Daniel Besen – Entrepreneur
Daniel Besen is perched precariously on a narrow beam above a vat of bubbling crimson soup. He labours with a long steel plunger, struggling to push the thick cap of pinot grape skins downwards into the juice. This is his winery, but he insists on being part of the creative process. 'You want to get the colour, tannin and texture into the pinot noir, so you plunge manually to integrate all of these elements harmoniously,' he says. 'The fruits of that labour are very nice indeed.' 'Involvement' is the name of Daniel's game. At TarraWarra, the Besen's Yarra Valley winery, he stirs barrels of chardonnay and helps prune the vines as well as overseeing the operation. 'It is funny how much sweeter everything tastes when you've been involved.'
Another involvement is with the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Australia's first major philanthropically funded public museum and another adornment to the Yarra Valley. 'I'm a great supporter of Australian architecture, art and design in both my business and personal life, and this is a wonderful outlet for those passions,' he says.
One perfect day
'Drive towards the Yarra Valley through the Christmas Hills which are dry, beautiful, somewhat desolate. Descend to Healesville and enjoy a coffee and croissant at Healesville Hotel's Harvest Produce Store. Drive up to Maroondah Dam and take the walk from there to Donnelly's Weir a 60-minute round trip where you are enveloped by the forests. Drive back to TarraWarra wine bar for lunch, where depending on the season you will enjoy local produce ranging from trout ravioli to venison sausages. Visit TarraWarra Museum of Art and finally sit on the grass with a bottle of TarraWarra pinot noir and a local cheese platter, enjoying the stillness as the sun sets.'
Fine food
'There is an abundance of great food in our area. I love the Farmers' Market at Yering Station (third Sunday of the month) where in one beautiful old barn you can see a plethora of local producers. Yarra Valley Pasta, especially their spelt linguini. Yarra Valley Game Meats, run by my great friend Ken Lang, has excellent venison and smoked emu and Kennedy & Wilson Chocolates, especially their dark chocolate and a range called Cats Tongues. The wonderful Persian feta and goats' cheese pyramids at Yarra Valley Dairy. Harvest Produce Store at Healesville Hotel is great. We often stop off for pain au chocolat and a babychino. Sunday brunch on the verandah at Mt Rael is an unforgettable experience. I'd order the trout.'
With the kids
'Healesville Sanctuary provides an intimacy with wildlife that is wonderful. It is one of the greatest fauna experiences I have ever had, and going there with my daughters is magic. We enjoy the spectacular eagles flying, or getting close up with the wombats. It is exceptional that the Sanctuary has commissioned innovative Australian architects to create their new platypussary and Australian Wildlife Centre. My daughters love the gift shop, too.'
On the wild side
'For one of the first dates I had with my wife Danielle I hired a Harley and we rode over the Black Spur. It was an amazing experience, cruising through the mountain ash and the giant ferns up the Maroondah Highway to Marysville. At a very different pace but equally as enjoyable, I like taking a trail ride on horseback over the Great Dividing Range. Canoe rides down the river are also slow paced, but to see the Yarra Valley from that perspective is intriguing. You move through a varying landscape; sometimes there are steep cliffs that come down to the river, sometimes river flats extending hundreds of metres, and occasionally you see a platypus popping its snout up.'
