Day Trip to Hunter Valley

Excited as I was to share my Hunter Valley Adventure, I wrote a short teaser on it a few days ago that you can view here. It was a bit of a blogging fail due to technical difficulties because my Blogger app on the iPad kept giving me an error message about insufficient storage when my iPad still had free space, and Blogger has given me no storage limits when I blog through my laptop, so because of that I had to upload my nice pictures one by one... in the tiniest setting possible! Blogger App Boo!!!

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Last Sunday, my aunt and uncle took me to Hunter Valley. It's the region in North South Wales famous for producing Australian Wine. Pokolbin is the center of the Wine Country, and it's where most of the popular Vineyards can be found.

Since I was in it more for the ride, adventure and experience, because I am not really a wine drinker!!!, I was quite excited when someone told me that you could also go there for Cheese Tasting. Now, I may not like wine at all, but I absolutely love Cheese.  

I guess my aunt who is also not a wine drinker, also did her own research. She was telling us about a nice church and a convent which we attempted to go to, but we drove back to the wineries in Pokolbin when we drove quite a while without getting anywhere. The other thing on her list was to visit the Hunter Valley Gardens (HVG). It's the largest privately owned display gardens in Australia that was opened to the public in 2006.

I love how my aunt and uncle enjoy going on road trips. We came ready with a picnic for an authentic Aussie BBQ that we enjoyed at the picnic grounds of the HVG.

Authentic Aussie BBQ
T-bone Steak, Fresh Mushrooms, Chicken and Pork marinated in my aunt's special sauce and grilled with garlic. 

Tita Tess and Tito Boy BBQing our lunch

My job was to reserve our picnic table.

Bon Appetit!

After lunch we went to the famous Hunter Valley Gardens

Hunter Valley Gardens is a really big place with a shopping village, a picnic area, a golf course, an aqua golf (driving range where you hit the balls into the lake) area, the display gardens of course. There may also be other facilities I've failed to mention. Entrance to the Hunter Valley Gardens is free. Usage of the the picnic tables is also free, but there is a token charge of AU$1 to use the BBQ grill. It's only if you want to enter the Display Gardens that you need to pay an admission fee (AU$24 adult, AU$12 children 4-12). The gardens were created by Bill Roche, of Roche wines, so there must be a vineyard around there too. There are ten themed gardens over a span of 60 acres. At first we attempted to walk, but because it was a really, really hot and sunny day, my aunt and I gave in to the heat and bought tickets to take the train (additional AU$7 per person which is really worth it if you ask me!).

After five minutes of walking, we were so happy to see this!!! Shade with seats!

Entrance to the Indian Mosaic Garden

Other side of the Indian Mosaic Garden
shot in vivid with the Canon S95

At the entrance to the Chinese Garden

Rose garden around the sculptures of a grandmother and all her grandchildren

Flowers that attracted my attention while waiting for the train tour.
Can you spot anything? 

Can you spot the difference?
Answer: in this one, there is a small bright blue bird. The other picture had a grey one.

I volunteered to drive the train.

Humpty Dumpty from the Storybook Garden

The chapel on the hill was built because Roche's daughter wanted to get married in the gardens in 2001.

The chapel entrance is across the shopping village.
You see the gardens at the back of the altar.

Grass Horses

Japanese Garden shot in vivid mode

The heat was so bad, I actually developed a headache. Boooo...

We did a quick visit to the Shopping Village just to check if anything tempted us, but there was none.

The Hunter Valley Chocolate Factory was rumored to be nearby, but all we saw were shops selling it.

In true Aussie fashion, they have the chocolate version of Three Sisters.

Yummy Strawberries dipped in Belgian Chocolate.

This is the interesting display in the liquor store.

We then went to the Hunter Valley Cheese Factory and McGuigan Wines which was just nearby. I was very intrigued about the Cheese Tasting Activity I found on the internet advertising a Cheese Tasting Session of five cheeses, with water and biscuits provided for less than AU$10. There are different packages with refreshments, etc., with the price differing accordingly. They recommend that you book ahead of time. Well, since our plans were flexible, we did not bother booking anything. This meant that we just actually missed the Cheese Tasting Session that happened at 3pm. However, the store had a lot of cheese tasting booths where you just point to what you want to taste, and they let you taste it. the idea of course is that you will buy what you want. I was just in it for the free cheese. Hahaha.

At the Cheese and Wine Factory
Hunter Valley, Australia 2012

Sorry, I could not resist another spot the difference picture.
Capetown, South Africa 2011

Cheese Tasting Area

They just finished when we arrived. Booo...

I had my fill from this lady's booth (and then I moved on to another lady)
though the cheese is basically the same.

Sampling Size

You can also opt to buy the Cheese Tasting Platter but it doesn't come with free ambiance.

Everything in Hunter Valley can be tasted.
They also have a lot of olive products, as well as dips and dressings.

After I had my fill, we walked over to the smaller vineyard beside it.

The vineyards and the blue sky look so pretty.

We found a lone bunch of fermented grapes.
I never knew they were left to ferment on the vine!!!

A closer view.
I overheard someone say, these are Muscat grapes for Muscato Wine.
It got it's name because mosquitos come to them! Hahaha.

Wine Tasting and Wine Sales

At the toilet in the winery.

I loved our Hunter Valley Adventure. If I had a chance to go back, I'd book a slot for the Cheese Tasting and try some sweet wine, and then sleep the whole way back, which was what I did anyway, but only because I was willing my heat induced headache away.

Hunter Valley Gardens

Pokolbin, Hunter Valley

Normal Garden Entry is from 9.00am - 5.00pm ~ Monday - Sunday

Hunter Valley Cheese Factory

McGuigan Wines

Brokenwood Wines

McDonalds Road, 

Pokolbin