JOIN US ON A SPECIAL ROAD TRIP TO THE HUNTER VALLEY

PHOTO DESTINATION NSW

Hunter

HIGHLIGHTS

It’s an easy drive from the Central Coast via the M1 or the scenic Route 33, and the Hunter Valley offers a wonderful country break for a weekend or longer. We take the sophisticated new Volvo XC40 for a spin to revisit some of our favourite places.

WORDS SALLY MACMILLAN PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEF NALEVANSKY

The Hunter’s vine-clad hills, rolling valleys and expansive dairy farms are particularly picturesque in spring – the perfect time for a grown-up escape with your romantic partner or a bunch of friends.

MUST-VISIT BOUTIQUE WINERIES Kickstart your Hunter Valley experience at Peterson House for a sparklingwine tasting with one of Peterson’s accomplished ‘Bubble-ologists’. There’s a seafood/oyster bar on the deck, delicious cheese platters and they even offer gelato-paired tastings. Peterson House also specialises in some pretty special sparkling red varieties, and don’t forget to visit the chocolate shop on your way out (petersonhouse.com.au).

Above, Saddler's Creek Wines; far left, Lisa McGuigan's Vamp; left, Hunter Distillery.

Then we suggest you bookmark at least a couple of these wineries for a tasting session, and don’t forget most of them now require online bookings in advance. Lisa McGuigan’s Vamp is unlike any other cellar door in the Valley – the contemporary, Gothic-glam venue hosts tastings of Lisa’s collection of Australian and international wines, wines from her eponymous label and special events (lisamcguiganwines.com). Want to feel like you’re in the South of France? Try a Carillion Wines tasting at Tallavera Grove (carillionwines.com.au) before lunching onsite at Bistro Molines (see more on pages 32 to 35). Perched on the edge of the valley at Mount View, it has arguably the most spectacular vista in the region. More photogenic views await at Krinklewood Biodynamic Vineyard (krinklewood.com), Audrey Wilkinson – one of the oldest wineries in the Valley (audreywilkinson.com.au) – and Ivanhoe Wines (ivanhoewines.com.au). Saddler's Creek Wines is another special spot. Highlights include live music and casual wine-paired lunches and dinners in the lovely gardens every weekend (furry friends welcome), Friday Twilight Wine and Chill evenings, and daily wine-tastings with the fabulous inhouse team (saddlerscreek.com). Last but certainly not least, our knowledgeable sommelier, Stephane Pommier, recommends you call into Briar Ridge in Mount View (briarridge.com.au) to sample their latest award-winning wines; Mount Pleasant in Pokolbin (mountpleasantwines.com.au), which has recently restored its historic cellar door; and Usher Tinkler, also in Pokolbin, for its vintage church setting and innovative wines (ushertinklerwines.com). NOT A WINE LOVER? Try the Hunter Distillery in Pokolbin for an exceptional range of top-shelf spirits, including gins (don’t miss the award-winning Copperwave gin), vodkas and liqueurs. There’s a flavour for every taste! (hunterdistillery.com.au)

LONG LUNCH OR LATE DINNER You can take your pick from a wealth of top-notch restaurants in the Valley – here are a few of our faves. Reservations are essential and if you’re planning a mid-week trip, bear in mind that some venues are not open every day. Troy and Megan Rhoades-Brown and their talented team are behind hatted Muse Restaurant at Hungerford Hill Wines (musedining.com.au) and bistro-style Muse Kitchen at Keith Tulloch Winery (musekitchen.com.au). Margan Restaurant (margan.com.au) presents the ultimate in sustainability with its sophisticated paddock-to-plate dining, while Esca Bimbadgen (bimbadgen.com.au) has snagged several awards for its elegant food served in a jaw-dropping setting. Another multiaward-winning venue is EXP.Restaurant(exprestaurant.com.au),which is open for wine-paired and tasting dinners from Friday to Monday. Restaurant Botanica offers classic French and English fare with a Mod Oz accent at Spicers Vineyards Estate (restaurantbotanica.com.au) and Goldfish gets our tick of approval for its grazing menu, great pizzas and cocktails (thegoldfish.com.au).

PLACES TO STAY Again, you’re spoiled for choice when deciding where to stay in the Hunter. Elegant resorts with their own golf courses include Château Élan at The Vintage (chateauelan.com.au), Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort(oakshotels.com/en/oaks-cypresslakes-resort) and the Crowne Plaza (crowneplazahuntervalley. com.au), while Elysia Wellness Retreat is the place for spa-lovers (elysiaretreat.com.au). You’ll also find some beautiful places sightly off the beaten track and on a smaller scale. Our pick of the bunch includes four stylish accommodation options at Winmark Wines (winmarkwines.com.au); the glamorous Convent, which has nine individual suites within the historic hotel (convent.com.au); the utterly charming Little Orchard Cottage at Bistro Molines that accommodates up to four people (bistromolines.com.au); and Amelies, a romantic cottage for two perched on the Brokenback Range on a 1,000-acre property (pokolbinmountain.com.au).

BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH Breakfast or brunch at The Deck Café at Gartelmann Wines, Lovedale, overlooking the lake, is possibly the best in the Hunter (deckcafelovedale.com.au). Admire the stunning grounds next door at Leaves and Fishes (leavesandfishes. com.au) where you can do a spot of shopping at the gorgeous homewares store.

FOODIE SHOPPING Stock up on sweet treats at artisan chocolate shop Cocoa Nib at Keith Tulloch Wines, or stop for coffee from local roasters Silverskin (cocoanib.com.au). Specialist cheese-lovers have a couple of excellent options: Binnorie Dairy in Lovedale (binnorie.com.au) and the Smelly Cheese Shop, which also does a fine range of gelato (smellycheese.net.au). Check out premium local olive oil and vinegar at Pukara Estate in Peppers Creek Village (pukaraestate.com.au), and for an incredible range of small goods plus take-home platters, don’t miss Lovedale Smokehouse’s deli (majorslane.com/produce).

PLANNING A SPECIAL EVENT? Greystone Estate is a magnificent property set on 10 acres of stunning grounds along the Hermitage Road. It sleeps up to 32 guests in the main house and self-contained cottages and the estate is designed to host weddings, parties and corporate events of up to 110 guests (greystoneestate.net.au).

THE CAR

Performance meets luxury in Volvo’s award-winning R-Design XC40 Compact SUV – a smart, sporty car that takes you effortlessly from city streets to country roads. With a sport chassis as standard, the XC40 R-Design provides a focused, responsive drive with enhanced road holding and traction control. World-leading safety features include the blind spot information system (BLIS); intelligent safety assistance technology that helps detect and avoid other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and large animals and applies autobraking if required; drift detection and autocorrection; and autobraking if required when reversing. The R-Design XC40 has a two-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and is also available as a fully electric model, the XC40 Recharge. Find out more or arrange a test drive at volvocarscentralcoast.com.au/cars/volvo-xc40

Distinctive Flavour

Premium Olive Oils, Vinegars, Condiments & Skincare

Visit our retail store at Shop 5, Peppers Creek Village – 1946 Broke Road, Pokolbin Open 7 Days | 9:30am - 4:30pm www.pukaraestate.com.au