Hunter Wine weekend 4/5 Feb

[Geoff]

To the guys (sheepie +geoff) staying at bellevue cottage, we will be there Friday night about 7-8pm. So I guess I'll meet up with you guys at the cottage?

Hi Huyhie - Bel and I are only staying on the Saturday evening..

[sheepie]

To the guys (sheepie +geoff) staying at bellevue cottage, we will be there Friday night about 7-8pm. So I guess I'll meet up with you guys at the cottage?

No worries - I need to get an update from Stubbsy as to who is staying there! Not sure when we'll get there, but I'm make sure everyone has mobile numbers before then

[stubbsy]

Bellevue cottage - Fri Night Leon & Amanda, Andrew & Vicki. Saturday Night same + Geoff & Bel

My place Matt & Philo, Leigh & Me

[Nnnnsic]

And this is a reminder to Dad, should he read this thread:

Book now, already.

Peter, how many places have vacancies up there?

[stubbsy]

There should be plenty of vacancies, although Missy Higgins is headline a Day on the Green on the Saturday. I can recommend some places if anyone needs them

[stubbsy]

Bump

Ouch

[Nnnnsic]

Do you really need to bump an 8 page thread?

[stubbsy]

Do you really need to bump an 8 page thread?

Quite a few people hadn't responded to my request re: Cheese factory/glass blowing & for Sunday Breakfast & Lunch

Update: Dinner is booked for the following people. We are at two adjacent tables.

Me
Leigh
Matt & Philo
Leon & Amanda
Andrew & Vicki
Geoff & Bel

Tyrrells tasting & winery tour:
Me
Leigh
Matt & Philo
Leon & Amanda
Geoff & Bel
Thanh & Tran
Kevin & Jennifer (& Son)
Mikhail & Lara

[Geoff]

For those that are keen on seeing the menu for the breakfast at the Magnum cafe go here

[sheepie]

OK - I will be ringing Draytons tomorrow to finalise details of accomodation (ie: where the heck do we go?). Is anyone interested in a private tasting there Sat arvo? Probably sometime between the lookout and closing time. I'll need numbers asap. Ta
Peter - do you know if they have taxis that would run us from Draytons to the dinner venue? Any idea how far we are talking?

[stubbsy]

The glass blowing is not on (no glass blowing happening now). My plan is to go to Audrey Wilkinson vineyard for a tasting & their wine museum after, but is another yet to confirm. I won't know until the day.

Taxis? Not sure, but I'll find out. I'm driving, but I'll only have room for 1 extra passenger.

And i've just noticeed a typo in the itinerary. Breakfast is 9:00 am to 10:00 am

[Nnnnsic]

I wonder if I should fear a morning wake-up call from Philo...

[Hlop]

What about meeting point? 8:00am Ernest Hill Vinyards entrance? Parking?

[stubbsy]

A vineyard map can be found here

Saturday meeting point
Saturday morning meeting point is the car parking area at Ernest Hill vineyards. Coming from the south (ie from Cessnock) the entrance is on your left just past the car wreckers yard and BEFORE both the Visitor Information centre and the Broke Rd turn off. There is a sign just before the entrance to the winery and another one at the winery gate. If you arrive earlier than 8:00 there is a coffee shop at the Visitor Information Centre. Because of the weather some grapes are being picked Friday morning and there will be no picking on the day, but there are still grapes on the vines (none of the reds are ready to pick yet).

Weather
The latest BOM weather forecast (4:13pm on Thursday the 2nd of February) is:
Saturday - Min:23 Max:32
Isolated showers and afternoon thunderstorms more likely in the northwest. Warm to hot day. Light to moderate southeast to northeast winds.

Sunday
Isolated showers, chiefly morning. Warm day. Southeast to northeast winds.

Bring water to drink, a hat and sunscreen since you'll need them.

Wine tastings
For the wine tastings my guess is these are the people who'll be tasting:
Stubbsy, Leigh, Matt, Leon, Geoff, Bel, Thanh, Kevin, Jennifer, Andrew (no Tyrrells), Mikhail, Lara

And these will not be:
Philo, Amanda, Tran, Kevin's son, Vicki

Meals
I am catering the food for lunch on the Saturday and we'll divide up the cost. If you have any special dietary requirements, please tell me ASAP as I'm doing the shopping Friday afternoon. Please bring a picnic blanket if you have one and whatever you want to drink.

For Sat lunch I have:
Stubbsy, Leigh, Philo, Matt, Leon, Amanda, Andrew, Vicki, Geoff, Bel, Thanh, Tran, Kevin, Jennifer, K & J's son, Mikhail, Lara

Sat night dinner is booked at Leaves & Fishes for the following people:
Stubbsy, Leigh, Philo, Matt, Leon, Amanda, Andrew, Vicki, Geoff, Bel

Sunday at the Hunter Valley Gardens
Admission to the gardens should be $14 per person
For this I have the following people:
Stubbsy, Leigh, Philo, Matt, Leon, Amanda, Andrew, Vicki, Geoff, Bel, Russell, Heath

It will be warm at the gardens and there is not a lot of shade so bring water to drink, a hat and sunscreen since you'll need them. There is a shop inside the garden entrance. The paths are wide and flat but there is a fair bit of ground to cover so wear sensible shoes

Problems?
If any of the above details are wrong, please PM me. Likewise if you don't have my mobile phone number.

Final itinerary below:

[stubbsy]

I wonder if I should fear a morning wake-up call from Philo...

Absolutely - for an 8:00 am start at the vineyards we'll be leaving about 7:00 so it will be a very EARLY start.

[sheepie]

I wonder if I should fear a morning wake-up call from Philo...

Absolutely - for an 8:00 am start at the vineyards we'll be leaving about 7:00 so it will be a very EARLY start.

lol - especially for Leigh! ...and I know what it's like trying to get to bed when you're staying at Peter's too - you'll be up late!

[huynhie]

OK - I will be ringing Draytons tomorrow to finalise details of accomodation (ie: where the heck do we go?). Is anyone interested in a private tasting there Sat arvo? Probably sometime between the lookout and closing time. I'll need numbers asap. Ta
Peter - do you know if they have taxis that would run us from Draytons to the dinner venue? Any idea how far we are talking?

has this been finalised?

[sheepie]

has this been finalised?

Yip - we're tasting at Draytons about 11am.

So far as accomodation goes, I'm about to PM you my mobile in case you need it. Draytons are clearly on Peters map, grid M5 on Oakey Creek Road - I'm told the cottage is around the back of the vineyard shop, supposed to be easy to find

We'll be there by about 7pm (I hope!).

[stubbsy]

The restaurant on Saturday night (Leaves & Fishes) is at H12 on the map in Lovedale Rd. Still checking on the taxi, but I don't have high hopes.

[thaddeus]

Health and I plan to land at the pub next to the gardens at 10:00am on Sunday
We'll then have lunch with everyone at the tavern then head off to Nelson Bay to pick up Birddog et al for a buzz around there, then back to Sydney

[sheepie]

Eighteen bottles, sitting on the bar



Yip, we did try every one of them!!!

(and no, I'm not counting the water bottles in that 18 )

[Nnnnsic]

Now THAT'S a Pano!

[Link]

Looks like it must have been an awesome week-end!

[Nnnnsic]

Indeed it was... big thank you for Stubbsy for organising it all and for Sheepie for getting that Dreyton's tasting which is where that photo comes from.

I now know to never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ask for a "Marsala" again.