The Hunter Valley – the good the bad and the very ugly

As professionals in this amazing travel, tourism and hospitality industry it is possible, that we could take an overcritical view of facilities provided to travellers, but at the same time we can provide a very professional view of what we believe should be provided and often what is not.

Hey, I know we are pains in the proverbials, but The Mole hates to see tourists getting second best, when the very best is just around the corner but they just don’t know about it just because that is where their tour operator takes them, in some cases because that is where the operator gets the biggest kick back!

In an interview earlier this year with Andrew Fletcher, the CEO of the Hunter Regional Tourism Organisation, he expressed a concern with the quality of training and welcome offered at some cellar doors and product tasting locations in the Hunter and with that in mind, The Mole went a hunting in the Hunter to see what that welcome and quality of product was really like and discover the good, the bad and the very ugly!

So, let’s get the very ugly out of the way first and then get on to the really good and some were excellent!

A basic principle The Mole seems to be adopting in cellar door visits seems to be to keep away from the big ones, because it appears that very often at least from The Mole’s experience these are really the ones that lack that real welcome that all visitors deserve, whether they buy or not and there is that underlying pressure to sell wine to every punter that comes through the door.

The Mole did visit a number of the big ones, but pretty well in general they fell well behind the welcome and gentle sales approach of the smaller wineries.

The Mole will only mention two very ugly wine experiences with the first being Bimbadgen as while it is a big one, it does profess to have a more upmarket approach, but our experience there was very third rate, although the setting is beautiful – you know the old saying, you can’t make a silk purse out of sow’s ear!

A young gentleman at Bimbadgen, who shall remain nameless, has clearly not found his place in life or he was not happy coming to work that day, because he was miserable, unsmiling, dismissive and demonstrating little interest in his job or the customers and when asked to tell The Mole about the wine and its production, etc dismissively said. “There’s very little to tell really”.  It also took ages to get him to come back and top up our tasting glasses with another wine and say anything more than” This is a…………”.  So, as they say in the Eurovision song contest, nul point for Bimbadgen.  Sorry mate – try smiling and being nice to people and your life will change!

Another “big” location is the combined Hunter Valley Cheese Company and McGuigan wines set up and The Mole went there intending to taste some nice blue cheese.

Unfortunately, we met another person that has not found her place in life and did not want to be at work, because she had more attitude and tats than a bikie gang member and basically just did the same as our “friend” at Bimbadgen, stuffing the cheese at us on a cracker with a “The is a ………………..” avoiding all eye contact and looking elsewhere!  When The Mole asked for the cheese not on a cracker it was met with a shrug and heavy sigh with a knife stuffed across the counter, with no comment!  I was too scared to take photo of her, but did take a photo of the outside with an empty fridge, some dirty old chairs and tables and what appeared to be a broken umbrella – sadly there were lots of overseas coach groups there and even more sadly this is what they are presented with as a part of the Hunter experience!

So, once again, as they say in the Eurovision song contest nul point for The Hunter Valley Cheese Company – we did not go to McGuigans, as it was packed – we just got out of there!

Now on to the very good indeed.

If you want to discover some really good wineries in the Hunter, the first port of call is with Brett at the Boutique Wine Centre.  Happy, smiling and very knowledgeable, Brett will give you all the inside tips for where to go and where not to go and where to get a bargain and where not.  Ten points for Brett.

We were advised to go to see Brett by Chris Hamilton at The Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, which already gets ten points.

By the way, Brett is growing a moustache for “Movember”for charity – he says that he does not normally look like a Mexican bandit! 

First port of call is Keith Tulloch, where they produce a very interesting range of wines, some rather different, but all nice and tastings set on a balcony overlooking the vineyard.  The happy smiling Annie did a great job in keeping everyone very well informed about all the wines and dashing about giving descriptions and ideas – Ten points for Annie at Keith Tulloch and that was a great sticky!

On to Blue Tongue Brewery to taste some local beers (now made in Newcastle) and while a pretty average visit, it is different and you must try the seven I think, beer tasting paddle!  Four points for Blue Tongue.

Time for lunch and where better – actually nowhere better, than with the delightful Aggie at Tattlers, where they also have some really great wines.  Great tapas and other delightful bits and pieces for lunch and you have to try the scallops wrapped in prosciutto!!    Aggie, we had a great time – ten points for Tatler!

Now on to the piece de la resistance – you just have to go to the Bannorie Cheese Factory and you have to try their Labna cheese – yes it is to die for!!  If you can, have a chat with the bubbly and highly passionate about cheese owner Sarah and their delightful young artist and cheesemaker in training Laura – a great day – ten points (I would give them twenty if I could!) for Bannorie!

To close off the day we visited three excellent wineries and they all deserve ten points.

They are: –

Lakes Folly – where we met a delightful young lady who really knew her wines, but The Mole was getting a little tired by now and forgot her name – sorry – she was excellent though – ten points!

Waverley Estate – you must meet the Daniells and of course their dog Jack, (yes you guessed Jack Daniells!) as they have aged wines and they are scrumptious – Jack has been trained to sniff a corked wine – if he licks the unopened bottle, it is corked – ten points for the Daniells and ten points for Jack!

Marsh Estates –  where you will meet the most amazing Denise, who has worked at Marsh for thirty years and what she does not know about Marsh and wines is not worth knowing and she clearly loves her job, displaying amazing passion and commitment – ten points for Denise – excellent.

So Molers, please feel free to follow in the footsteps of The Mole in the Hunter Valley and The Mole suggests that you stick with the ten point winners and you will not be disappointed- The Mole also suggests that you avoid the others!

A report by The Mole on the road in the Hunter Valley