Barahineban Hunter Valley Winery Tour
Finally, I did the Hunter Valley Winery tour with Bara, a really laid back tour with my friends. The weather couldn’t have been any better. Sunny, hot and almost no clouds in the sky. It was hard to imagine that the winter had already come to Australia. We managed to visit three major wineries; Tyrells’, Tempus Two’s and the Tintilla winery. While both Tyrells’ and Tintilla are being family run and “on earth” in a soothing milieu, Tempus Two brags with a huge glamorous complex, live music, events and concerts with artists such as Sir Elton John, Rod Stewart and The Beach Boys.
Tyrell’s Winery
“The story of Tyrrell’s Wines is inextricably linked to the story of wine in Australia. It is a story about pioneers, men and women who transformed the Hunter Valley of NSW, planted grapes there and looked for better ways to make wine.
English immigrant Edward Tyrrell planted his first vines in the Hunter Valley in 1858 establishing Tyrrell’s Wines after receiving a land grant in apparently poor pastureland in the lee of the Hunter Valley’s Brokenback range. He had 50 acres of vines on a 320 acre estate named “Ashmans” after the Tyrrell’s English Estate. His first vintage was in 1864 and by the turn of the century the land had became recognised as some of the Hunter Valley’s finest vineyard land.
The Hunter Valley was ideal for the production of premium wines, notably Shiraz in the reds and Semillon in the whites. Both made table wines of power and distinction, with the ability to age beautifully in the bottle. These two varieties provided the basis for the beginning of the Tyrrell’s premium Winemaker’s Selection Range.”
(source)
Tempus Two Winery
“is proudly home to Roche Wines, Tempus Two Wines & Hunter Valley Wine Country’s premier outdoor events.
Some of our previous events include 2 sell out concerts by Sir Elton John, 2 sell out concerts with Rod Stewart and a night with the world’s greatest guitarist – Santana. More recently we had KD Lang on the main stage and a spectacular performance by Matchbox Twenty and Thirsty Merc.”
(source)
Tintilla Estate
“Tintilla Estate is a family run, 25 acre vineyard in Pokolbin in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine growing area.
Olive trees and woods flank the vineyard with its mosaic of vines planted to match the soils and slopes of the property, creating the unique terroir that produces our distinctive, individual, award winning vines. Our careful attention to the vineyard produces healthy grapes with optimal ripeness and varietal character.
Our low yielding vines produce rich and concentrate fruit with the acidity and tannins that lead to longevity with a softness derived from the Hunter climate.”
(source)
Verdict
Best wine?
Oh no! Don’t ask me about that! I don’t know enough about wine to answer. This was actually the first time I was able to get a hint of how a Semillon, Verdelho, Cabernet, Merlot, Moscato, Shiraz might taste. Enjoying the different desert and fortified wines (everything that’s sweet) the most, here’s a short top 6 list:
- Tyrrell’s Winery: Moscato
– Fantastic colour, nose and palate! - Tintilla: Spritzandi Semillon Lizzie 2007
– Fantastic colour, nose and palate! - Tyrrell’s Winery: Tawny Port
- Tintilla: Edwardo Fortified Semillon 2004
- Tempus Two Winery: Botrytis Semillon 2005
– Very VERY sweet (maybe too sweet?) - Tempus Two Winery: Tempus Two Moscato
– Tastes waterish 😕
Best vineyard?
When it comes to wineyard and its surroundings, my prefered winery was the The Tintilla Estate. It instantly reminds you of a beautiful Sicilian landscape; it’s like suddenly entering one of Coppola’s The Godfather movies, entering the home of Don Corleone (or a scene from the Gladiator movie).