Hunter Wine weekend 4/5 Feb

[stubbsy]

I've talked about this a number of times here and have finally got this organised. The weekend of 4th & 5th February 2006 there will be a forum outing to the Hunter Valley wine region.

Harvest will be in full swing; the vines will be lush and green; the grapes will be plump and juicy; the skys will be blue with fluffy white clouds; there'll be people in the fields picking the fruit of the vine and dumping them into big tubs. It will be warm, but fun. Or it may rain - then you'll get that lovely light that comes during and after a summer storm. There will still be people picking. They'll have interesting mud caked gum boots to take pics of while they slog through the vines. Either way you're in for some very interesting photo ops.

I've organised access to a vineyard and there will also be tastings at a few local wineries and probably a winery tour - you have every chance of getting to taste a wine grape fresh from the vine (very different to a table grape's flavour) and may even get to try some freshly crushed juice.

We will also have an outing to Hunter Valley Gardens - more great photo ops of lots of flowering plants and trees.

This is a weekend outing and there are lots of places to stay. I'll be organising a dinner on the Saturday night. This will require a deposit. More details will be posted soon. For now I need to get an idea of numbers, so if you are interested, please indicate by posting here.

Late November I'll be back with a proposed timetable and more details.

Numbers will be strictly limited, so get in now.

[birddog114]

Thanks Peter,
Pls. put down my name and Tran.

[birddog114]

One question for you Peter,
Is the dinner planned inside the Maitland gaol?
If yes! I need a double bed & double shackle instead of the single.

[radar]

Sorry,

would love to be there, but that is my wife's birthday w/e. Highly recommended for those that may be thinking about it, plenty of notice, time to plan now, only good excuse for not going is if it is your wife's birthday

As a note, usually need to book two nights accomodation on the w/e in the vineyards, so plan to be there Fri and Sat evening.

Great trip Peter!!

Cheers,

radar

[Hlop]

Peter,

Me, Lara and Taya. If girls aren't going I'm going ANYWAY myself

Mr.Birddog! It's not a placeholder I'm going for real

[birddog114]

Sorry,

would love to be there, but that is my wife's birthday w/e. Highly recommended for those that may be thinking about it, plenty of notice, time to plan now, only good excuse for not going is if it is your wife's birthday

As a note, usually need to book two nights accomodation on the w/e in the vineyards, so plan to be there Fri and Sat evening.

Great trip Peter!!

Cheers,

radar

radar,
Make a BD party for her surrounded with many friends in the Hunter Valley is a good ideal!

[stubbsy]

Sorry,

would love to be there, but that is my wife's birthday w/e. Highly recommended for those that may be thinking about it, plenty of notice, time to plan now, only good excuse for not going is if it is your wife's birthday

As a note, usually need to book two nights accomodation on the w/e in the vineyards, so plan to be there Fri and Sat evening.

Great trip Peter!!

Cheers,

radar

Good point Andre.

I'd recommend this as we'll have a fairly early start on the Saturday morning.

[birddog114]

going I'm going ANYWAY myself

You're a bravest man!!!!!!

Mr.Birddog! It's not a placeholder I'm going for real

I don't think you will be a cup holder in 2006, you're in 2005

[radar]

Make a BD party for her surrounded with many friends in the Hunter Valley is a good ideal!

I'll wait till after the Christmas dinner to make my decision, maybe after meeting you guys once, that will be enough

radar

[Hlop]

I don't think you will be a cup holder in 2006, you're in 2005

I can easyly do that every year But I'm getting sick of it myself

[sheepie]

Natuarally, we'll be there

Well - at least me anyway, will see closer whether my fine wife wants to join us

[big pix]

PLEASE NOTE......TYRRELLS WINERY IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON SUNDAY........ NOT EVEN DURING VINTAGE.........

[birddog114]

PLEASE NOTE......TYRRELLS WINERY IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON SUNDAY........ NOT EVEN DURING VINTAGE.........

Stubbsy is BIG SHAREHOLDER of Tyrells Winery
And he knows where all the backdoor are

[huynhie]

Vicky and I are interested

[big pix]

PLEASE NOTE......TYRRELLS WINERY IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON SUNDAY........ NOT EVEN DURING VINTAGE.........

Stubbsy is BIG SHAREHOLDER of Tyrells Winery
And he knows where all the backdoor are

TRUST ME......WINERY CLOSED ON SUNDAY........

[birddog114]

TRUST ME......WINERY CLOSED ON SUNDAY........

big pix,
We will make our Stubbsy working hard

[Hlop]

TRUST ME......WINERY CLOSED ON SUNDAY........

Then we'll take barb-wire cutters with us Or ram the gate

[birddog114]

We will have Air and Ground forces cover during our raid!!!!!

[big pix]

ask me nicely and I will tell where you can get the best pix's at Tyrrells as I have been shooting the winery for many many years........

[moggy]

ask me nicely and I will tell where you can get the best pix's at Tyrrells as I have been shooting the winery for many many years........

Please...pretty please with wine corks on..

Bob.

.

[birddog114]

ask me nicely and I will tell where you can get the best pix's at Tyrrells as I have been shooting the winery for many many years........

Thanks Big pix, sure we will.

We also have some spies and special agents in the area too

[stubbsy]

PLEASE NOTE......TYRRELLS WINERY IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON SUNDAY........ NOT EVEN DURING VINTAGE.........

Bernie

Yep - know that. Been going to Tyrrell's for a long while. My idea is tasting & tour there on the Saturday (hopefully with Flash present). Sunday is other vineyards & Hunter Valley Gardens.

[DVEous]

... Obsolete ...

[Geoff]

Peter, fantastic idea...thanks for organising. I just read this thread out to Bel (well your initial post) and we are DEFINATELY both in. I have now pencilled this into the diary to request off and make sure no photography jobs that w/e. We're both very excited!

[big pix]

PLEASE NOTE......TYRRELLS WINERY IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON SUNDAY........ NOT EVEN DURING VINTAGE.........

Bernie

Yep - know that. Been going to Tyrrell's for a long while. My idea is tasting & tour there on the Saturday (hopefully with Flash present). Sunday is other vineyards & Hunter Valley Gardens.

there will not be many pix's taken after a wine tasting with flash........enjoy

[birddog114]

Peter, fantastic idea...thanks for organising. I just read this thread out to Bel (well your initial post) and we are DEFINATELY both in. I have now pencilled this into the diary to request off and make sure no photography jobs that w/e. We're both very excited!

Geoff,
Make sure you're this time! Lot of fun and both of you will enjoy touring the region same as discovering lot of hidden shooting opportunities with the locale.

Otherwise, Hilop won't be happy with his record holder

[sheepie]

there will not be many pix's taken after a wine tasting with flash........enjoy

Who's flashing? Depending on the subject, we may need to have tasted LOTS of wine!

[big pix]

sorry ........ FLASH works for Tyrrells.......

[stubbsy]

Do yourself a favour whilst in Pokolbin, and visit Honeytree Estate.
Try their unique "Clairette".

Called into that cellar door back this February, and we now get it delivered up here by the case... and we'll be on our third case soon.

A fantastic drop, if you like a light Semillon type of medicine!

We managed to get in 21 cellar doors in our 3 day long-weekend down there.

Adam

A friend who now works cellar door at Ivanhoe formerly worked for Henk at Honeytree. I have some Clairette in my cellar ( a great young drinker), but also recommend their reds.

[Killakoala]

Count me in. This is something i've wanted to do for quite a while. (The vineyard photography, not the drinking, i do that anyway)

Besides, this will be my last opportunity for a long time to venture out with you guys and gals.

[birddog114]

Besides, this will be my last opportunity for a long time to venture out with you guys and gals.

Killakoala,
Pls. tell us more why?

[Killakoala]

Between January 23rd and the end of August, i will only have three weeks at home due to work commitments and then i move to Nowra.

Change of scenery, more photo opportunites.

[birddog114]

Peter,

Have you head counted all the attendees?

This fun excursion to the Hunter Valley should not be missed!

[stubbsy]

Peter,

Have you head counted all the attendees?

This fun excursion to the Hunter Valley should not be missed!

Well at this stage I have:

birddog - 2
stubbsy - 1
hlop - 1 (+2 possibles)
sheepie - 1 (+2 possibles)
huynhie - 2
Geoff - 2
Killakoala - 1
Gary - 2

Total = 12 + 4 possibles

Not quite full yet, but getting very close

[Hlop]

Peter,

At this stage I can say:
hlop - 2 (+1 possible)

[birddog114]

I think 10 is more than enough! 14 is too crowded.
And it's good time to remind the attendees to reserve/ booking their accomodation in the region.
I'll driving down from BH as mentioned.

[birddog114]

Peter,
You may give or select a meeting point & time, people will go straight to that point at the early hours of first day 4/2/05 regardless where are they staying.
Have you come up with the costing for lunch? dinner? ball? for two days yet? or just the cost for first day (4/2/06) for non-overnighter.

[stubbsy]

There's a chance (courtesy of sheepie) to get a house with 2 double and 3 single beds at a bargain price right in the vineyards. Dinner etc will be sorted and an itinerary by end of November.

[gstark]

Include me for deux.

Thanh, I think there's plenty of time for organising a meeting point; this isn't for another three months.

[birddog114]

Include me for deux.

Thanh, I think there's plenty of time for organising a meeting point; this isn't for another three months.

Gary,

Yes, I know, December and January are the deadly months of the year, some will be away, some will be broke after Xmas lust by the time people return to work in late January or early Feb. 06 with the withdrawn symptons

Australia Day next year in Jan 06 will be on Thursday, so there's a chance of a long, long weekend with Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday off, return to work on Monday and off to the Hunter Valley on Saturday, it is the excursion upto the Hunter Region, also Saturday 28/01 is Chinese NY festival at the Phuoc Hue Monastery in the evening.

Will people be ready to keep their comittment to the calendar or not?

We need to have some ideas for organizing lunch & dinner and accomodation.

Peter needs to talk with his contacts same as doing the research for the best & economical places around for photography and having funs.

I think, we (Peter & I) need to work it out before the 10 Dec.

[gstark]

I agree that the underlying organisation needs to be completed now, but deciding upon, and then posting, meeting arrangements probably doesn't quite have the same urgency, holidays and such notwithstanding.

I know that I certainly won't even pay attention to that sort of stuff until maybe mid-January at the earliest.

[Geoff]

I have notified work that I won't be available for the week end of the 4th and 5th of Feb, and I think Bel has done the same too!

I'm very excited about this meet however the meeting arrangements (for me) can wait, the fact is, we are booked in and ready for it to happen I'm excited (and I'm not Big Kev).

Can I please also recommend the Alpacca Farm Stay for accomodation!? I have stayed here once before when attending a wedding and it was lovely!

http://www.starlinealpacas.com.au/

[stubbsy]

*** Space for this weekend is now all taken ***

If anyone is interested, please still say so, just in case someone cancels.

[birddog114]

Stubbsy,
Special request:
Mitedo and his wife will join us at this excursion, so please add them into the list as we discussed last week.

[stubbsy]

Stubbsy,
Special request:
Mitedo and his wife will join us at this excursion, so please add them into the list as we discussed last week.

Birddog. Already heard from Kevin and added him.

Here's the updated list:

birddog - 2
stubbsy - 1
hlop - 1 (+2 possibles)
sheepie - 1 (+2 possibles)
huynhie - 2
Geoff - 2
Killakoala - 1
Gary - 2
nnnnsic - 1
mitedo - 2

That's 15 + 4 possibles.

The bargain no frills accomodation is booked - I'll have more details once I've spoken to sheepie - watch this space.

[mitedo]

Thanks Stubbsy

[Nnnnsic]

Woohoo! I'm learnin' 'bout wine!

[Matt. K]

Nnnnsic
What's to learn????Open and drink.

[birddog114]

Woohoo! I'm learnin' 'bout wine!

Woohoo! I'm learnin' 'bout whinie. lol

[stubbsy]

A few changes and omissions. Updated list is now:

birddog - 2
stubbsy - 1
hlop - 2 (+1 possibles)
sheepie - 1 (+2 possibles)
huynhie - 2
Geoff - 2
Matt K - 2
Gary - 2
nnnnsic - 1
mitedo - 2

That's 17 + 3 possibles.

Picking starts early in the day so we'll need to be there about 7:00 am on the Saturday monring hence I suggest you book Friday night & Saturday night for accommodation. I'm checking out some possible dinner venues for the Saturday night. I was up in the wine region last night - the harvest is looking good and there are now grapes (albeit tiny ones) on the vines.