We did indeed take full advantage of their being a Canadian Bank Holiday on Monday, and drove North of Sydney on Sunday for a night away.
It had taken us quite a time to choose where to go: in fact it took us an entire evening to whittling all the places we want to visit in driving vicinity of Sydney down to the Hunter Valley...then we had to decide which hotel.
That took a ridiculously long time too - there was even a walk in-between - before we came to a decision.
It had taken us quite a time to choose where to go: in fact it took us an entire evening to whittling all the places we want to visit in driving vicinity of Sydney down to the Hunter Valley...then we had to decide which hotel.
That took a ridiculously long time too - there was even a walk in-between - before we came to a decision.
Sunday was a glorious day, bright blue skies and very warm, and we set out early to make the most of the day.
We drove the scenic route to the Hunter Valley, which took slightly longer than the two-hour straight route, but we were in no hurry, and were far more interested in viewing some New South Wales countryside. Which was stunning. (I don't know why, but I had assumed the countryside in the whole of Australia - yes I know it's such a huge country it wouldn't all be the same - would be barren and uninteresting, but it is definitely not!!)
We stopped for a coffee in Wollombi, a pretty village with a coupe of shops and eateries, and a couple of stalls of homemade jams or sourdough bread set up in the shade by locals.
We stopped for a coffee in Wollombi, a pretty village with a coupe of shops and eateries, and a couple of stalls of homemade jams or sourdough bread set up in the shade by locals.
Driving on, along a road built by convicts a couple of hundred years ago, we arrived in the Hunter Valley.
Impressive shiny buildings of wineries dotted the landscape, and the vines were a bright green (apparently just four weeks ago there were no leaves on the vines, so we had chosen a good time to visit). We pulled off the road for a picnic lunch amongst the vines, with a stunning backdrop.
Impressive shiny buildings of wineries dotted the landscape, and the vines were a bright green (apparently just four weeks ago there were no leaves on the vines, so we had chosen a good time to visit). We pulled off the road for a picnic lunch amongst the vines, with a stunning backdrop.
Arriving at the hotel early afternoon, we dropped our bags off in our - complimentary upgraded - room and then went to sample some wine...
With so many wineries, picking one was the hardest part. It could easily have been another hotel-choosing-style marathon, but we did have something which narrowed the choice quite a bit:
A few years ago we had a cycling holiday in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. Cycling around the countryside, sampling champagne, we picked up a little bit of knowledge, and fell for Blanc de Blanc champagne - so if a Blanc de Blanc champagne/sparkling wine is on a wine menu, it's nearly always our choice!
A few years ago we had a cycling holiday in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. Cycling around the countryside, sampling champagne, we picked up a little bit of knowledge, and fell for Blanc de Blanc champagne - so if a Blanc de Blanc champagne/sparkling wine is on a wine menu, it's nearly always our choice!
There were only a couple of producers of Blanc de Blanc in the Hunter Valley region, and handily enough there was one a five minute drive away from the hotel!
Greeted by a cat (well, there was a man too, but the adorable young cat stole my attention), we sampled a number of wines - including the Blanc de Blanc, of course! Staying with the bubbles, we tasted a sparkling Chambourcin - a red sparkling wine, to be served chilled. It was good..so much so, we promptly bought a couple of bottles.
We also sampled a white fortified wine - similar to a white port, though not of course able to call it that. We bought a bottle of that too...
It was interesting comparing the same wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon, produced in two different years running - one year it had been dry, and the following year had been a wet year. The difference in the taste of the wine was very marked.
Armed with our purchases, we went to another winery on his suggestion a few minutes drive away, on way back to the hotel.
Greeted by a cat (well, there was a man too, but the adorable young cat stole my attention), we sampled a number of wines - including the Blanc de Blanc, of course! Staying with the bubbles, we tasted a sparkling Chambourcin - a red sparkling wine, to be served chilled. It was good..so much so, we promptly bought a couple of bottles.
We also sampled a white fortified wine - similar to a white port, though not of course able to call it that. We bought a bottle of that too...
It was interesting comparing the same wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon, produced in two different years running - one year it had been dry, and the following year had been a wet year. The difference in the taste of the wine was very marked.
Armed with our purchases, we went to another winery on his suggestion a few minutes drive away, on way back to the hotel.
Walking into this winery's 'cellar door' (tasting room) was a pretty different experience. No cats, for a start. The guy wasn't very forthcoming either. We sampled a couple of the whites, and noted the Verdelho grape - originally from Madeira, it's used to make Madeira wine. Fond of Madeira, I was also fond of this white...
Thinking it strange there were no reds on the list, we asked...and the guy turned the paper over, with a smirk.
Ah ha.
We sampled some of them, which were really amazing - definitely special occasion red wines, With Christmas just around the corner, we (ahem) bought a bottle, or two...
Thinking it strange there were no reds on the list, we asked...and the guy turned the paper over, with a smirk.
Ah ha.
We sampled some of them, which were really amazing - definitely special occasion red wines, With Christmas just around the corner, we (ahem) bought a bottle, or two...
Dropping the car off at the hotel, we then walked to another winery, but on reaching it found it had just closed for the day. (Which was probably a good thing - for both our sobriety and our wallet!)
We walked - or meandered - back to the hotel, enjoying the plus-thirty temperatures.
We walked - or meandered - back to the hotel, enjoying the plus-thirty temperatures.
The hotel had a restaurant on site, so we wondered over after having a dip in the hotel pool, and enjoyed a lovely meal watching the sun set over the hotel's vines.
Sipping on their own rose and looking over the vines on which the grapes had grown was a lovely way to end the day.
Sipping on their own rose and looking over the vines on which the grapes had grown was a lovely way to end the day.
Monday morning we woke to the beautiful colours of dawn light over the vines.
Still half asleep and about to climb into the shower, I looked out of the window, and shrieked.
"A Kangaroo!"
"No, wait ,it's a deer..."
"...No! It's a kangaroo!"
On closer squinting, it turned out it wasn't just one kangaroo, but two!
Still half asleep and about to climb into the shower, I looked out of the window, and shrieked.
"A Kangaroo!"
"No, wait ,it's a deer..."
"...No! It's a kangaroo!"
On closer squinting, it turned out it wasn't just one kangaroo, but two!
It was my first sighting of the marsupial, and to say I was excited was understating it a little!
We had passed a sign the day before:
We had passed a sign the day before:
But I thought that was as close to a kangaroo sighting as we would get.
After a fantastic breakfast in our room, we checked out, wishing we were staying another day. But T had to get back to work.
On the road for only five, we spotted these fellas:
After a fantastic breakfast in our room, we checked out, wishing we were staying another day. But T had to get back to work.
On the road for only five, we spotted these fellas:
All in all, we are both hoping we will return to the Hunter Valley...before too long...