500,000 Steps Seeking Sensational Food and Stunning Wines

    Thursday 29 April Five of us braved the 4 am cold and fog to drive into the Crown Hotel and participated in a morning hot air balloon flight. Apart from the long wait in the bus while they faffed about chasing wind direction and launch sites and the call to arms to pack up Australia’s biggest balloon at the end, the flight was interesting. Like most things, the first time is usually the best and our Mareeba flight seven years ago was more memorable and with less fog, but we enjoyed the experience. Back home to a quick breakfast and then back on the wine trail with De Iuliis wines. A quick stop at the Lovedale Smokehouse to collect some smoked cheese and salami and we headed home to lay out the terrace table, groaning with cold cuts, pickles, cheeses and salads.  Wines were consumed, including the second bottle of sparkling shiraz, expertly opened by Tas without the previous eruption.  Later in the afternoon we walked up to the cellar door at Whispering Brook. This is about 50

  Wednesday 28 April A similar day to yesterday, with two wineries – one good, the other ordinary. Gundog was first up with six wines, most of which we liked and well presented by the attractive and knowledgeable woman running the cellar door. Photos were taken with the gundog statues before we had to leave for Audrey Wilkinson winery.  A very modern cellar door with great views. Wines were OK and well priced. In fact, the cheapest in the Hunter so far. Lady P took umbridge at the pierced ear, designer stubbled, 30 something that was leading the tasting. His imitation of Tom Cruise in the movie Cocktail , did not go down well at all. She was silently (and sometimes not so silently) hoping he would drop the wine bottle he was flipping and tossing around while walking to the tables. Lunch was at the Matilda Bay Brewery, which provided opportunity for more simple fare like pizzas and some craft beers.  Home reasonably early in preparation for dinner at Muse Restaurant tonight. The res

  Tuesday 27 April We have two wineries planned for today, all of which have to be pre-booked and pre-paid. Tyrrells was first up at 11.15 am and it did not disappoint. We were escorted into a private dining room in the old Tyrrell home, where we were treated to 10 very good wines and an excellent presentation from our host, Scott.   We were there for nearly two hours and would still be there if we didn’t have to go to Café Enzo for lunch. This turned out to be another good venue on another glorious day.  After lunch we went to Hungerford Hill for a very average tasting by a disinterested 30 something. Tas purchased two bottles of sparkling shiraz which came with a big label that warned of disaster if not chilled to 5 degrees.  Our two chefs got busy on our return to the house, preparing garlic and rosemary roast lamb with roasted vegetables, a fresh green salad and a tzatziki dressing. Many bottles of Hunter white and red were consumed over the meal.  A small disaster did occur wh

  Monday 26 April An efficient trip from Sydney to Broke to meet up with David and Linda at Bistro Molines. This well known restaurant is situated atop a hill overlooking the vines and was reasonably full, even on a Monday.  Duck and venison were on the menu and a couple of Hunter Valley reds were discussed and consumed before driving to our big house at Whispering Brook.  The old house is reasonably well fitted out and comfortable. A dinner of cold cuts and hot pumpkin soup with numerous Hunter wines completed the day. After dinner, Alyssa hooked up two laptops to the big TV and we all played a game of Jeopardy.

  Sunday 25 th April Today we farewelled our little blue Kona and swapped it out for the Kia Carnival which will enable the transport of both participants and their luggage around the Hunter Valley. We have enlisted the help of Roger’s niece, Alyssa, who is assuming the title of BB – bus boy and bar bitch – for the next 5 days to act as our driver around the wineries in the Hunter Valley. She is currently sourcing a new position as an International lawyer with a senior Sydney firm, so in the interim decided to accept the role of BB as a means to practise her international diplomacy skills on a bunch of old seniors, oft times grumpy and argumentative, definitely self opinionated and competitive – all this while frequently under the influence. International arbitration at it’s best.   The bus is secured (the Kona relinquished with an extra 2,800 kms on the clock) and we all head out to lunch at the Sydney Rowing Club in Abbottsford. It is Anzac Day so there were a large number for f

  Saturday 24 April We move slowly, reluctant to leave our floating home of the past six nights. It’s our longest ‘stopover’ on the trip so far, so we have become very attached to a life on the high seas. With laundry all done, the bags are packed, and we load up the car at the end of the Marina road after farewelling our hostess with the mostest and skipper, Sheryn Foord.   We head for the burbs, and Roger’s sister’s house at Lidcombe where we set up camp for a couple of nights and sort our belongings into manageable carrying devices – it is somewhat surprising how the belongings seem to have multiplied. Lady Penelope picked up a few items in the first week at the ‘Merrygoround Op shop’ in Hawthorn – clothing that in fact has been extremely valuable in the simply stunning Indian summer weather we have experienced and Flashy has now increased his footwear wardrobe with the addition of black dress shoes (for formal functions) and boat shoes (mandatory when one is on a boat). So th