Six locals from the valley share some of their favourite things

WORDS UTE JUNKER

Photo: Photolibrary/Robin Smith

Just three hours drive from international gateway Sydney, the Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s most renowned wine-growing districts, home to more than 120 wineries – both small boutique establishments and international success stories. With quality restaurants and provedores, historic villages, acclaimed 18-hole golf courses, superb accommodation, and the natural beauty of the Brokenback Mountains, the Hunter Valley presents visitors with just one dilemma: what to do fi first. Here, six up-and-coming winemakers share their secret spots with us.

Ogishi Craft Centre“I also enjoy seeing how the wine changes year in and year out, how different weather patterns can bring variation into the wine.”

Hoppe also loves exploring the Hunter Valley’s lesser-known areas. “I’m still discovering new things all the time. I recently drove through the area around Broke for the fi rst time and was very impressed by the stunning scenery – the way the nondescript road opens into these beautiful plains and mountains.”

She also admires the creativity displayed by many locals. “On Wilderness Road in Pokolbin, for example, there’s a vineyard full of male and female scarecrows that I love. There are always new galleries opening in the area, too. One of my favourites is the Ogishi Craft Centre, a gorgeous glass-blowing gallery.”

Bimbadgen Estate, 790 McDonalds Rd., Pokolbin,
tel: +61 (2) 4998 7585
Ogishi Craft Centre, 540 Wilderness Rd., Rothbury,
tel: +61 (2) 4998 7979

Bluetongue Brewery

Specialty: Rich Shiraz and lean, light Chardonnay
He loves: The community spirit

Michael De Iuliis’ parents bought a Hunter Valley vineyard in the 1980s, so De Iuliis has been involved in the valley since he was a teenager. Although his parents originally grew grapes as contractors, De Iuliis has helped launch the family label.

“One of the great things about the Hunter Valley is that it’s a very social place. Although on one level all the wineries are competing with each other, we’re all great mates, and everyone socialises together,” he says.

Michael de Iuliis , 31,
De Iuliis WinesOne of the most popular social centres is the Pokolbin Reds rugby club, relaunched last year. “The home games at the oval at the Hunter Valley Gardens have become a real social event. We get 300 to 400 people, all of whom bring a full esky, and have a sausage sizzle,” he says.

“We also get together Friday nights at the Bluetongue Brewery for end-of-week drinks,” he says. “I like their Pilsner, which is very crisp and dry. They also make a really good black.”

The brewery is also the scene for the annual end-of-vintage beer-brewing competition. “Each winemaker makes up 50 litres of beer, and we get a beer writer from Sydney to come and judge them, then sample each other’s.”

De Iuliis Wines, 1616 Broke Rd., Pokolbin,
tel: +61 (2) 4993 8000
Bluetongue Brewery, 42 Stenhouse Drv., Cameron Park,
tel: +61 (2) 4955 4411

Piggs Peake Winery

Terroir at Hungerford Hill Photo, www.societyphoto.com.au

Specialty: Powerful Shiraz and sweet Zinfandel dessert wine
He loves: Terroir Restaurant, Pokolbin

Steve Langham has worked for many years in the Hunter Valley, most recently at the boutique Piggs Peake winery. He loves the area’s diversity.

“The Hunter Valley has the most sought-after wineries, the best restaurants, it’s 40 minutes to the beach and two hours to Sydney. Being a tourist area, it has a lot of attractions.”

Steve Langham,
34, Piggs Peake
WineryHis favourite restaurant is Terroir at Hungerford Hill estate – the place where he proposed to his wife.

“Darren Ho is the chef at Terroir, and he’s the best food and wine matcher I’ve ever come across,” says Langham. He particularly admires Ho’s ability to tailor a dégustation dinner around several wines. “We did that last week. We had fi ve different Shiraz from around the world, and we let him sample them a week before the dinner. He created a menu with fi ve different beef dishes that was amazing.”

Piggs Peake Winery, 697 Hermitage Rd., Pokolbin,
tel: +61 (2) 6574 7000
Terroir at Hungerford Hill, 1 Broke Rd., Pokolbin,
tel: +61 (2) 4990 0711

Usher Tinkler, 27, Poole’s Rock Wines

Specialty: Ripe-tasting Shiraz and rounded Chardonnay
He loves: The Brokenback Mountain

Lookout Having grown up on Tinklers Vineyard − 100 acres of vines and lots of livestock located between Drayton, Lindemans and Mount Pleasant, which was founded by his grandpa Usher Gordon Tinkler in 1943 − Usher Tinkler is a big fan of the Hunter Valley lifestyle.

“You get the country environment and all the fresh air, but also lots of good restaurants with chefs focusing on local produce,” he says.

He values the community spirit among the young winemakers. “There’s a group of us who often get together for dinner, which is always fun. Our winery has just opened a new restaurant, The Rock, which has a great wood-fi red oven, and that’s a lovely, very relaxed place to have a meal.”

His favourite spot in the Hunter Valley is Brokenback Mountain Lookout, fi ve minutes’ drive off Pokolbin Mountain Road. “When I have friends come to visit, I always grab a bottle of wine and take them up there. The rock is the highest point in the Brokenback Mountains, so you can see all the Hunter Valley’s wineries. On a good day, you can almost see Newcastle.”

Poole’s Rock Wines, DeBeyers Rd., Pokolbin,
tel: +61 (2) 4998 7389

Daniel Binet, 27,
Capercaillie Wine
CompanySpecialty: Light, fresh Semillon and plummy Shiraz
He loves: Cooling down on a hot day

Daniel Binet has spent his entire working life in the Hunter Valley, the last four years at boutique winery Capercaillie. Although the climate is one of the things he loves about the valley, he admits some summer days can be “scorching”.

“But there are lots of places where you can cool down, like Lake St Clair or one of the rivers in the Barrington Tops area. But my favourite secret spot is ‘Catho’,” he reveals. That’s Catherine Hill Bay, south of Swansea.

“Catho is a historical mining town, with a population of around 1,000 people. It has a pub, a surf shop, a takeaway, and that’s about it,” Daniel says. “The little beach has a really long jetty going out to sea. I don’t know too many other places where you can go surfi ng and see a massive coal tanker loading right nearby.”

Unlike the beaches of nearby Newcastle, Catho remains a true hidden pleasure. “On a hot day, you might have 2,000 people on the beach in Newcastle. At Catho, you’ll only have 100.”

On days when a trip to the coast is out of the question, Daniel has other ways to cool down. “I’ll have a cold beer at Tatler’s and watch the sun set on the Brokenback Mountain Range. They do great tapas there – the deep-fried goat’s cheese is great, especially with a glass of red.”

Capercaillie Wine Company, 4 Londons Rd., Lovedale,
tel: +61 (2) 4990 2904
Tatlers Café & Bar, 477 Lovedale Rd., Lovedale,
tel: +61 (2) 4930 9139

Wollombi Tavern

Tower Estate

Specialty: Fragrant Semillon and fruity Chardonnay
Loves: Wollombi township

Scott Stephens is a Hunter Valley veteran, having worked here since 1994. He’s now employed at the boutique Tower Estate winery, which is just eight years old. With two young children, his weekend focuses on family-friendly activities.

Scott Stephens, 40 “This area is so rich in natural beauty, but the one place I always take in-laws or visitors is the little heritage village of Wollombi,” Stephens says. “Going there is like going back in time – the buildings are sandstone, and they’ve been very tastefully preserved. The drive there is lovely too: the road winds between two hills, and you get lovely views of the Brokenback ranges.” Wollombi may be small, but there’s a lot to do and see.

“There are regular markets, and nice little shops and cafés. You also have to visit the Wollombi Tavern, which is the home of Dr Jurd’s Jungle Juice, a fortifified wine that’s pretty legendary in the district.”

Tower Estate, Corner Hall and Broke Roads, Pokolbin,
tel: +61 (2) 4998 7989
Wollombi Tavern, Old North Rd., Wollombi,
tel: +61 (2) 4998 3261

For all your travel choices, go to www.jetstar.com

LONG LUNCHING

Two days, seven wineries, and as many different dishes as you can handle. That’s the thinking behind the Lovedale Long Lunch, one of the Hunter Valley’s signature events, on 19–20 May. From 10am to 4pm, seven of Lovedale’s best wineries will offer a range of fantastic entrées at AU$20 a plate, each matched with a special wine. You can also choose from a variety of desserts and cheese platters. Participating wineries include Emma’s Cottage Vineyard, Warraroong Estate, Sandalyn Wilderness Estate, Gartelmann Hunter Estate, Cooper Wines and Allendale Winery, all of which will be providing music and entertainment as well. No bookings are necessary – just show up on the day.
For more information tel: +61 (2) 4990 9668.

NEW IN THE VALLEY

Sleeping
The newest luxury retreat in the Hunter Valley is the plush Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, which has two-bedroom villas in addition to its hotel rooms. Facilities include an outdoor pool, tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course, and a kids’ club for three to 16 year olds. 430 Wine Country Drv., Lovedale, tel: 1800 007 697 within Australia, for all your travel choices, go to jetstar.com

Dining
Duck lovers are in for a treat every Friday in May. Esca Restaurant at Bimbadgen Estate is hosting Duck Delights dinners, featuring four courses of duck (AU$75), with an optional wine match for each course (AU$30). Tel: +61 (2) 4998 4666.

Cooking
One of the Hunter Valley’s most acclaimed restaurants is launching a new cooking school. The fi rst three-day course at Roberts Restaurant (Halls Road, Pokolbin) will be held 12–14 June. Learn how to make dishes from Tuscany or provincial France, and enjoy dégustation dinners afterwards. Accommodation is at your choice of two luxury retreats: Tower Lodge (tel: +61 (2) 4998 7022) and Peppers Convent (tel: +61
(2) 4993 8999). Bookings for the cooking school can be made through the hotels.