Well, it has been a long time between blogs for this Plonker, and, coincidentally, a bloody lifetime between trips to the Hunter Valley for myself and the lovely Mrs Plonker!
However, with the recent four-day holiday in celebration of all things egg and rabbit, the opportunity had arrived for a mosey up the freeway to check out NSW's most famous wine region.
No matter how many times I make the journey north from Sydney, I never fail to be amazed at how close the Hunter actually is. In just over two hours you've left behind the city's manic drivers, grid-locked traffic, and smelly city fumes for meandering country roads, lush fields of grapevines and a seemingly endless array of cellar doors.
Goodbye stress, pollution and frustration, and HELLO tasting glass(es)!
One of the great things about the Hunter Valley wine region is the array of varieties it produces. There is no disputing the fact that the Hunter is synonymous with Semillon (try saying that after a few!) and considered Australia's best producer of this variety. However, Hunter shiraz is also highly prized, with distinct regional characteristics.
With the Hunter classified as a hot climate region, the shiraz originating from here is in stark contrast to those from cool climates such as the Yarra Valley and Canberra.
Hunter examples can be complex and opulent with earthy, leathery aromas and concentrated savoury flavours, i.e. a lot of these guys are BIG and in-your-face; certainly not your shy and retiring types! Some wine wags have even gone so far as to describe the taste of Hunter shiraz as similar to licking an old boot. But frankly, if the boot fits...
Of course, it's personal preference as to which style pumps your nads - however, 9 times out of 10 I'd opt for a big, bold, gutsy, leathery, essence-of-cow-shed drop of Hunter shiraz as opposed to a more restrained and elegant cool-climate example. Maybe that's a reflection of my personality, but hey, let's not psycho-analyse it, right?
There is an almost overwhelming number of cellar doors in the Hunter Valley and you won't manage to visit them all, even setting aside a week. If time is of the essence, I would suggest your first port of call be the Boutique Wine Centre on Broke Road, Pokolbin. www.boutiquewinecentre.com.au
These guys sell wine for a range of Hunter wineries not big enough to have their own cellar door, including Meerea Park, Chateau Pato and Glenguin. There are generally 2-3 reds and whites available to taste from each producer - the beauty of this being that you can compare one variety (eg semillon) from different regions within the Hunter.
The range of wines you can sample at the Boutique Wine Centre is extensive both in variety and price point, and in my 10 year experience of going there, I have always found exceptional value for money.
Their 'big guns' are the Meerea Park 'Hell Hole' Shiraz and the Meerea Park 'Terracotta' Shiraz (both $55). The 2007 release of Hell Hole was rated 95/100 by Gary Walsh, and the Terracotta 94/100 from no other than the great James Halliday!
However, if its Semillon you're into, there are 3 options available (rated between 93 and 94 from James) priced between $20 and $25/bottle.
If you have the good fortune to encounter Brett at cellar door, you will be in for a treat. This man really knows his stuff, and is uber enthusiatic about what he's pouring. I defy you to be out of the place within an hour and/or taste less than half a dozen different drops! If you do meet Brett, let him know I sent you there, bat your lashes a lot and you may even get a nice discount on any purchases.
Once you have finished up here, and still have any room in your boot (and money in your bank account!), I would recommend checking out De Iuliis Wines further up Broke Road for some moreish chardonnays and also some kick-arse shiraz. The cellar door is picturesque, the welcome warm and the selection of drops of very high quality.
Tintilla Estate on Hermitage Road was the last place we visited (www.tintilla.com.au). Their cellar door is absolutely gorgeous, situated in a old barn in the middle of beautifully landscaped grounds and grapevines. The wine range was extensive - with some interesting varities on tasting including three different red blends where the Italian grape sangiovese was the star. It would be worth making the trip for the tasting glasses alone - huge Riedel goblets, which, for a stemware-obessive like me, took this particular tasting experience to a whole other level. Swoon.
OK, so that's a very quick trip of the Hunter Valley through my eyes. However, there are many many many more places to explore and discover, and in fact, I've made a new rule to go to at least two new cellar doors each time I visit. Although at this rate, that's really only 10 a decade. (Just a wee dig there to Mrs Plonker that we should get up there more!)
So, for those of you inspired to make a trip north soon - go forth and procure!
Yours in Plonk
The Plonker
x
1 comment:
I love it! Gald you're back! keep 'em coming! Since there's no Aussie wine to be found in wine lists here (apparently the Aussie dollar is too good which makes the wine too expensive) we'll have to live vicariously through your tipples.
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