Absolutely gorgeous day here in Newcastle. What better way to spend it than sitting in the sunshine, drinking a delightfully crisp Hunter semillon from De Illius Wines. Just doesn't get any better!

#huntervalley #wine #semillon #sunshine

I'm still relatively new to rosé, but since the first time I tasted this "Mrs H" sparkling rosé from Horner Wines I fell in love. Sparkling rosé has a reputation in Australia for being quite sweet but this is not, if there's any residual sugar it must be low. A year in the cellar has also been great for it. Classic strawberries-and-cream on the nose with beautiful full mouth feel, could just drink the entire bottle but had to share it with the wife 😂 #huntervalley #wine #rosé #sparklingwine

In the category of #goodproblemstohave I received some more wine today and discovered that the Vintec is full 😱 guess that means I have to take a bottle out!

Say hello to the lucky bottle, a 2005 Lindemans Shareholder's Reserve Shiraz. A typical Hunter Valley Shiraz, medium body, medium alcohol and soft tannins that have turned to velvet over 18 years of good cellaring. The Stelvin cap also guarantees no spoilage as well! 👌

#huntervalley #huntervalleywine #wine #shiraz

It's a cold windy winter night in Newcastle but the pub is packed so we're stuck outside 😔 At least I have this delicious bottle of bubbles from Tulloch Wines to keep me warm! There's no appellation on the bottle so I'm not sure where the fruit is from but it is bloody delicious! #huntervalley #wine #sparklingwine

A beautiful mid-winter day for the Aberdeen Highland Games (the Hunter Valley version!). Amongst the huge variety of stalls we found (somehow!) Saltire Wines stand.

Based in the Lovedale area of the Hunter Valley, they source fruit from all over the east coast of Australia to produce a range of delicious wines. This prosecco, with fruit from the King Valley (Australia's home of prosecco) is just stunning. Light bubbles, fruit forward. Delicious! #huntervalley #prosecco #wine

Blockade Australia are at it again this morning. I think this is the fifth day now?

They live stream on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlockadeAustralia (though state governments are currently trying to get Facebook to agree to delete their streams)

The media isn't reporting their actions much, so the best place to keep up to date is via the Blockade Australia Media Releases page https://www.blockadeaustralia.com/category/media-releases/

#BlockadeAustralia #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #protest #Brisbane #Melbourne #Newcastle #HunterValley

Blockade Australia has been blockading ports in Brisbane, Newcastle and Melbourne for three days now https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/crime/two-climate-activists-cause-havoc-at-ports-in-newcastle-and-melbourne-in-blockade-australias-eighth-demonstration-this-week/news-story/5414060bf2e2026ad2fcc25ad06ab134

Note that the link goes to Sky News. I tried to find a public network to link to, but could only find an ABC Newcastle report, which (understandably) only really focuses on the Hunter Valley protests https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-21/coal-protests-block-rail-lines-to-newcastle-port/102504056

#BlockadeAustralia #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #protest #Brisbane #Melbourne #Newcastle #HunterValley

Packed bus on its way
Returning from wedding joy
Fateful crash takes lives

#huntervalley #australia #buscrash #haiku #poetry

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-65874374

🙏Sending prayers and Thoughts to All of the victims and their families plus the First Responders involved in the fatal bus crash at Greta🙏 #RIP #HunterValley #NSW #BusAccident #australia

🙏Sending prayers and Thoughts to All of the victims and their families plus the First Responders involved in the fatal bus crash at Greta🙏 #RIP #HunterValley #NSW #BusAccident

This was a new one for me, as these are expensive when released (for me anyway) & very rare on the auction market. Only released in exceptional vintages (only 3 times since this release in 2007) the Ghillie is Capercallie Wine's flagship #Shiraz. And it's a complex beast. With 16 years on it, it still has the fruit of a 3 year old wine, but with tertiary characteristics beginning to develop. Tannins are still grippy so plenty more left in this one. To the cellar with other two you! #huntervalley

Kangaroo family behind our hotel. #HunterValley #NewSouthWales #Australia #WildLife

Long day calls for good wine. 2005 @lindemans_wine Shareholders Reserve Hunter Valley Shiraz. I got this as part of a six-pack so I was hoping it was good and just blown away!

When people hear the words "Australian Shiraz", they are probably not expecting this - medium body and only 13% ABV.

The best part is that I still have 5 more bottles, and because it's under screwcap, I have no concerns that any of the others will be any different.

#wine #shiraz #syrah #huntervalley #agedwine

An absolutely glorious autumn day in the Hunter Valley yesterday, got to visit my adopted semilllon vine Terry who is slowing getting ready to hibernate for the winter now that harvest is done.

And got to have a hit at the Hunter Valley Golf Club at Crowne Plaza resort. Fun course with some interesting course management challenges. All in all, a great way to spend. Thursday 👍

#huntervalley #semillon #wine #vineyard #golf

Celebrating a big win today with this spectacular 2014 Keith Tulloch Shiraz Viognier. The 2014 vintage is widely regarded as one of the very best from the Hunter Valley, and now with 9 years in the bottle it's really singing! Needed about half an hour to really reach its best but when it did, wow! For a wine that can be had for under AUD$40, it's absolutely stunning value.

#huntervalley #wine #shiraz #viognier

2014 is a renowned vintage for Hunter Valley reds, and this one is absolutely superb! A perfect example of the Hunter Shiraz: medium body, soft tannins but fruit forward.

9 years in the bottle has softened the tannins even further: this wine just lolls around in the mouth, just hanging out and inviting you to just chill a little while longer. Absolutely delicious, sad that the winery is no more, but what a testament to their skills.

#huntervalley #wine #shiraz

It's Open That Bottle Night! To celebrate I pulled out my oldest bottle, a 1987 Tyrrells Vat 9 Dry Red. It's 100% shiraz and is made with fruit from vines that were already very old 36 years ago when the fruit for this bottle was harvested. The great news is that most of those vines are still in the ground and Tyrrells still use the fruit for their "Sacred Sites" range.

Even the wife who doesn't like aged wine enjoyed a sip of this.

#openthatbottlenight #huntervalley #wine #shiraz

Whilst this wine isn't from the Hunter Valley, the winemakers certainly are. Peterson's have been in the Hunter for over 50 years now and have become renowned for their reds.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is described in their own tasting notes as "ribena for adults" and I certainly can't fault that, it is very fruit forward. But it also has some lovely soft tannins and after a chance to breath it was delicious. 14.5% ABV so goes down pretty easily as well. The bottle disappeared a lot quicker than we expected 🤣

#huntervalley #australia #wine #cabernetsauvignon

It reached 38 Celsius today with no breeze, a blazing sun and about 90% humidity. As a result, a cold refreshing beverage was required before dinner, and this delightful prosecco from Usher Tinkler Wines was perfect! Crisp, light, but with loads of fruit.

Usher Tinkler is a unique cat, he only makes wines from grapes that he's grown himself so the varietal range is reasonably tight but with lots of different expressions.

Most prosecco from Australia is produced in the King Valley (which are delicious btw) but it's great to see a Hunter Valley producer growing these grapes and producing such a fine wine.

#huntervalley #australia #wine #prosecco

Rough day for Hunter Valley vignerons today. After a really tough growing season with significantly more rain than normal, 3 weeks out from when harvest would normally start, and they got smashed with hailstones 😔

Who wants to be a vigneron right?

Really hoping they get some great weather the next few weeks and see what the winemakers can do with the fruit that comes in.

#huntervalley #wine #vigneron #storm #hail #vintage23