NSW's marriage of food and wine

HUNTER Valley winemaker Andrew Marsh once wrote that wine appraisal was a personal journey.

"There are so many wine regions in the world, all growing different varietals and making varying styles of wines," he said.

"What one person likes to drink, another may not. Winemakers can't please everyone."

Considering though that there are about 110 wineries and cellar doors in the Hunter alone, it should not be difficult for wine lovers, whether they be connoisseurs or those who just fancy the occasional glass with a meal, to find a drop to satisfy. And there is plenty of fun to be had in the looking.

From the prominently grown shiraz and semillon grapes that go into labels at such notable wineries as Tyrrell's, Brokenwood, Lindemans and McWilliam's Mt Pleasant, to the bottles of bubbly sampled at Peterson's Champagne House and Bimbadgen Estate, choices available in Australia's oldest commercial wine-producing region are as far reaching as the Brokenback Ranges that shadow the valley.

And where there is fine wine, there should be fine food and this region thrives on pairing the two.

"They go hand-in-hand," says Heidi Duckworth, who owns Lilies, a small luxury self-contained country house at Lovedale.

"From picnic hampers and alfresco dining in cafes with outdoor tables to fine dining, the Hunter has plenty of tantalising options."

Enhancing the experience, more wineries have opened adjoining restaurants and cafes, with names as appealing as the menus themselves.

Stop at De Iuliis Wines on Broke Rd, for example, and dine in the relaxed surrounds of the Cracked Pepper Restaurant, open daily for brunch and lunch, dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Sample wine at Hungerford Hill before dining (lunch on the weekends, evenings Wednesday to Saturday) at the award-winning Muse (formerly Terroir Restaurant) which has a sommelier on hand to advise wine selections.

Pooles Rock Wines offers the award-winning ROCK Restaurant, an eatery with something of a split personality. Its daytime identity is the casual Firestick Cafe which prides itself on wood-fired pizzas, while evening dining is a two-hat experience.

Overlooking the winery's historic Post Office Block vineyard, the restaurant's menu is based on classical French fare, created by master chef Andrew Clarke.

Also among the popular cellars to offer a memorable fine food and wine-tasting experience is The Cellar, in the Hunter Valley Gardens Village.

Under Andy Wright's guidance, it has blossomed into a restaurant which would shine in the Sydney CBD.

The wine list leans heavily towards local bottlings but BYO is allowed Monday to Friday.

Away from Pokolbin at East Maitland is The Old George & Dragon, a Hunter landmark established in 1982 by Ian and Jenny Morphy. Here, guests can try some spectacular wines from a list that was originally assembled by legendary wine expert, the late Len Evans, before dining on French-leaning cuisine that features venison leg steaks, roast Redgate duck and Macleay Valley rabbit.

Not all Hunter dine and wine encounters centre on restaurants and cafes. For visitors who prefer a more relaxed experience, there is a wealth of delightful spots to enjoy a picnic among the vines, complemented by a local drop.

It can be as simple as shopping for bread at one of the local bakeries, combining it with cheese from the Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop, the Hunter Cheese Factory or Binnorie Dairy at Tuscany Estate, and spreading a rug in the shade of a tree.

For those who prefer to have the food choices made for them, the Smelly Cheese Factory recently set up a store inside nearby Tempus Two to offer gourmet hampers filled with yummy cheese, olives, antipasto morsels and cold meats.

Many holiday retreats will also create hampers for guests. Peppers Guest House, for example, provides the Cheese and Wine Trail weekend package that includes a picnic rug, a bottle of wine and a map.

The Hunter is the largest area for food and winestyle short breaks close to Sydney but it is by no means the only place worth exploring.

The breathtaking South Coast and the Southern Highlands also boast a few wineries to complement a vast range of eateries and fresh produce stores.

The beautiful Hawkesbury, the Macarthur region, and, further north, at coastal Port Stephens, also offer plenty to tantalise the tastebuds.

The Blue Mountains may not have a winery, but its Italian-style Cittaslow (pronounced Chittaslow) slow-food movement has opened local businesses to showcase fresh food produce to discerning foodies from the city. The program also encourages youngsters to get involved in growing their own vegetables for the family dinner table.

Back on the wine trail in unfamiliar surrounds of the South Coast at Gerringong is the Crooked River Winery with its 14ha of vines, the largest vineyard on the South Coast. Here, diners can settle into upmarket cafe-style dining with spectacular views across the grapevines. The menu includes salt and pepper squid and pork belly, paired with locally produced wine.

Drive to the Southern Highlands and call in at the Cellar Cafe at Blue Metal Vineyard, Berrima, to sample the local cheese platters, including cow farm fetta, blue, camembert, St Laurent cheeses. Also not to be missed is the locally produced duck pate, along with a jackaroo's lunch of goose terrine, salami, pork rillette and antipasti.

Don't let the name put you off as it comes from the red soil over basalt rock which forms part of this cattle station-cum-vineyard perched 790m above sea level.

Located on Wombeyan Caves Rd, Mittagong, is McVitty Grove, which began life as a wine producer on 42ha of farmland in 1998. A 1.5ha olive grove was subsequently planted and a beautifully appointed cafe-restaurant opened.

Cut into the hillside, the restaurant offers a sumptuous plate of local produce comprising smoked trout mousse, marinated olives, beetroot relish, tomato salsa and rocket pesto.

Dining in the Southern Highlands need not be confined to the indoors or a balcony.

At Easter the place to be is Bowral, where the holiday takes on a different feel through the Highlands Harvest Hunt, at which visitors can buy and taste local produce while their children hunt eggs and play with the animals. Staged at Centennial Vineyards on Sunday, April 12, the family event also features live entertainment.

For a look back to the pioneering days of Macarthur wool country, the colonial homestead, old barns and winery at Gledswood at Catherine Field, south of Sydney, is a hit with families. Lunch, which is served inside sandstone buildings that date back to 1827, is hearty, normally including traditional damper, with wine tastings available inside a quaint cellar door.

While it is a given that food and wine are a marriage made in heaven, the pairing is not the only way for those looking to indulge their tastebuds, stresses The Hunter Resort's Philip Hele.

"Beer is another refreshing accompaniment," he says, pointing to the many delights poured at his resort's Bluetongue microbrewery.

The brewery also has on tap an alcoholic ginger beer that has been bottled in six-packs for guests who want to enjoy the brew at home or on one of the many picnic outings in the Hunter Valley.

The same applies at the Port Stephens Winery, where gourmet pizzas and cheese plates can be matched to beers from Murray's Craft Brewing Co, which is preparing to change address from The Pub With No Beer at Taylors Arm on the NSW Mid North Coast to the winery. The winery's cafe specialises in fresh local oysters with special dipping sauces, food for thought the next time you order a glass of white.

Adjacent to Wollongong's WIN Stadium is the Five Islands Brewing Company, named after the outlying islands off the headland and offering nine beers to accompany the extensive bar menu and tempting lounge plates and platters. It is appropriate that one of its brews is labelled South Peach, because life is pretty peachy along this stretch of South Coast.

We love our ... picnics

Port Stephens
Hire a pushbike for a ride along the waterfront near Corlette Beach and discover a few spots to roll out a blanket for a bite to eat.
Chances are, lunch may be complemented by a glimpse of dolphins playing in the waters across from the holidaying port.

Newcastle
King Edward Park has been described as the city's most picturesque park and it doesn't take long to find out why. On a hill looking over the beaches, its rotunda is often used for wedding photos while its popularity with families lies with its barbecue facilities, gardens and playground.

Central Coast
Not particularly quiet but very popular with families is Memorial Park at The Entrance, where the aroma of fish and chips fills the air and the daily 3.30pm feeding of the local pelicans is a magnet for youngsters.

Blue Mountains
Not all picnics centre on Katoomba's Echo Point. Take the short drive to Gordon Falls Reserve or Bloome Park at Leura and discover two spots perfect for families. Both have picnic tables, a playground where youngsters can let off steam, and parking.

We love our ... food and wine

Upper Hunter Valley
Max's Restaurant
Arrowfield Estate Winery,
3483 Golden Highway,
Jerrys Plains, 6576 4000
Established in 1968 and merging in 2007 with highly regarded Mornington Peninsula winemaker Red Hill Estate, this winery prides itself on its food and views. Owner Max Paganoni oversees Italian-influenced, but mostly local, fare.

Lower Hunter Valley
Margan Restaurant
1238 Milbrodale Rd, Broke, 6579 1372
Leading Hunter winemaker Andrew Margan's cellar door features an earth tasting room and restaurant where chef Jose dishes up local poultry, meat and cheese along with produce from an adjoining fruit and vegie garden.

Port Stephens
Port Stephens Winery
3443 Nelson Bay Rd, Bobs Farm,
4982 6411
To complement the wine of this coastal vineyard is a relaxed alfresco cafe that prides itself on serving freshly sucked oysters and gourmet pizzas, also matched with Murray's beers.

Southern Highlands
Centennial Vineyards
Woodside, Centennial Rd, Bowral,
4861 8700
Three minutes drive west of Bowral, this is arguably the most highly regarded winemaker in the district. There are 18 wines for tasting and the 2006 reserve shiraz/viognier ($30) got a five-star rating from James Halliday in his 2009 Australian Wine Companion. Typical dining fare is sirloin steak with local merlot jus, and crab cakes with fennel and cucumber.

Hawkesbury
Tizzana Winery Bed & Breakfast
518 Tizzana Rd, Ebenezer, 4579 1150
Close to Sydney yet a million miles from care, this winery surrounded by a garden bursting with blooms wouldn't be out of place in France.
Built in 1887, the site is owned by Peter and Carolyn Auld, who began restoring it in 1969.
Stay here and enjoy a home-cooked meal of chicken and steamed vegetables to accompany the wine, a five-course dinner $150 per couple.