The air tastes better in wine country, it truly does.
The absence of smoke spewing monstrous vehicles, the jacket-wearing cows and horses, the mountains in the distance and the green that envelops the landscape, Hunter Valley has come to be one of our favorite weekend places to go. The only thing that puts us off from travelling there twice a month is the distance. Hunter Valley is located approximately 250 kilometers away from Central Sydney where we reside, and it takes slightly more than three hours if one were to drive in adherence to the speed limit of the motorway (which is highly recommended, if not for your own safety then at least for the health of your wallet - the speeding fines here are extremely punitive!)
Without waxing poetry about this vino-paradiso, I lay bare below the suggested itinerary for those who plan to make a trip there by your own goodself, that is, without the crowds of bus tours.
One tip, you may be tempted to drink copious amount of wine, so if possible, have a designated driver, pace yourself and eat and rest along the way with the valley's many cafes and cheese shops.
Without further ado,
Where to Stay
We have been to the valley twice, and both times we have spent the night at the luxurious and cozy Sebel Kirkton Park. It has comfortable rooms with all the amenities that you would expect, an indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi, a gym, and in the winter, a fireplace at the lounge area.
Before you make any reservations, do make a quick check online for any potential coupons which will give you substantial savings.
You can also check out some of the accommodation provided by some of the more boutique cellars, like one we stumbled upon at the end of Halls Road. Seems to be smacked in the middle of nowhere, with a view you have to be there to believe.
We decided to stay in something a little different our third time to the Hunter, a 2 years old boutique hotel right in the middle of Cessnock town called Vine Valley Inn. This unique, antique themed, hipster-ish hotel finds its home on the first floor of a shop-house, and is owned/managed by the ever friendly and helpful Simon and his wife. Here, you'll find an old record player side by side with a 50-inch flat screen television and an iPod dock, a mounted deer head over a fireplace, an airplane turbine converted into a lamp, beakers used as flower vase and an old mixer bowl turned into a goldfish bowl. It somehow pulls off being trendy without being pretentious and I think that is due to the warm personality of our host.
We managed to book the family room with a king sized bed and two super-single beds, with plenty of empty room in the middle (good for if you have kids and you just want to stuff them on the floor in their sleeping bags). There is also a clean, fully stocked kitchen for you to fry up some late supper.
My only complain is that Simon keeps all the best vinyl records in his own home. I wasn't able to find any Beatles records, so I whiled the night away to a mix of Richard Marx, Whitney Houston and U2's Joshua Tree, and the only thing missing for a perfect night was a glass of good scotch.
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| Simon says "Welcome to your home away from home" and it was, indeed. |
Where to Dine
If you enjoy big breakfast served right, as in BIG, then you must not miss Taste of the Country, situated at the Hunter Valley Gardens. Here, you get breakfast food like the aforementioned Big Breakfast with sausages, poached eggs, mushrooms, bacon, and delectable pancakes with a sinful serving of maple syrup, Chantilly cream and ice cream! Choose the Banana Pancakes for the mouth watering caramelized bananas. Also not to be missed are their gourmet burgers (try the beef with caramelized onions, beetroot and cheese).
Another favorite of ours is the cafe at Lindeman's 1843 Harvest Cafe. The restaurant is right next to its cellar door, so you can have your wine tasting there (which is also highly recommended, but more on that later) before sitting down for a meal while deciding if you would leave with a few bottle of their finest (you will, but again, more on that later). We had their antipasto as well as pizzas and we were not disappointed. Fuss free and friendly environment.
For a little bit of la-di-da for dinner, go to 221 Restaurant and Bar at the Royal Oak Hotel, Cessnock for a fancy seafood on huge warm white plates. Not to be missed here is the seared Atlantic Sea Scallops, and the lamb shanks.
The only place you should go for dessert is Sabor in the Hunter, a dessert bar which is known for serving a huge variety of desserts, with recommendation of pairing with wines, dessert wines and ports from the valley itself.
A place to check out which we did not have a chance to due to it being closed when we were there is Muse Kitchen. Friends and strangers whom we got to know at the valley highly recommended this place for food. Be prepared to pay though, there is a minimum order of 2 course per person, and this comes to $75 for each diner.
And Most Importantly, Where To Go For Wine
Start at Tempus Two. Here you can find some of the best moscato in beautiful bottles. Try their Copper Series Moscato.
After Tempus Two, the next reasonable stop should be McGuigan, which is just across the road. Here, if you are a fan of full bodied red wine, try the Summer Shiraz 2013. It cost just a little bit more than the other wines, but at just $40 it is still very much a steal. If you love sweet wine like we do, try their Late Picked Traminer with its hint of lychee.
Tower Estate which is just down Broke Road, and is worth a visit too. While we were there, there were barrels of grapes fermenting in the room next to the wine tasting counter, and the smell there was delicious. We got another bottle of dessert wine from Tower Estate too, one where its sweetness is not overbearing, the Off Dry Semillon.
Of course, one of our favorite places for wine and food, Linderman's, where we got a bottle of Viognier sweet white (I think you can tell we are a couple of sweet wine lovers, not the most sophisticated palates maybe but too each their own I say!).
And if you do drop by Kevin Sobel's, do say hello to the owner's pet dog Archie, a 5 year old St. Bernard the size of a small pony. This place also sells a beautiful sweet red wine called "Sweet and Luverly". Give it a try - it has became one of our latest favorites.
For a wine cellar with a view of the valley, try Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard situated atop a hill which offers a spectacular vantage point. Say hi to the man-in-charge Ross and listen to him tell you the history of the place, and if you happen to have some lying around, bring him a durian and tell him an auditor sends his regards.
So there you have it, a simple easy two day one night itinerary for those who prefer a little planning in their weekend getaways. If not, then just dump these information, throw away that magazine and map, and just drive around getting lost among the aroma of the grapes, stopping wherever and whenever you want!
(Photo Credits to Guo Ming & Candy)
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