To make the most of my time in the Hunter Valley, I recently went on a Dining Safari Experience. This was a specially curated food tour that takes you to 5 different venues where you can taste food with a matching wine or other drink.
Showing posts with label Hunter Valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hunter Valley. Show all posts
Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Monday, 29 May 2023
Margan Wine and Restaurant, Broke Fordwich, Hunter Valley
Margan Wine and Restaurant holds a dear place in my heart. First of all, they are an award winning winery and restaurant. Secondly, they are leaders in sustainability and environmental operations. Thirdly, the staff are amazing, friendly and helpful.
It's been a few years since 2014 since I've last been to Margan Wine and Restaurant but I've had such fond memories of my last experience. For an anniversary celebration, we decide to revisit Margan's see what's changed.
Saturday, 28 May 2022
Spicers Guest House, Hunter Valley NSW
It feels like a long time with the pandemic but I recently spent a night at the Spicers Guest House in the Hunter Valley. I had mixed feelings about being out and about during a pandemic but it was good to enjoy the beautiful scenic grounds at Spicers Guest House.
Monday, 8 August 2016
Zepher Tours - Hunter Valley Part 2
Zepher Tours - Hunter Valley Part 1
I had the pleasure of checking out the Hunter Valley with Zepher Tours recently. I really wanted a chill day out drinking wine, eating and chatting. So relaxing. So peaceful. So chill.
Sunday, 28 September 2014
Broke Fordwich Region, Hunter Valley Region Adventures part 3
My third part of the Broke Fordwich Region will take you to a few more fantastic vineyards where you can taste award winning wine. These areas are equally beautiful as the places to date but you must be prepared to leave some room in your boot for these rare treats.
Broke Fordwich is definitely the place to go if you are looking for a Hunter get away with the premium experience. Be prepared for exclusive wine and for those who are very conscious of what you put into your body - you must check out the organic wines.
Whispering Brook Vineyard
Whispering Brook Vineyard is a highly exclusive vineyard, cellar door and accommodation estate. Yes, it's a bit posh. With a focus on high quality wine and olives/olive products; they only have a limited release of their products. The photo (below) shows olive trees in the background of the vineyard - look at that beautiful sky!
Broke Fordwich is definitely the place to go if you are looking for a Hunter get away with the premium experience. Be prepared for exclusive wine and for those who are very conscious of what you put into your body - you must check out the organic wines.
Whispering Brook Vineyard
Whispering Brook Vineyard is a highly exclusive vineyard, cellar door and accommodation estate. Yes, it's a bit posh. With a focus on high quality wine and olives/olive products; they only have a limited release of their products. The photo (below) shows olive trees in the background of the vineyard - look at that beautiful sky!
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Broke Fordwich Region, Hunter Valley Part 2
Broke Fordwich is a beautiful region of the Hunter Valley. It's not congested and the people are lovely. The scenery was so beautiful. Seeing the vineyards with the mountain ranges in the background was amazing! Yellow rock is the big rock that makes that picture perfect. For more areas to explore in the Broke Fordwich Region, check out these wineries. I will also post some more in part 3.. watch this space.
Check out Part 1 of my Broke adventure here
Stomp! Wines
The owners at Stomp! Wines were so friendly and had a beautiful family. Being a former Sydney Sider family, they have transformed their lives to now living on such a beautiful winery! There is also accommodation here if you are looking for a place to stay.
At Stomp! Wines for $6, I tried a trio of wine which complimented with Hunter Valley chocolates. The highlight for me was the sparkling Verdelho. It was a pleasant rare taste of the sparkling Verdelho; I've never seen this before so it was refreshing to see some innovation and a great tasting Verdelho it was. Ask if you can try their port as well. I bought a bottle of both! Their version of port was very smokey and full of depth.
It's great to see that they are supporting the local chocolate makers too! There was an orange white chocolate, a white pistachio chocolate and a chili dark chocolate! Indulgence!
Nightingale Wines
What a beautiful day! Look at that sky! I had the pleasure of staying at Nightingales, eating at Nightingales and also drinking at Nightingales. Wowzer! Don was looking after us and was lovely.
That's yellow rock in the background there. Beautiful! The photo below is the view from Nightingales.
Location: 1239 Milbrodale Rd, Broke, NSW, 2330
The lunch I had was very homely and filling! It's a large meal. It's not quite as posh as Margan's but you might be looking for a big meal to soak up all that wine you've consumed.
I was eyeing off the lemon and mandarin fish fillet. It was a very generous portion of fish. The fish was perfectly cooked. There were a few sneaky wedges in there as well.
There were a few other dishes that I was eyeing off nearby. A quiche looking pie with a beetroot and goat's cheese salad looked particularly delicious.
I had the chicken with vegetables which was very filling. This came in handy after several tastings of Nightingale's wine. This has a very vast range of wines to taste. Make sure you try a few of them :)
Prices: Mains are all $36, there are lighter meals too that are $17 to $22
You should taste their wines! They have a lot of varieties to try too.
I suggest you grab a table outside if weather permits where the view is amazing and looks out to the vineyard and yellow rock.
Note: I was a guest of the Nightingales and Broke Fordwich Region Tourism Association. My opinions, however are my own! All the photos are my own!
Check out Part 1 of my Broke adventure here
Stomp! Wines
The owners at Stomp! Wines were so friendly and had a beautiful family. Being a former Sydney Sider family, they have transformed their lives to now living on such a beautiful winery! There is also accommodation here if you are looking for a place to stay.
At Stomp! Wines for $6, I tried a trio of wine which complimented with Hunter Valley chocolates. The highlight for me was the sparkling Verdelho. It was a pleasant rare taste of the sparkling Verdelho; I've never seen this before so it was refreshing to see some innovation and a great tasting Verdelho it was. Ask if you can try their port as well. I bought a bottle of both! Their version of port was very smokey and full of depth.
It's great to see that they are supporting the local chocolate makers too! There was an orange white chocolate, a white pistachio chocolate and a chili dark chocolate! Indulgence!
Nightingale Wines
What a beautiful day! Look at that sky! I had the pleasure of staying at Nightingales, eating at Nightingales and also drinking at Nightingales. Wowzer! Don was looking after us and was lovely.
That's yellow rock in the background there. Beautiful! The photo below is the view from Nightingales.
Location: 1239 Milbrodale Rd, Broke, NSW, 2330
My accommodation was at Nightingale wines which I thought was a very central and great location. It was not far from Margan's, Stomp! Wines and the Starline Alpaca farm. The accommodation was lovely with a spa in the little villa, foxtel on the tv and kitchen facilities.
I was eyeing off the lemon and mandarin fish fillet. It was a very generous portion of fish. The fish was perfectly cooked. There were a few sneaky wedges in there as well.
There were a few other dishes that I was eyeing off nearby. A quiche looking pie with a beetroot and goat's cheese salad looked particularly delicious.
I had the chicken with vegetables which was very filling. This came in handy after several tastings of Nightingale's wine. This has a very vast range of wines to taste. Make sure you try a few of them :)
Prices: Mains are all $36, there are lighter meals too that are $17 to $22
You should taste their wines! They have a lot of varieties to try too.
I suggest you grab a table outside if weather permits where the view is amazing and looks out to the vineyard and yellow rock.
Note: I was a guest of the Nightingales and Broke Fordwich Region Tourism Association. My opinions, however are my own! All the photos are my own!
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
And the winner is... Oscars, Cedar Creek in the Hunter Valley
Located in the Hunter Valley Gardens; Oscars is a casual cafe where you can grab a quick bite for the road. You order at the counter and they bring out your food.
I ordered the burger with the works! The burger was a big stack of beef patty, beef, cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce and bread! It was a giant burger!! Not bad for a casual cafe. The burger with the side of fries was $18. Come by to Oscars if you're looking for a casual eat among the posh wineries.
Location: Hunter Valley Gardens, Broke Rd, Pokolbin, NSW, 2320
Prices: About $20 per head
There's also a nice play yard for the kids nearby.
I ordered the burger with the works! The burger was a big stack of beef patty, beef, cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce and bread! It was a giant burger!! Not bad for a casual cafe. The burger with the side of fries was $18. Come by to Oscars if you're looking for a casual eat among the posh wineries.
Location: Hunter Valley Gardens, Broke Rd, Pokolbin, NSW, 2320
Prices: About $20 per head
There's also a nice play yard for the kids nearby.
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Broke Fordwich Region, Hunter Valley Adventures part 1
The Broke Fordwich region is so beautiful. It's often described as tranquil and the Hunter Valley's best kept secret. The Broke Fordwich Region is so quiet, peaceful and full of the most delicious and palatable food and wine. I've met so many friendly people. I had some great meals here and have met some fun alpacas. I think I've discovered the best parts of the Hunter!!
Check out their website for more info. http://www.brokefordwich.com.
If you are looking to skip the queues, get some real time with the locals and witness some of the magic of where the best wines are made then come to the Broke Fordwich region. Some of the eldest wineries are from the Broke Fordwich area.
Margans
Location: 1238 Milbrodale Rd, Broke, Hunter Valley, NSW, 2330
Prices: $135 for a 5 course degustation with matching wines
I would describe the Margan estate as elegant with a touch of posh. Margan's is a very popular restaurant and cellar door in the Broke Fordwich region of the Hunter Valley. Margan's is full of very easy to drink wine and you will be very tempted to buy lots of wine (which I did on my way home).
I had a sample of the great food from Margan's. The photo above and below was an array of fresh garden vegetables with mascarpone. This was matched with a taste of the 2013 White Label Semillon and also a taste of the 2009 Aged Release Semillon. Light, fruity and just so easy to drink. It was just a touch of heaven.
The 2009 Aged Release Semillon was so delicious that I went back and bought a bottle.
The main (above) consisted of Beef, Leek, Potato and Bone Marrow. The beef was perfectly cooked and was melt in your mouth. The reds to accompany this main were lovely. The 2011 White Label Barbera and the 2011 Special Release Claret. It was not a heavy, full bodied wine - it was a beautiful medium bodied wine that just brought out the flavours in the meat. Another one to buy - The Barbera.
The dessert was the Zokoko chocolate which had a dash of coconut, malt with a side of milk sorbet. Delicious! The perfect sweet treat to conclude the meal. The very sweet 2011 Margan Botrytis Semillon was very easy to drink.
The highlight of Margan's has to be that all their food (aside from protein) is all sourced from their garden which you can take a walk through! You can taste the difference with ultimate freshness exploding in your mouth. The Cellar room is so very pretty and is a popular wedding reception location.
Starline Alpaca Farm
No Hunter Valley trip is complete without the exploration of the Starline Alpaca Farm in Broke Fordwich. It's an accommodation home as well as a place to get to know some cute alpacas. You can buy an alpaca too. Or just buy an alpaca product from the gift shop...
Location: 1100 Milbrodale Rd, Broke, Hunter Valley, NSW, 2330
I met the most amazing alpacas who were very soft, passive and elegant creatures. Kelly, the owner at Starline told me that there are very social white Alpacas named Lucy and Charlie. As we called out "Lucccyyyy, Charrlieeeee", they were very shy and slowly walked up while we fed the alpacas. The baby alpacas were so adorable.
You can experience this for a measly $5 for a bag of alpaca food. I was shrieking in fear, joy and entertainment in one. Alpacas only have teeth on the top so while they eat out of your hand, it's like a gentle nibble on your hand. It was an amazing experience!
If you are game enough then you must see the black alpacas that seem a lot more confident.
Tip: Wear sensible shoes and be careful of alpaca poo. Be aware of where the bag of alpaca food is, that's what they're after ultimately.
Note: I was a guest of the Broke Fordwich Region Tourism Association however all my opinions are my own. Please note that some of my adventures were self funded and I would happily come back to explore everything again. All my photos are my own.
Check out their website for more info. http://www.brokefordwich.com.
If you are looking to skip the queues, get some real time with the locals and witness some of the magic of where the best wines are made then come to the Broke Fordwich region. Some of the eldest wineries are from the Broke Fordwich area.
Margans
Location: 1238 Milbrodale Rd, Broke, Hunter Valley, NSW, 2330
Prices: $135 for a 5 course degustation with matching wines
I would describe the Margan estate as elegant with a touch of posh. Margan's is a very popular restaurant and cellar door in the Broke Fordwich region of the Hunter Valley. Margan's is full of very easy to drink wine and you will be very tempted to buy lots of wine (which I did on my way home).
I had a sample of the great food from Margan's. The photo above and below was an array of fresh garden vegetables with mascarpone. This was matched with a taste of the 2013 White Label Semillon and also a taste of the 2009 Aged Release Semillon. Light, fruity and just so easy to drink. It was just a touch of heaven.
The 2009 Aged Release Semillon was so delicious that I went back and bought a bottle.
The main (above) consisted of Beef, Leek, Potato and Bone Marrow. The beef was perfectly cooked and was melt in your mouth. The reds to accompany this main were lovely. The 2011 White Label Barbera and the 2011 Special Release Claret. It was not a heavy, full bodied wine - it was a beautiful medium bodied wine that just brought out the flavours in the meat. Another one to buy - The Barbera.
The dessert was the Zokoko chocolate which had a dash of coconut, malt with a side of milk sorbet. Delicious! The perfect sweet treat to conclude the meal. The very sweet 2011 Margan Botrytis Semillon was very easy to drink.
Starline Alpaca Farm
No Hunter Valley trip is complete without the exploration of the Starline Alpaca Farm in Broke Fordwich. It's an accommodation home as well as a place to get to know some cute alpacas. You can buy an alpaca too. Or just buy an alpaca product from the gift shop...
Location: 1100 Milbrodale Rd, Broke, Hunter Valley, NSW, 2330
I met the most amazing alpacas who were very soft, passive and elegant creatures. Kelly, the owner at Starline told me that there are very social white Alpacas named Lucy and Charlie. As we called out "Lucccyyyy, Charrlieeeee", they were very shy and slowly walked up while we fed the alpacas. The baby alpacas were so adorable.
You can experience this for a measly $5 for a bag of alpaca food. I was shrieking in fear, joy and entertainment in one. Alpacas only have teeth on the top so while they eat out of your hand, it's like a gentle nibble on your hand. It was an amazing experience!
If you are game enough then you must see the black alpacas that seem a lot more confident.
Tip: Wear sensible shoes and be careful of alpaca poo. Be aware of where the bag of alpaca food is, that's what they're after ultimately.
Note: I was a guest of the Broke Fordwich Region Tourism Association however all my opinions are my own. Please note that some of my adventures were self funded and I would happily come back to explore everything again. All my photos are my own.
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