Here’s how to ensure your first Hunter Valley wine tasting experience is as warm and fuzzy as the feeling you get from drinking the stuff.
If you’re hoping to get better acquainted with Australian wine, or at least learn some lingo so you don’t sound like a dunce on your next date, the Hunter Valley is a pretty fine place to start.
The region may squeeze out just two per cent of Australia’s wine but it’s home to more than 150 wineries, including some of the country’s oldest producers and a slew of multi-award winners. You could drive around aimlessly and easily stumble upon a good handful of cellar doors. The thing is they won’t all cater well to newbies and it only takes one snobby sommelier to scar you for life. To make sure that doesn’t happen, we’ve compiled four of our favourite cellar doors that rank friendliness and knowledge sharing among their top priorities.
First Creek Wines
The winemakers at First Creek are so super talented that they’re the go-to team for more than 25 other wine companies. Not that this winery is letting any of that go to its head. Tastings on the verandah or in the cellar door are relaxed and informative and offer something for all palates and pockets. The real drawcard for newbies, however, is the Hunter Valley 101 tasting package. Kicking off with a tour of First Creek’s winemaking and bottling facility, you’ll gain a solid overview of the whole wine production process before getting stuck in to all the key Hunter Valley varieties; namely Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz. Throw in a few choice tasting tips and, as the package promises, “you’ll be armed with the knowledge and expertise to tackle the Hunter Valley and its wines like a pro!”
Peterson House
Having earned a reputation as the hub of sparkling wine in the Hunter Valley, Peterson House is another popular port of call. “Life’s flat without bubbles” is this producer’s motto and the vibe at its cellar door is definitely one of fun. Here the bubbly staff serve up an array of sparkling varieties from an easy-drinking Blush to more premium blends. And don’t miss the Oyster Bar on Saturdays and Sundays for oysters, antipasto plates or cheese platters on the deck with vineyard views. What’s not to love about that?
Tyrrell’s Wines
Yes, this producer’s name is synonymous with the region but don’t let that scare you off. Australian family owned since 1858, there’s more than 150 years of winemaking history to soak up: invaluable stuff for any newbie to the wine scene. The friendly cellar door staff will happily share their expertise as they talk you through some of Tyrell’s award-winning varieties. And a tour of the winery is a must-do, taking in pioneer winemaker Edward Tyrrell’s original iron bark hut and the Short Flat Vineyard, home of Australia’s most acclaimed white, the iconic Vat 1 Semillon. An experience you won’t replicate anywhere else.
Ballabourneen
The cellar door team at Ballabourneen are family and friends and it shows. Arriving here feels like a homecoming and even the dogs, Charlotte and her three-legged friend Matilda, will give you a warm welcome. Expect to find all the flagship varieties and thanks to ‘young gun’ winemaker Daniel Binet, some rare blends too, including the Hunter Valley’s only Gamay Noir and a pretty mean Moscato. The cellar door has a beautiful outdoor terrace where you can taste not just the winery’s wares, but also those of olive oil, vinegar and condiments producer Pukara Estate who shares the space. In fact, the only challenging thing about a visit here is pronouncing Ballabourneen after a sampling session – well, that and getting up to leave.
So now you know where you’re going, all that’s left to decide is who’s driving. No volunteers? You might want to hire yourself a vehicle and driver instead.
This story was first published in the Opinion section of former NRMA site Live4 in March, 2015.
