Cessnock NSW September 21 2016 (Hunter Valley, Wine Tasting, Wine Tour)

Cessnock NSW September 21 2016

A slight change to our travel plan sees us over in Cessnock, about 80km from Soldiers Point. The thing is, its raining again and we thought we might just take us that little bit closer to home and we can spend the day doing the wineries.

We’ve been here to the Big4 about 6 years ago and it was a bit run down then, but now it is in the middle of being converted to a retirement village, or ‘lifestyle living’ as they would have us call it. It’s a trend that is definitely on the rise all through this area; caravan parks as such are quickly disappearing in favour of these pop-up villages. The thing is that you only own the actual building, and just as they are transported in, you can take it and go somewhere else, in theory. The appeal is that its a closed / secure community and that your costs are limited to less than a hundred a week, and you get a clubhouse and pool and the like thrown in.

Anyhow, we chose the full day winery tour which includes 5 or 6 wineries, a cheese and chocolate shop, and of course, one of the wineries would have a cafe so you could look after yourself for lunch.

So here is the potted tour.

You are picked up from your accommodation in a little bus. Bonus number one, you don't have to drive so everyone can relax and taste whatever takes their fancy. ‘They’ are supposed to be red-hot on the roads here, so tasting (drinking) / driving isn't an option. 

Vineyard Shuttle Bus. Pokolbin NSW

First stop is Sobels, and along the way we are treated to a nice local chat from the fellow who owns the buses, Frank. Frank was born here and his great grandmother owned one of the first wineries, from the 1800s. His chat is peppered with: ‘Gran used to own that...’ or ‘Dad worked here...’ or ‘this whole hillside was once vines, now all gone.’

The second bonus being on a well known tour is the way you get treated at the cellar door: they have special places for the tours and each one has a set patter about their wines and winery. At Sobels the lady asked if it was our first stop, and as it was, she gave us the potted wine-tasting awareness course: swirl to aerate, sniff to smell and sip, three times - always.  And water to clear the palate as required but always between White and Red.

Sobels. Pokolbin NSW

Next was Audrey Wilkinsons, making it the second boutique winery, but pretty flash actually. On the way we are shown the Lindemans Winery, which has been going since day one, and with was officially closed down yesterday, thanks to its new multinational owners. Audrey Wilkinson is the son of the original pioneer and first planter of grapes. It’s a really nice setup and the views out across the verdant vineyards are great. Out presenter was a funny fellow who made the whole tasting business quite a bit of fun: cracking jokes, speaking mandarin to the Chinese couple visiting Australia for the first time and chatting about his days in Canberra.

Audrey Wilkinson. Pokolbin NSW

Audrey Wilkinson. Pokolbin NSW

Audrey Wilkinson. Pokolbin NSW

Audrey Wilkinson. Pokolbin NSW

Then on to Draytons, one of the biggest boutiques, and our place for lunch. This place just didn't have 
the same welcoming feel to it as the other two, and the wine wasn't to our liking. You order lunch first then go in for the tasting session of about 20 minutes. We know the routine by now: semillon, sauvignon blanc, shiraz, merlot, perhaps a blend, dessert wine.

So we went back into the restaurant for our lunch and waited another 20 minutes for it to turn up, and even then I had to settle for chicken rather than salmon because someone got it wrong and I was in no mood for waiting another 40mins! We had to ask twice for our prepaid coffee, and then the cappuccino was lukewarm at best. Oh, well, can't all be winners!

Drayton's. Pokolbin NSW

After lunch we went to the cheese and chocolate shop, which sounded like it was one and the same but turns out to be adjoining shops. We are led into the cheese shop, expecting to taste locally made cheese but instead are gathered around a tiny round table and given sticks with splodges of various types of fetta-goo on them. No chat except to list the ingredients and then it was over. Don't know why they bothered, we all left (12 of us) empty handed.

Next door is the chocolate shop. We followed our bus driver in and he offered a plastic box containing cupcake papers with 4x chocolate bits in each one. We took, we ate, we wondered what had happened to the slick customer relations / tastings we thought we should have. Left to our own devices we prowled through the shop loading up with lots of chocolate treats, some of which might make it home!

Chocolate and cheer stop. Pokolbin NSW

Another ride, another winery. This time it was Wyn Woods, another small mob, but been here hundreds of years and apparently had almost as many owners and brand names. The fellow was really good though and made us feel welcome and you felt as if he owned the place he was so proud of the business and product.

Wynwoods. Pokolbin NSW

Wynwoods. Pokolbin NSW

Last stop is a biggie: McGuigans Wines. This is the total opposite of boutique, it got so big they built a whole new winery in SA to meet the demand. And the tour tasting area, quite separate from the public cellar door, is set up to handle a 100 sniffers and swillers at once. picture.

McGuigan's. Pokolbin NSW

McGuigan's. Pokolbin NSW

McGuigan's. Pokolbin NSW

That being our last stop for the day, we are driven back to the park. All in all a pleasant way to spend a day and pretty fitting end to our 116 day sojourn around Australia.Until next time, hooroo!

Us. McGuigan's. Pokolbin NSW