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

B L A C K B O A R D

SEPTEMBER 2015 | ISSUE #103

THE

IN SEASON:

Spring

Spring Fare

THE RIESLING REVIVAL

EDIBLE FLOWERS A Budding Trend?

HunterValleyOnline.com.au

thb 2 | SEPTEMBER 2015

1ST - 30TH SEPTEMBER | SPRING FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS | Hunter Valley Gardens | The Spring Festival of Flowers is an event designed to immerse visitors in a visual and sensory experience they will never forget! There are over 100,000 annuals planted throughout Hunter Valley Gardens along with fabulous entertainment, activities, attractions, demonstrations, talks, tours and workshops. This event provides stunning viewing and hands-on experiences for all visitors. For more information and to book tickets visit www.hvg.com.au

FRIDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER | SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL SHOWCASE | Cessnock Performing Arts Centre | Following on from the enormous success of the 2014 show, The Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase will be bringing the best of the 2015 Festival back to the Cessnock Performing Arts Centre. Boasting a line-up of the best local and international comics and showcasing some of the funniest and freshest emerging talents, you will be left sore from belly laughs at this jam-packed night of pure entertainment! So call your friends, book the babysitter and grab your tickets to the funniest night of entertainment you will see all year! For more information visit www.cessnockperformingartscentre.com.au

SATURDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER | WOLLOMBI MUSIC FESTIVAL | Wollombi Now in its sixth year, Wollombi Music Festival is fast becoming one of the area's most loved small festivals, with a line-up and energy that embodies the term ‘boutique’. Wollombi Music Festival combines a beautiful mountain setting with an awesome adjacent camping area, and fills its two stages with an eclectic mix of Australian bands. It’s colourful, friendly, and full of great music, awesome markets and more! The festival is located just two minutes outside the historic village of Wollombi at 2758 Wollombi Road, next to Wollombi Wines. For more information visit www.wollombimusicfestival.com.au

SATURDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER | WOLLOMBI WILD RIDE | Wollombi The historic township of Wollombi will be in for a wild ride with the fifth version of this exciting mountain bike event held throughout picturesque countryside in the Lower Hunter Valley. Event organiser Paul Humphreys of H Events said the event is being held to promote mountain bike riding, health and fitness and the community of Wollombi. With the event compound located next to Wollombi Tavern and great live performances after the race, it is an event not to be missed! For more information visit www.wollombiwildride.net

25TH AND 26TH SEPTEMBER| SINGLETON SHOW | Singleton Showground | This year will see the 143rd annual Singleton Show, with two big days and two big nights of non-stop entertainment! The event will include pet shows, exciting carnival rides, show jumping, the Singleton Show Rodeo, wood chopping competition, demolition derby, the Australian wife Carrying Championships, plus much more. The Singleton Show has something for everyone! For more information visit www.singletonshow.com

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SATURDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER | AUSTRALIAN WIFE CARRYING TITLES | at the Singleton Show | Wife Carrying is actually very much like it sounds! Men carrying wives (or girlfriends, sisters, cousins or friends) through an obstacle course that includes sand, water and fences. The team with the fastest time through the obstacle course wins. The Australian Wife Carrying Titles is part of the Singleton Show and has grown to become a major highlight of the event calendar for the Hunter. Teams come from all over the country to compete in this unique event, with the winners given the chance to travel to Finland to represent Australia at the international competition. For more information visit www.singletonshow.com

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

B L A C K B O A R D

ISSUE #103

THE

IN SEASON:

Spring

Spring Fare

THE RIESLING REVIVAL

A Budding Trend?

HunterValleyOnline.com.au

FOR YOUR DIARYSeptember

thb 3 | SEPTEMBER 2015

Dine at the divine Circa 1876 until the 1st of November 2015 with our brilliant lunch special. For only $70 per person you will be treated to

two unique lunch courses (food only). Sumptuous, delicious dishes at an exceptional price!

Begin with a sip of perfection in our Tattinger Champagne Lounge, then head through to your table underneath ornate chandeliers surrounded

by rich, wooden furniture.

Peruse our organically minded, modern Australian, farm to fork menu. If you cannot choose your

favourite from our deep and decadent selection, one of our divine staff will help guide you through

the different dishes available.

Understanding the nuances of each plate will help you create the perfect path for your dining experience.

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 you to a truly exceptional dining experience.

H U N T E R V A L L E Y

64 Halls Road, Pokolbin NSW 2320Phone 02 4998 4998 | www.circa1876.com

It’s a wonderful time of the year to be in Wine Country with a great deal of activities on the go. As the weather starts to warm up it’s the perfect time to be adventurous with a wine tasting tour, a balloon flight or horse-ride. Alternatively pamper yourself at the day spa, take a stroll through Hunter Valley Gardens (which is stunning in Spring) or visit the local markets. Spring is a signal that it’s time to shake off those Winter cobwebs and get out and about in Wine Country.

With September comes warmer weather and the vines come to life with an explosion of green known as “budburst.” We celebrate budburst with Budfest at Briar Ridge again this September. After the enormous success of last year’s event, this day dedicated to enjoying simple pleasures is set to be a regular event on the calendar of good times!

In this issue, we look at our top things to do in the Hunter Valley this Father’s Day and there’s truly something for every Dad! Whether your Dad’s a fan of the active, fun-filled day or more the type to be wined-and-dined, you’ll find some great ideas on page 8.

Most Dad’s we know enjoy a good beer (or two!). In this issue, we look at the very best of the Hunter’s Spring Beers. We also find out some

fun facts about the world of Beer – including the little-known condition known as Cenosillicaphobia which is a fear of having an empty glass (this will never happen in the Hunter Valley so never fear!).

A budding gastronomic trend is edible flowers – no longer the humble garnish, flowers are a delectable treat all on their own. Loaded with vitamins and minerals and packing colour and fragrance this may sound like a new trend but is actually a resurgence of a centuries-old practice.

Spring Fare screams “Lets Party!” and in this issue we look at the very best ways to enjoy the abundance of fresh produce and new menus that fill our tables. From salads to shrimp, salmon to lamb and everything in between, we speak to some of our top chefs and gain some expert guidance (and some recipes to enjoy at home).

As we go to print, the winners of the 2015 Hunter Valley Wine Show have just been announced. In this issue we take a sneak peek at some of the top wines, wineries and winemakers – but we’re saving all the best for our “Winners r Grinners” feature in the October issue – so stay tuned and …..

Enjoy!

FROM THE EDITORS

ContentsFATHERS DAYWhether Dad wants to have an active, fun filled day or be wined and dined, there are many ways to spoil your Dad this Father’s Day…

TOP SPRING ACTIVITIESWith the weather warming and flowers blooming, there is no better time to get out and experience all the fun activities Wine Country has to offer…

HUNTER BLACKBOARD MAP The Hunter Blackboards handy guide to finding your way around Wine Country…

EDIBLE FLOWERSForget just admiring them in your garden, the unique flavours and colours of edible flowers have seen them increasingly appearing on your dinner plate…

SPRING FAREWith so much great local produce now in season, we take a look at the great foods to eat in spring and what wines to match with them too!

THE RIESLING REVIVALDespite being known as the ‘King of Grapes ‘and peaking in popularity in the 1970’s, Riesling gained a bad reputation during the 1980’s. But good news, it is finally making a comeback!

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