The Hunter serves up the good times, plus this month’s tempting new tipples

WORDS ROBERTA MUIR

GRAPE FUN

Opera in the Vineyards

There’s more than just the promise of great Semillon when you explore Sydney’s Hunter Valley this month. More than 35,000 rose bushes in 156 different varieties will be blooming at the Hunter Valley Gardens Rose Spectacular (13 October to 18 November), and don’t miss the 30 sculptures on display in three vineyards along the Wollombi Valley Wine Trail for Sculpture in the Vines 2007 (7 October until end of November). You can also catch the Opera in the Vineyards production, A Romantic Night in Paris, starring Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Amelia Farrugia on 20 October in the Hunter’s Wyndham Estate Winery. Then groove to Jazz in the Vines on 27 October at Tyrrell’s Vineyard. This gourmet gig will feature David Campbell, Doug Williams & The Mix, Wanderlust, Boom Band Krewe and others. Tickets start at $45.

NICE AND SPICY

Hutchison’s Spiced Ginger Wine, a popular tipple in Scotland for over 200 years, has just landed in Australia. A combination of ginger, spices and dry French white wine, it tastes like a wine with rounded gingery heat. Try this versatile drink neat or on the rocks, before or after dinner, with cranberry or apple juice as a refreshing summer drink, or added to tea (for a hottoddy) or to cook with (from gingerbread to stir-fries). AU$14 for a 700ml bottle.

BOTTLED GOODNESS

Want to enjoy your wine and do something to help the environment at the same time? Buy a bottle of just-released 2005 Gaia Cabernet from Jeffrey Grosset’s Clare Valley vineyard. Grosset will donate all proceeds from the next three years’ Gaia sales to charities benefiting the environment, the arts and youth. If you’re flying in to Adelaide, pick up a bottle from Grosset’s winery (tel: +61 (8) 8849 2175) in the beautiful Clare Valley or from selected liquor stores.

WE’LL DRINK TO THAT

The first batch of young chefs to graduate from Jamie Oliver’s restaurant Fifteen Melbourne have celebrated by releasing their own wine, produced in conjunction with winemaker Tom Carson from the Yarra Valley’s Yering Station winery. Fifteen Rosato 2007 is a rosé-style wine made from Pinot Noir grapes. The apprentices picked some of the grapes themselves, as well as jumping into the fermentation tanks for some good old-fashioned grape stomping. The label features the signatures of the Class of 2007 and all profits from the wine’s sale go to the Fifteen Foundation Australia.

FLOWER POWER

Feeling a bit out of balance? Perhaps a new bottled spring water can help. Balance Water contains flower essences, which have been used for centuries to help promote tranquility and relieve stress and anxiety (most famously in preparations such as Rescue Remedy™). As well as the original Balance Water, there are special blends for Women, for Travelling, and for Children. The water itself is clean and refreshing and has no flavours, colours, preservatives, artificial additives, sugar or calories. You can pick up your own bottle of Balance at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.