The countdown to this year's Hunter Valley Wine & Food Festival has well and truly begun.
The month-long event held in June is made up of more than 30 daily and weekly tastings and experiences as well as unique, one-off events. Think gourmet lunches and winery dinners, wine making, blending and cellaring masterclasses, wine and food pairings, fireworks and bonfires, and experiences including hands-on cooking classes for adults and children, painting workshops, cocktail masterclasses and outdoor picnics.
There's a real buzz about this year's festival, given that last year's was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Also, the Hunter Valley is the state's most visited wine region and has experienced strong visitor demand since COVID restrictions eased. More than 9.3 million visitors were recorded in the year ended September 2020.
The Burning of the Barrel at Glandore Estate at the base of the Brokenback Ranges is, as always, a highlight. In 2019 Gourmet Wine Magazine named it in their "Top 50 Wine Experiences" list worldwide. Find out what all the fuss is about on June 26, 3pm to 10pm, at 1595 Broke Road, Pokolbin. Be quick, though, as tickets will sell out.
Other highlights include:
Grange vs the Hunter (Daily 11am-5pm, Wine House Hunter Valley) The 2014 vintage of Australia's most iconic wine, Penfolds Grange, will be up against three Hunter Valley heroes. You'll taste 2014 Penfolds Grange, 2014 Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz, 2014 Silkman Reserve Shiraz and 2014 Mount Pleasant Maurice O'Shea.
The 100m Meal (Every Sunday in June, 2pm, Margan Wines & Restaurant) Everything on your plate and in your glass has been grown within 100 metres of your restaurant table. Chef Joey Ingram takes you on a tour of the one-acre kitchen garden, followed by a three-course lunch in the hatted Margan restaurant.
Whispering Brook Olive Long Table Luncheon (June 5, noon to 4pm, Whispering Brook) Enjoy an alfresco Mediterranean-inspired lunch among the olive groves after a walking tour. The four-course menu is being designed by chef Frank Fawkner (EXP. restaurant) and matched with single vineyard estate wines.
Feast at the Scarborough Family Homestead (June 12, 6.30pm) Join the Scarborough family at their original homestead for a winter feast catered by Andy and Janet Wright of Pokolbin Catering Co. A feast will be cooked over hot coals in a wine barrel and matched with wines from the cellar door exclusive The Obsessive Range.
Hunter Valley Wine & Beer Festival (June 19, Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley). The annual wine festival is for the first time incorporating beer because of the growth in premium craft brewers across the Hunter Valley. There will be live entertainment, food stalls and lots of fun activities for the kids including a jumping castle, train rides, a carousel, petting zoo and face painting.
Mini Growers Family Fun (June 29 and 30,Margan Wines & Restaurant) This is a supervised garden tour for kids where they learn how to grow vegetables, feed chickens, compost at home and unearth garden secrets in a scavenger hunt. Mini growers also get to plant a succulent to take home and watch grow.
Hunter Culinary Association Food Fight (June 28, Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley) You be the judge as two top Hunter Valley chefs cook off against two Sydney counterparts.
For details and to download the full program of events, go online to huntervalleywinefestival.com.
Free coffee, anyone?
Oat milk. Have you heard about it?
The Cakeboi himself Reece Hignell is a fan. This Saturday, 8am to 2pm, you can find out what all the fuss is about at 48 Lindsay Street in Hamilton.
And it's free.
"You'll find me behind the coffee machine on Saturday," Hignell told Food & Wine.
"International oat milk brand Oatly have chosen Cakeboi as the venue for their first free coffee day in Newcastle. We are so excited about this."
Trust me. He is. On the house will be: a Floozy coffee made with oat milk; an Oatly chia latte; Oatly's chocolate milk; a cold brew with Oatly oat milk; and a cold brew mocha with oat milk.
"We'll be giving out free drinks made with Oatly. We want to give as many Novocastrians the opportunity to try Oatly as possible," Oatly barista market developer Carolin Jung said.
"Oat milk is a great alternative for people who are lactose-intolerant as well as those who simply want to reduce their impact on the environment without having to forgo the smooth and creamy texture of milk in their coffee.
"Reece, who himself eats a vegan diet, is a big fan of Oatly and our products and Cakeboi is one of the first few cafes in Newcastle to start using Oatly Barista Edition.
"Plus, an Oatly flat white using Floozy Coffee with a slice of Cakeboi vegan raspberry cake is a match made in heaven."
