"Cheeazz mate!" we slurred as the 36th glass of wine that morning was poured for a "tasting". Like the previous 35 it was "alright"; meaning that we actually quite liked it (a lot probably) but the chances of us going ahead and purchasing a bottle were beyond remote. Still if the house would be good enough to open yet another bottle then maybe, just maybe, we'll really like that one!

 

 

Over the course of the day we visited six different vineyards across the Hunter Valley in New South Wales (as if old South Wales has any decent vineyards!) Remarkably we can remember each one as having quite distinct characteristics (and I'm not including the foggy haze that seeped from our heads and seemed to envelope the last vineyard we visited) For the record we visited: Allendale, Kevin Sobel, Draytons, Reg Drayton, Golden Grape and McGuigans.

 

Purely by chance (no honestly I think it was purely by chance) we happened to most enjoy the offerings of the first two. I don't think it was because we could still taste properly. Heide was most taken by the Chardonnays though she was also really impressed by the Semillon, a varietal she doesn't normally enjoy (that is she doesn't "normally enjoy" it much as other grape varieties but she isn't so picky as to turn her nose up at Semillon when there's nothing else on offer) Me? Well I liked them all. Especially the Cabernet Sauvignon and my old pal Port. Naturally the fact that I enjoyed Port so much will come as no great surprise to anyone who knows my drinking habits. Yes, these wonderful vineyards were good enough to allow me to tot on Port, even early in the morning. Absolutely excellent. Bless 'em!

 

 

With this being Australia there were no airs and graces or pontificating about wine. The bottom line can be summed up, quite rightly, as: "Wine is about drinking and enjoying. If you don't like what you've got, spit it out (location permitting) and try something else" In this regard the vineyards were all very generous; they basically offer you the chance to taste whatever they produce (with the understandable exception of the very finest wines which are produced in only small quantities each vintage. Well it makes sense when they have visitors like us coming around) In Europe it always seems that the wine maker is a revered character who doesn't mix with the hoi-polloi, but here even the head honcho will come out and chat with you about the vino you're drinking, err I mean, tasting and will answer any questions regardless of how obvious the answer may seem to others. At Reg Drayton's the owner was especially eager to entertain us. though I half suspect that this was because she was much more comfortable with people and grape juice than with the computer work she was supposed to be completing back in the office. Seems perfectly reasonable to me.

 

 

It would however be an exaggeration to claim that all we totted on was fine wine and port. At the Golden Grape we were, err, "treated" to a Dragon's Breath. The quicker thinking folk reading this may well spot a warning in the name, but heck, we were well on the way by this point. Dragon's Breath is a cheeky little number. It is, apparently, a "pure" wine schnapps with a twist. The "twist" just happens to be a couple of dozen hot chili peppers that lurk within the liquid. It is, how shall we say?... Warming as it goes down. Intensifying as it melts your esophagus. Scalding as it burns through your intestine and lets just say worrying later! Apparently they have a license to flog this stuff. I suspect that the biggest customer is the Ministry of Defense looking for a cheap alternative to Napalm. I'll bet no drug company is brave enough to trial their latest stomach antacid on "patients" who've sipped a few of these beasties. Still at least a beautiful honeyed Port makes for a fine emollient, so I'll have a few more of those then please!

 

The plonk we spent the day imbibing was generally great and although I've heard no one actually say the words, I'm sure "bonzer" and "ripper" would adequately sum up the day.

 

Cheers!