One of the must-dos from every guidebook was a visit to the Hunter Valley wine region. It was our first driving adventure in Australia and I'm happy to report that despite a giant SUV crossover that is definitely an unrequested upgrade, we all succeeded in our first time driving on the left! Getting out of Sydney was a big of an adventure. The highways don't really start until you're past the suburbs.
We stopped at the visitor center in Hunter Valley for a map and guidance. Using their helpful recommendations, we started with Pepper Tree Vineyards, a beautiful location with a helpful sommelier guided us through our introduction to Hunter Valley wines.
Next shop was Brokenwood, one everyone recommended. It wasn't as pretty as the first stop but the wines were good. After the two stops, we needed some food so we ate lunch overlooking the beautiful vineyards. I had a glass of the Semillion, the region's specialty. Probably never going to be my favorite, but delicious in that time and place.
After lunch we went to Audrey Wilkinson, which promises 360 degree views off the valley, and did not disappoint. The sun peaked through the clouds as we tasted a few of their wines.
Our next stop was Cockroder's Ghost, where we had the best tasting of the day. The host was incredibly knowledgeable and personable, showing a clear love of the wines and sharing that with visitors. I'm hoping I can find some of their wines in the States because it was too expensive to ship all I wanted.
The last place we visited was Savannah Estates. The website had promised wildlife, but it was late in the day and they were closing up. Still, we got to try a few varieties in their small cellar door.
On the way home, we stopped in Cole's grocery store for provisions for the road trip to Melbourne and grabbed dinner at Oporto, home of the most amazing grilled chicken tenders ever!
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