Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon: Always happy to return to Australia's Hunter Valley

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Always happy to return to Australia's Hunter Valley

After arriving in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW) last month we made a quick trip to the Hunter Valley. We were returning to Australian wine country for the third time. NSW wine country is very diverse, home to 14 wine regions, which vary from warm to coastal, and cool alpine regions. We couldn't wait to return to the Hunter Valley, known for its distinct Semillon and Shiraz.

Springtime Old Hut Vineyard, Hunter Valley, Australia © Spaswinefood

Hunter Valley, New South Wales

After a two and half hour drive from Sydney we arrived in the Hunter Valley. Upon arrival in Pokolbin we did winery stops at Saddler's Creek, and McLeish Estate. This was followed by lunch at Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club. After lunch our stops included the Hunter Valley Cheese Company, Pokolbin Chocolate Company, and Ernest Hill Wines. It was one day trip from Sydney so all of our stops were in/around Pokolbin.

Saddler's Creek, Hunter Valley © Spaswinefood

Saddler's Creek Wines

Our very first Hunter Valley stop was Saddler's Creek.

Wine tasting, Saddler's Creek © Spaswinefood

From their wine list they poured the following wines:

Wines Tasted, Saddler's Creek © Spaswinefood

We began with Saddler's Sparkling Wine NV (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir).

Saddler's Creek, Sparkling Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, South Australia NV

Saddler's Creek, Sparkling Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, South Australia NV © Spaswinefood

Next, we tasted a number of their white wines. I really enjoy their Wild White!

Saddler's Creek Wild White, Hunter Valley 2023

Saddler's Creek Wild White, Hunter Valley 2023 © Spaswinefood

We ended the tasting with a Shiraz.

Saddler's Creek, Shiraz in the Glass © Spaswinefood

Saddler's Creek, Blue Grass Shiraz, Longhorn Creek, 2021

Saddler's Creek, Blue Grass Shiraz, Longhorn Creek, 2021 © Spaswinefood

Saddler's Creek was a great wine tasting!

I managed to take a quick peek at their nearby vineyards.

Wine Story, Saddler's Creek © Spaswinefood

The the grapes had already been picked. Fall was definitely settling into the vineyard landscape.

Saddler's Creek Vineyard © Spaswinefood

Fall Vineyard, Saddler's Creek © Spaswinefood

Visitors need to know that besides respecting the vineyard you should watch out for snakes.

Beware of Snakes, Saddler's Creek © Spaswinefood

Fall Vineyard, Saddler's Creek © Spaswinefood

Soon, we were onto our next winery stop.

McLeish Estate, Hunter Valley © Spaswinefood

McLeish Estate

After pulling into the parking lot at McLeish Estate off we went to taste their wines.

Welcome to McLeish Estate © Spaswinefood

Our host introduced us to an overview of their wines.

Welcome McLeish Estate © Spaswinefood

Amongst their wines that I tasted were a Semillon, and a Shiraz.

McLeish Estate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Hunter Valley 2023

McLeish Estate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Hunter Valley 2023 © Spaswinefood

McLeish Estate Shiraz, Hunter Valley 2022

McLeish Estate Shiraz, Hunter Valley 2022 © Spaswinefood

I so enjoyed a relaxing wine tasting at McLeish Estate.

Before leaving I managed to take a peek of their post-harvest vineyards.

Vineyard, McLeish Estate © Spaswinefood

Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club

After an early morning drive from Sydney and two winery stops we were ready for lunch. The tour company did select a great lunch stop.

Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club © Spaswinefood

As we left Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club, I took in the views of nearby Brokenwood, where we first introduced to Hunter Valley wines in 2019.

Brokenwood, Hunter Valley © Spaswinefood

I still remember when we arrived at Brokenwood, just before dusk on that 2019 springtime evening. Their ultra-modern cellar door (winery) was an amazing place to host a welcome event.

Arriving at Brokenwood, 2019 © Spaswinefood

Cellar Doors & Sponsors of Welcome Event, Brokenwood 2019 © Spaswinefood

Yes, when the Wine Media Conference (#wmc19 )met in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales (NSW), Australia October 10-12, 2019, this was the first time the conference was held outside North America. Brokenwood, the 2019 Hunter Valley Cellar Door of the Year, hosted the opening event. That evening while we sipped Hunter Valley premium wines and enjoyed fine food, we met some Living Legends of the Hunter Valley’s Wine Industry. There I first sipped some of the world's best Semillon.

Brokenwood, Semillon, Hunter Valley 2015 © Spaswinefood

Obviously, Australian Semillon has become a favorite, and so it is not surprising that we managed to pickup later at a Sydney wineshop a few 2023 Brokenwood Semillon wines.

Brokenwood, Semillon, Hunter Valley 2023 © Spaswinefood

Cheese and Chocolate

Next two stops, were visits to the Hunter Valley Cheese Company, and the Pokolbin Chocolate Company.

Hunter Valley Cheese Company © Spaswinefood

Even though we were only staying a few days

Next stop was a chocolate tasting.

After the cheese and chocolate tastings it was onto Ernest Hill winery.

Ernest Hill Wines

Our last winery stop on the tour was a delightful way to end the day before driving back to Sydney.

Welcome to Ernest Hill Wines, Hunter Valley © Spaswinefood

Ernest Hill Wines, Hunter Valley © Spaswinefood

Our host shared some background information on the winery, and introduced us to their wines.

Ernest Hill Wines © Spaswinefood

Ernest Hill Wines, Hunter Valley © Spaswinefood

Besides getting to know some of the winery's history, taste the wines, our host also shared a story about Buck. Buck is a kangaroo who hangs out around the winery's vineyard. I would so loved to have met Buck but he did not show up before we left.

Buck, Hunter Valley 2023 © Spaswinefood

Again special thanks to Ernest Hill winery for a awesome visit!

Thank You Ernest Hill Wines, Hunter Valley © Spaswinefood

Our quick visit to the Hunter Valley brought back memories of our earlier visit in 2019. I still remember visiting Tyrrell's Wines where I participated in a Wine Media Conference Masterclass on Tyrrell's Semillon and Shiraz wines.

Tyrrell's Wines, Hunter Valley

New South Wales Tyrrell's Wines, one of Australia's iconic family-owned vineyards, has a history dating back to 1858. The event began at their Pokolbin site, home of the historic hut and the Old Hut Vineyard, both of which we visited before an outstanding wine tasting. This was followed by dinner hosted by Tyrrell's at the Muse Restaurant. Yes, it was an evening to remember. Tyrrell's is Hunter Valley wine magic at its best.

Verontal Tasting of Tyrrell's Wines, 2019 © Spaswinefood

Tyrrell's Old Hut Vineyard, Hunter Valley © Spaswinefood

During that earlier 2019 wine conference in addition to the sessions, excursion to Tyrell's, there were also pre-conference and post-conference tours to wine regions in New South Wales, and Queensland. We did our own Pre-conference excursion to the Granite Belt Region, Queensland. Among the post conference options (Orange, Riverina, and Mudgee) I elected to do the Mudgee excursion.

Mudgee, New South Wales © Spaswinefood

For sure, I was excited to return to Australian wine country for the third time. Yes, even after visiting in 2015 and 2019 wine enthusiasts know that there is a lot of Australian wine country to explore. Those who travel to Australian wine country will not be disappointed. I plan to continue my Spaswinefood adventure down under. I invite you to join me in my travels in Australia and elsewhere at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon, and at Spaswinefood on Twitter and Facebook. I am so looking forward to sharing more on our recent vine-filled explorations in Australia.

CHEERS!

Sharon
April 2024

Sydney, Australia

Orange, New South Wales, Australia, 2019 © Spaswinefood

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Earlier Wine Country Travels in Australia, 2015

Yes, we are hitting the road early to see Australia's east coast. We drove about three-quarters of the way around Australia in 2015 (#Oz15), and now we will do the east coast before the conference starts. In the near future there will be Spaswinefood posts on the Hunter Valley, and other east coast wine regions. Besides visiting the Hunter Valley we will visit other wine regions if possible. In this post I will share vignettes, from our 2015 Spaswinefood Australian road trip, which took us to the following five wine regions (two near Melbourne, two near Adelaide, and one not far from Perth):

1. Yarra Valley

Shortly after landing in Melbourne we were off to the Yarra Valley. Within less than an hour's drive from Melbourne you are in Yarra Valley wine country, the oldest wine region in Australia. Yarra Valley, home to over 80 wine cellars (tasting rooms), is well known for its cool climate wines. One of our stops included Yering Station, the oldest winery in Australia, which takes its name from the aboriginal name for the area. The winery was founded in 1838 when the Scottish brothers Ryrie settled in the Yarra Valley. In fact they planted Victoria’s first vineyard. In 1889 Yering Station wines won the Grand Prix at the Universal exhibition in Paris. This was the first time the prize was awarded to a southern hemisphere winery. While the winery changed hands several times during the 20^th century today it remains a family owned winery.

2. Mornington Peninsula

Mornington Peninsula is located within an hour’s drive of Melbourne. The rolling hills, winding country roads and bay side views offers the perfect setting to create your own wine and food experience. This picturesque wine region has become well known for its maritime influenced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In the 1970’s a few visionary winemakers started growing Chardonnay and Pinot. By 1990’s the region was recognized as one of the world's exciting new wine regions. Since 2003 the region has held the Mornington Peninsula International Pinot Noir Celebration biennially. The region not only produces outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnays but also Pinot Grigio/Gris, Shiraz and other wines, which reflect the unique terroirs and microclimates of the Mornington Peninsula.

 You can taste wines at more than 50 cellar doors (tasting rooms). The Mornington Peninsula has not only established a reputation for its wines but also you will find amazing culinary options, from casual cafés to fine dining.

3. Barossa Valley

It was so easy to fall in love with the Barossa Valley Wine Region, South Australia. As we traveled throughout the region’s towns, villages and hamlets we grew to love it more. This region is not only home to over 80 cellar doors and 150 wineries but also it offers so many culinary delights, ranging from farmers markets to fine dining. Similarly, you will find accommodations for every budget from student hostels and caravan parks to romantic country cottages, boutique hotels and more.

The area rivals any top wine region in the world. It is easily accessible by car, bus and train from Adelaide. Adelaide is served by domestic and international flights. Barossa Valley also makes a perfect base for exploring the nearby wine regions: Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Murray River.

4. Clare Valley

Southern Australia’s Clare Valley, an important part of the amazing happenings in the Australian wine world, is known for its stunning scenery, historic townships and of course its wines. The first grapes were planted in the valley in 1851. You will find over 40 cellar doors between Auburn and Clare, a distance of 40 kilometers. This region is known for its dry Riesling wines. However, Shiraz is the most widely planted grape variety, followed by Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Other white grape varieties include Chardonnay, Semillon, and Pinot Grigio; with other significant red grape varieties including Merlot, Grenache, Mourvedre, Tempranillo and Malbec.

Time in the valley will not only give you a sense of its long wine history but also exciting new developments. It is just 90 minutes drive from Adelaide to the Clare Valley where visitors will find charming towns to explore. Saveur referenced a trip to the Clare Valley.

 5. Margaret River

This best-known wine region in Western Australia is located 275 km drive south of Perth. While it only produces 3% of Australia’s wine it produces 20% of Australia’s premium wines. This fact alone makes Margaret River a very special wine-growing region. It is a compact region, only 110 km from Busseltown at the north end to Augusta at the south end.

Since the first commercial vineyard, Vasse Felix was planted in 1967 the region has grown. It is now home to over 215 wine producers, with over 95-cellar doors, which range from amazing architectural designs to rustic sheds. Common white grape varieties include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon whereas the most common red grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz.

In 2015 we finished our journey around Australia, with a drive through the center of Australia. Our travels was filled with amazing outback experiences. When we arrived in Darwin, the "Top End" of the Northern Territory (NT), we had been on the road for over two months. We headed into the last month of our Australian Spaswinefood adventure, by traveling from Darwin to Adelaide, and then back to Melbourne. Our itinerary along the Stuart Highway, also known as the track, took us through the Northern Territory's four regions (Darwin, Katherine, Barkly and Central Australia). Before making our run through the center of Australia we made sure that we had a good supply of Australian wine. Our wine choices were well informed given that we had previously visited the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and Margaret River wine regions.