CELLAR DOORS | RESTAURANTS | LOCAL PRODUCE | TRAIL MAPS | REVIEWS

SUMMER | AUTUMN 2016

Visit the Hunter Valley’sOldest brewery... Hunter Beer Co.

We Love Our Beer

POTTERS HOTEL BREWERY RESORTWINE COUNTRY DRIVE, NULKABA PH 4991 7922

BREWER@POTTERSHBR.COM.AU | WWW.HUNTERBEERCO.COM

WHAT’S YOUR BEER EXPERIENCE?Sitting back, relaxing and enjoying a pint of your favourite beer?

Sampling the delights of TEN hand-crafted beers?Checking out a tasting paddle?

Chatting to the Brewers? Taking a Brewery Tour?It doesn’t matter which one is your favourite... You can do it all at Hunter Beer Co.

BREWERY TOURS 7 DAYS A WEEK - Monday to Friday 4pmSaturday and Sunday 12pm & 4pm

The brewery is open to the public from 10AM - 5PM, with all beers available in the main bar until late.

The Hunter’s Premier Wine Destination

Fine Dining. Craft Brewhouse. Pizza Café. And the odd concert for 20,000.

Visit hopeestate.com.au to find out what’s on.

Fine Dining. Craft Brewhouse. Weddings. FunctionsAnd the odd concert for 20,000.

Visit hopeestate.com.au to find out what’s on.

The Hunter’s Premier Wine DestinationThe Hunter’s Premier Wine Destination

Fine Dining. Craft Brewhouse. Pizza Café. And the odd concert for 20,000.

Visit hopeestate.com.au to find out what’s on.

EDITORS/PUBLISHERSQuentin von Essen & Di von Essen

GRAPHIC DESIGN Jess Codrington

CONTRIBUTORSCarla Elkin, Peter Firth, Salt&Peppa Reviews

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION: +61 2 4943 2888 wineanddine@wcpmedia.com.au4/2 Smith Street, Charlestown NSW 2290 Australia

© Copyright 2015/2016 WCP MEDIA.

All rights reserved.Wine & Dine is a Registered Trademark.

Reproduction in part or whole or use without permission is strictly prohibited. For information regarding permissions please contact us at the above address. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, WCP MEDIA cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. All opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily that of the publishers. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising due to inappropriate content.

www.HunterValleyOnline.com.au

Quick Indexes 4

Pokolbin North 12

Pokolbin South 32

Lovedale, Rothbury& Branxton

60

Mount View, Cessnock & Nulkaba

78

Broke Fordwich 88

Wollombi 96

Wine & Food Experiences 103

...to Australia’s wine & food regionOPTIMISED FOR IPHONE, IPAD & ANDROID DEVICES

Welcome to the Hunter Valley and the 2016 Summer/Autumn issue of Wine & Dine Hunter Valley.

With a tradition of viticulture stretching back more than 180 years and celebrated as Australia’s primary wine and food destination, the Hunter Valley attracts food and wine lovers from all over the world and treats them to a journey of discovery into the world of great wine and food. Hunter Valley wines are equal to the best in the world and include a full range of wine styles and varietals to choose from - one to match every meal.

It is no coincidence that some of the finest restaurants in the world can be found in the best wine growing regions. Where there is great wine, great food usually follows and the Hunter Valley, with a reputation for being the home of great Australian wines, is also one of the finest, most authentic culinary destinations in Australia.

Go wine tasting, choose from a diversity of restaurants and cafés, book a wine tour or self-drive using one of the six Wine & Food Trail Maps provided in this guide.

But more importantly... Enjoy!

COVER IMAGECover image competition won by Circa 1876 located in the expansive acreage of Peppers Convent on Halls Road, Pokolbin. See more on page 36.

Welcome...

...to Australia’s wine & food region

ContentsMove Aside Chianti! Wine and Pasta Pairing 10

Hunter Valley Varietals – Reds 26

Matt's Produce - Gourmet Secrets in a Jar 30

Two Great Spots to Lunch – Alot! 53

Top Drops – Our Picks of the Season 56

Voices from the Vineyard - From Flowering to Harvest 68

Dining Review - Il Cacciatore Restaurant 72

Hunter Valley Varietals – Whites 76

When a Vineyard Full of Rotting Grapes can be a Good Thing! 87

Health Benefits of Red Wine 91

Mixing it up with Wine Blends 92

Big Things Happening in Local Breweries 94

Wollombi Valley - So much More Than Wine 99

Wine & Cheese Getting Along Naturally 100

Why Drive When you can Take a Tour? 102

4 | SUMMER • AUTUMN 2016

Adina Vineyard 62 492 Lovedale Road, Lovedale 7 Days

Ascella Pure Wines 89 203 Thompsons Road, Milbrodale 7 Days

Blueberry Hill Vineyard 15 999 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Briar Ridge Vineyard 80 593 Mount View Road, Mount View 7 Days

Brokes Promise Estate 89 725 Milbrodale Road, Broke 7 Days

Calais Estate 15 151 Palmers Lane, Pokolbin 7 Days

Capercaillie Wine Co. 62 4 Londons Road, Lovedale 7 Days

Constable Estate 16 205 Gillards Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

DeBortoli Wines 63 532 Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin 7 Days

Drayton’s Family Wines 37 555 Oakey Creek Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Eclectic Wines 16 687 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin Fri to Mon

Emmas Cottage Vineyard 63 438 Wilderness Road, Lovedale Fri to Sun & Pub Hols

Ernest Hill Wines 39 307 Wine Country Drive, Nulkaba 7 Days

First Creek Wines 17 600 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Gartelmann Wines 63 701 Lovedale Road, Lovedale 7 Days

Gemelli Estate 16 168 Palmers Lane, Pokolbin Fri to Mon

Greenway Wines 89 350 Wollombi Road, Broke Sat & Sun or by app.

Gundog Estate 40 101 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Hanging Tree Wines 41 294 O’Connors Road, Pokolbin Fri to Sun & Pub Hols; Weekdays by app.

Hope Estate 42 2213 Broke Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Hungerford Hill Wines 42 2450 Broke Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Hunter Distillery 18 1686 Broke Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Iron Gate Estate 45 Oakey Creek Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Ivanhoe Wines 43 525 Marrowbone Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Kelman Vineyard 81 2 Oakey Creek Road, Mount View 7 Days

Kevin Sobels Wines 45 5 Halls Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Krinklewood Biodynamic Vineyard

90 712 Wollombi Road, Broke Fri to Sun

Lambloch Estate 46 2342 Broke Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Leogate Estate 19 1693 Broke Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Macquariedale Organic Wines

18 170 Sweetwater Road, Rothbury 7 Days

Quick Index to Cellar Doors (A-M)

SUMMER • AUTUMN 2016 | 5

McLeish Estate 46 462 DeBeyers Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Mistletoe Winery 20 771 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Misty Glen Wines 20 293 Deasys Road, Pokolbin Fri to Mon

Moorebank Private Vineyard 21 150 Palmers Lane, Pokolbin 7 Days

Mount Broke Wines 90 130 Adams Peak Road, Broke Sat, Sun & Pub Hols

Mount View Estate 81 502 Mount View Road, Mount View 7 Days

Noyce Brothers Wines 97 2884 Wollombi Road, Wollombi 7 Days

Oakvale Wines 22 1596 Broke Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Peacock Hill Vineyard 22 29 Palmers Lane, Pokolbin 7 Days

Peterson House 48 Cnr Broke Road & Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin 7 Days

Petersons Wines - Pokolbin 48 2347 Broke Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Petersons Wines - Mount View 82 552 Mount View Road, Mount View 7 Days

Pierre’s Wines 64 82 Elderslie Road, Branxton Sat & Sun Mon to Fri by app.

Pokolbin Estate 49 298 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Ridgeview Wines 23 273 Sweetwater Road, Pokolbin Wed to Sun

Rothvale Winery 24 223 Deasy’s Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Saddler’s Creek Wines 83 15 Marrowbone Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Sandalyn Estate 65 Wilderness Road, Lovedale 7 Days

Savannah Estate Wines 83 402 Mount View Road, Mount View 7 Days

Stomp! Wines 90 1273 Milbrodale Road, Broke Fri to Sun

Stonehurst Cedar Creek 97 1840 Wollombi Road, Cedar Creek 7 Days

Tamburlaine Organic Wines 50 358 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin 7 Days

Tatler Wines 66 477 Lovedale Road, Lovedale 7 Days

Thalgara Estate 51 536 DeBeyers Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Tintilla Estate 25 725 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Vinden Estate 14 17 Gillards Road, Pokolbin Wed to Sun

Wine Selectors 102 Visitor Information Centre, 455 Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin

7 Days

Wollombi Village Vineyard 97 2971 Payne’s Crossing Road, Wollombi Sat & Sun

Wynwood Estate 52 310 Oakey Creek Road, Pokolbin 7 Days

Quick Index to Cellar Doors (M-Z)