation and food providores.

 

Suggested itineraries

The suggested itineraries are a great way to start. Pick one and customise to suit your tastes, timeframe, the season and of course, the weather (which we have in abundance in this state!). Each itinerary gives you starting and travelling times along with distances and of course, where to sip, savour and sightsee along the way.

 

Information for winery cellar doors and food and drink producers and recommended places to eat

The listings include all the information you might need – map references, wine/food styles, specialities, payment methods accepted, closest towns, distance to main city and more.

As with all printed material and given the hospitality industry’s rate of change, there may be some restaurants listed who are no longer with us (alas for the sublime Angasi at Binalong Bay), cellar door and farmgate opening hours may change but the phone numbers are always included so it's easy to phone ahead.

 

Things to do and see

It would be impossible to include absolutely everything there is to do in each region but the activities and sights Trudie has included offer a range of interests and are the must see or do things a local is likely to recommend.

 

Places to stay

These are a mix of styles and prices from B&Bs to boutique accommodation and many in between with recommendations on where to stay to suit the feel of the region. For example, a beach house on the East Coast, a rural retreat in the North West and on Hobart's waterfront, close to the action.

 

More useful information

A list of contact numbers for visitor centres, medical centres, ATMs and more – all handy to have at the ready.

 

Calenda r of events

It’s always good to have an idea of what might be on when and where – many may plan their travel around the state’s two main food and wine festivals: Taste of Tasmania in Hobart and Festivale in Launceston. Others may plan to avoid the roads when Targa Tasmania hits the tarmac! It also includes the local markets – very important for those of us who love wandering for fresh and local produce, a surprise bargain and just taking in the atmosphere.

The layout is easy to follow, consistent through each region and the information is relevant, succinct and well written. It's also very interesting and even if you live in the state, I’d almost guarantee you’ll learn something new!

It's a common sight in cars plying the tourist routes, the back seat and floors all covered with brochures, a passenger desperately trying to get them into order for a reasonable day's itinerary. Well the good news is that the Got to Go Guide gives you more room for the wonderful cool climate wines and fresh produce you're going to collect on the way – you won't need the brochures, just The Guide!

In his foreword Ian Parmenter says Trudie has 'been thorough in exploring the island's treasures and presenting them in a colourful and highly readable way'. I couldn't agree more!

http://www.visitvineyards.com/tours/books-guides-travel/wine-food-travel-book-reviews/book-review-got-to-go-guide-exploring-wine-country-tasmania-trudie-michels

 

 

Selector Magazine, Issue 17 Autumn 2011

 

Books + Music

GOT TO GO GUIDE: TASMANIA

Trudie Michels

Roadtrip Publishing, $39.95

Unearths the finest, frehsest and best produce and wine on offer in Tasmania.

Click here to see a PDF of the write up.

 

 

The Weekend Australian Travel and Indulgence March 5 - 6, 2011

 

LITTLE BLACK BOOK

 

TRUDIE Michels’s experience as an international wine and food specialist has been put to good use in the recently released Got To Go Guide, Exploring Wine Country Tasmania ($39.95), a glove-box compendium ideal for wine route meandering. More: gottogoguides.com.

Top shopping secret: For wholesome Tasmanian produce, visit Farm Gate Market on Sunday mornings at Hobart’s Melville Street carpark.

Must visit: Spice Bazaar, Istanbul; the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market, San Francisco.

Most indulgent place: Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island.

Desperate to get back to: Seville in southern Spain and its amazing energy as well as its delicious tapas.

Ultimate eco-adventure: Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa for its stunning rainforest scenery, unique indigenous culture and wonderful spa experiences.

Top food destination: Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander Winery, Healesville, Victoria; it’s a foodies’ providore.

Inspirational travel narrative: A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle.

Most memorable splurge: A scenic flight from Kununurra to Lake Argyle, Purnululu National Park, the ancient Bungle Bungle mountain range and the Argyle Diamond Mine.

Best experience afloat: Houseboating and water-skiing on the cliff-lined Murray River with Unforgettable Houseboats.

Most-distinctive hotel: Mona Pavilions, Hobart, for luxury accommodation, unique Australian design, beautiful views and original art from the MONA collection.

Click here to see a PDF of the write up.

 

 

Max Allen in the Australian Gourmet Traveller March 2011  (www.gourmettraveller.com.au)

 

 

"A GLOVEBOX ESSENTIAL

Trudie Michels has put a lot of effort into researching Exploring Wine County Tasmania ($39.95) for the Got to Go Guide series: there's incredible detail about food, accommodation and cellar doors. gottogoguides.com "

Click here to see a PDF of the write up.

 

 

 

 

 

Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine February/March 2011 (www.gourmettraveller.com.au/wine_and_drink.htm)

 

 

"For a full-colour, quirky and comprehensive guide to Tasmania's wine country, the Got To Go Guide (A$39.95, Road Trip Publishing) will have you sipping cool-climate wines in no time. It suggests many half- and full-day itineraries that showcase the regions superbly, including accommodation, places to eat and activities to keep the kids entertained along the way."

Click here to see the write up.

 

 

 

 

 

Winsor Dobbin in his Sunday Examiner Column,  January 2, 2011

 

More news from Winsor and his wine reviews can be found at www.winsorschoice.blogspot.com/

 

 

James Halliday on his Australian Wine Companion website,  news section December 31, 2010 (www.winecompanion.com.au)

 

"The Got to Go Guide for Tasmania has been released. It is an exceptionally handsome production, in full colour, with high quality maps and crammed from cover to cover with information about each region, wineries to visit, restaurants to eat at, places to stay, and a million and one other things, even down to easy to read city maps for both Hobart and Launceston. It has to be said the wine information on regions (as opposed to wineries) is superficial. More information at www.gottogoguides.com."

 

Click here to see the write up: http://www.winecompanion.com.au/article/644/Got%20to%20Go%20Guide%20%E2%80%93%20Tasmania