The No.1 magazine for visitors to Hunter Valley Wine Country

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JULY 2016 | ISSUE #113

Gardens

It’s Snowing!At Hunter Valley Gardens

SECRET SHOPPING SPOTS REVEALED!

EVERYTHINGIs Coming up Roses

SATURDAY 2ND JULY | PIGSTY IN JULY | Dashville, Lower Belford | Pigsty in July, the wild little sister of The Gum Ball and Dashville Skyline, is back for 2016, this year headlined by Kiwi rock juggernaut Shihad. The over-18, one-day event has a “second-hand formal” dress code, and a decadent feast of quality boutique beers, fine wines, naughty cocktails and mouth-watering food in a stunning secluded venue, Dashville. Other artists on the lineup include King Tide, Masco Sound System, Justin Ngariki and the Darstardly Bastards and Claire Anne Taylor. This wild event has sold out the past two years, don't miss out in 2016! www.dashville.com.au

SUNDAY 24TH JULY | WINERY RUNNING FESTIVAL | Hunter Valley Gardens | Run, coffee, cake, lunch... wine? Just have a go! The 10th annual Winery Running Festival will be staged at Hunter Valley Gardens and include the Ultra Marathon, Winery Marathon, Half Marathon, 10.3km Vineyard Run, 5.2km Winery Wander and 2km Kids Marathon. Competitors can run or walk any event, start and finish in the same area, as well as enjoy the sport and local produce expo and family entertainment on offer. Enjoy running (or walking) past world renown vineyards and resorts in one of Australia's top wine regions! For more information or to enter visit www.wineryrun.com

9TH, 16TH AND 23RD JULY | CHRISTMAS IN JULY | at Twine and RidgeView | Ever wondered why Australians celebrate Christmas in July? Australia has British and European heritage, hence there is an attachment to the tradition of celebrating Christmas in cold weather - July generally being the coldest month here. It wouldn't be Christmas in July (also known as Yulefest or Yuletide) without some hearty dinners to celebrate! Two of our favourite Hunter Restaurants Twine and RidgeView are in celebration mode, with Twine hosting dinners on the 9th, 16th and 23rd, and RidgeView on the 23rd. Book quickly, as seats will fill up. For menu information visit their websites www.ridgeview.com.au and www.twinerestaurant.com.au

SATURDAY 23RD JULY | WINERY LONG LUNCH | Calais Estate, Pokolbin | More than just a wine tour, Calais Estate and Verandah Restaurant have created the experience all wine lovers are after! Begin with a glass of sparkling wine and canapés, then embark on a tour of the inner workings of a boutique winery. Learn how wine is made and get hands-on designing some of your own sparkling! A 5-course degustation by Verandah Restaurant follows, giving diners the opportunity to sample the Estate’s extensive boutique wine list! To book visit www.calaiswine.com.au

18TH TO 31ST JULY | WINTER ROSE PRUNING | Hunter Valley Gardens | Ever wonder how it’s done? Hunter Valley Gardens have thousands of roses to prune, so let them show you how! With demonstrations and talks throughout the day, you can be sure you are caring for your roses correctly. Don’t forget to pick up your complimentary rose cutting on departure. Winter Rose Pruning is open to the public from 9am to 5pm everyday. Adult entry is $28, children $17 and a family pass is $80 (2 adults, 2 children). You can purchase tickets online at www.hvg.com.au

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FOR YOUR DIARYJuly

WANT MORE? Keep up to date with events in the Hunter by visiting www.huntervalleyonline.com.authb 2 | JULY 2016

1ST TO 17TH JULY |SNOWTIME IN THE GARDENS | Hunter Valley Gardens | Snow Time in the Gardens is a great opportunity for families and friends to get together and experience an icy wonderland over three huge weeks, including the winter school holidays! Chill out on the giant ice skating rink, the 25m ice toboggan and build a snowman in the man-made Snow Play Zone! With games, entertainment, warm beverages and hearty food, there is so much fun to be had for all ages. This is a day and night event running from 10am – 9pm every day. www.hvg.com.au

thb 3 | JULY 2016

Dine at the divine Circa 1876 until the 30th of July 2016 with our decadent 5 Course Tasting Menu for $120 per person (food only). Mention this ad

to receive a complimentary take-home sample of our house made granola!

Our own bees supply bush honey, free range chickens offer up our eggs each day,

and a lush, bountiful kitchen garden is lovingly tended to by Chefs with a passion for presenting

you produce that comes light on carbon footprint and high on flavour.

Sink into the rich soil of Circa 1876 and transport yourself to a truly

exceptional dining experience.

Bookings are essential: info@circa1876.com or PH (02) 4998 4998

64 Halls Road, Pokolbin NSW 2320www.theconventhuntervalley.com

FROM THE EDITORS

ContentsLIKE US ON FACEBOOK!

HUNTER VALLEY GARDENSWe take a look at how a lifelong dream resulted in one of the largest privately owned gardens in the world!

SHOPPING GALOREForget the overcrowded shopping centres, the Hunter Valley provides a hassle-free shopping experience. From antiques to gourmet foods, we have it all!

DESSERT DROPSIs there anything better than curling up after dinner with a ‘dessert’ of the liquid variety? We look at 6 of our favourites…

WINE & HEARTY STEWSHearty stews and soups are easy dinner options in Winter. The difficult part is trying to select a wine to enjoy with them…

ROSE PRUNING It takes a lot of work to get the roses at Hunter Valley Gardens looking so beautiful. This month, we talk to the man in charge of the daunting task of pruning over 35,000 rose bushes.

HUNTER BLACKBOARD MAPThe Hunter Blackboard’s handy guide to finding your way around Wine Country.

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As we go to print winter has well and truly arrived in the Hunter Valley and we can finally stoke the open fires and bunker in with our favourite reds—or possibly a sweet dessert treat (not that we needed an excuse really but it’s always nice to have one!) For a real winter warmer you should check out our recipe for Glühwein – guaranteed to put a tingle in your toes!

Hunter Valley Gardens is fully into the winter spirit with “Snow Time in the Garden” - the second largest feature event for the Gardens (second only to the Christmas Lights Spectacular). Who needs to head south to enjoy a spot of tobogganing or outdoor ice-skating when you can enjoy it all right here! Get the kids off the couch and head out for some family fun.

This issue is the “Gardens” issue and it wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Rose Pruning event which will continue throughout the second half of the month. With over 35,000 bushes to prune (can you imagine it—we struggle with our dozen bushes!), Sean O’Brien could possibly be Australia’s most experienced Rose Pruner—we speak to Sean to get some tips and we also find out his favourite rose variety.

July is also the month for that unique Australian tradition— Christmas in July. Some our favourite restaurants will be hosting this traditional feast – with all the yuletide treats and traditions. You’ll need to book ahead at Twine, Ridgeview Restaurant, Esca Bimbadgen or Harvest as these yummy events generally sell out fast.

Speaking of delicious dinners, is there a better time of the year to top off a meal with a dessert tipple? From Muscat to Botrytis Semillon and everything in between, we look at our top picks for a cold winter night. We also look in depth at the Muscat variety and learn that it is one of the oldest varieties (dating back to the ancient Egyptians) still around today.

When it comes to comfort food you really can’t go past a stew or soup on a cold night and of course, to fully enjoy your meal you’ll need a glass of wine to wash it down! Find out how to match your wine to your soup or stew for a truly heavenly feast! Enjoy (and stay warm!)

Enjoy!