Thursday, April 26, 2007

Exploring Australia's wine country!

For a short period during our Big Fat Aussie Adventure, we focussed almost exclusively on wine instead of food.

A long weekend at the Hunter Valley was on the cards, with some of my fab friends from the big outback roadtrip in 2004, reuniting for the Easter long weekend.

Hanging Tree Wines was one of the most scenic vineyards - and had some fab wines too! I just love the dramatic contrasts of the Australian landscape!





One of the funniest moments of this weekend was when a particularly nasally sommelier at Robyn Drayton Wines was showcasing this vineyard's best reserve wine. She was geographically challenged too...suggesting very strongly to us that sangria was Mexican, cos you could get it at any good Mexican restaurant. Ahem....

Anyway, she was raving about how fabulous a particular wine was, and after a few swills, Pete, who was pizzed and in fine form, pointed out that it was oxidised. How he could even recognised it was oxidised, let alone call it, was beyond all of us, but he said it so convincingly that our dear new friend had to sample the wine. Sure enough..it was at less than stellar form, and she had to admit defeat. I think we collectively purchased enough of Robyn Drayton's sparkling shiraz for her not to care...

In any case, it was a fab weekend. Lizzie, Caroline, Al, Ian and Pete - it was great to catch up. When are we gonna do another road trip? :-).

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