Hunter Valley vineyards. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
All I can say is I just spent the day tasting my way around the Hunter Valley, from 10 AM until 430 PM finding my way with my hired driver Craig of Prestige Limousine was a treat, with the stops being producers who all sell cellar door and to select shops and retailers, and sadly, simply don't make enough wine to ship to the USA
We started at Lake's Folly, one of Hunter Valley's original independent wineries. Withour a doubt a great place to start as their wines are world class. The two Chardonnays and the 50th Anniversary Cabernet, which is really a blend of Cab, Shiraz, Merlot and Petite Verdot was a treat, as was their Cab Sauv/Cab Franc blend called 3 Estates. The 2012 Hill Block Chardonnay was incredible, with light notes and a very minerally style, while the regular Chardonnay was a dynamic example of Hunter Valley winemaking.
Next we hit Irongate Estate, who are perhaps making some of the most imaginative wines in all of Hunter Valley. Their sparkling Primera, and their blend of Verdelho and Semillon named Milenio is a delight, but I was wowed by the unoaked Chardonnay that was full of fruit and minerals like I haven't seen in years since the original Trevor Jones Virgin Chardonnay.
More to come, but I'm off to dinner at a winery.
