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Organics & Biodynamics

NOVEMBER 2014 | ISSUE #93

A wine party!A wine party!HOW TO HOSTHOW TO HOST

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DIARY F O R Y O U R

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1ST & 2ND NOVEMBER | BITTER & TWISTED | Maitland Gaol | This is the one weekend in the year where visitors are queuing up to get into gaol! That’s because Bi�er & Twisted Interna�onal Bou�que Beer Fes�val will be held inside the walls of the ex-maximum security prison. Weekend deten�on will include over 50 cra� beers, a na�onally recognised entertainment line-up and the best prison food you'll �nd! For more informa�on and �ckets visit www.bi�erandtwisted.com.au

1ST & 2ND NOVEMBER | WOLLOMBI SMALL FARMS FAIR | Wollombi| This event started life in 2009 as the Wollombi Valley Country Fair … now in its 6th year the fair has received a major overhaul, incorpora�ng the best of past fairs. All weekend there’s wine tas�ng, food and local produce stalls, arts and cra� market stalls, street and musical entertainment. As part of the 2014 Fair you’ll �nd a huge range of ac�vi�es for the whole family, from the Lantern Parade and Mower Mardi Gras, to the Classic Car Display and Scarecrow Compe��on. For more informa�on visit www.wollombismallfarmsfair.com.au

TUESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER | 2014 MELBOURNE CUP | Throughout the Hunter Valley| Four great loca�ons bring the fabulous Melbourne Cup to downtown Hunter Valley! Race day comes alive at Harrigan’s! Tickets include canapes on arrival, 3 course meal and 4 hour premium beverage package. For more info and �ckets visit www.harrigans.com.au Revel in the party that stops the Valley at Gold�sh! For more info visit www.thegold�sh.com.au Roberts Circa 1876 will also be holding their annual Melbourne Cup spectacular. For more info visit www.robertscirca1876.com And �nally—for a spot of bubbly race day ac�on visit Peterson House at www.petersonhouse.com.au

7TH NOVEMBER—26TH JANUARY | CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SPECTACULAR | Hunter Valley Gardens |Every year Hunter Valley Gardens bring thousands of families together to celebrate the magic of Christmas at the Christmas Lights Spectacular. Open every night with over 1.5 million Christmas lights on show throughout designated areas of Hunter Valley Gardens. Special guest Santa Claus, live entertainment and food and beverages available for purchase on site. There’ll also be Santa photos (for kids of all sizes) taken by a professional photographer. Special night rates apply. This is an event the whole family will enjoy. For more informa�on visit www.hvg.com.au

SATURDAY 8TH NOVEMBER | A DAY ON THE GREEN | Bimbadgen |To celebrate his 30th anniversary as a solo ar�st, Jimmy Barnes plays A Day on the Green at Bimbadgen with The Living End, Baby Animals, Mahalia Barnes + The Soul Mates and Nick Barker. Get set for a great a�ernoon! For more informa�on visit www.adayonthegreen.com.au

SATURDAY 15TH NOVEMBER | THE ROLLING STONES | Hope Estate | When the Rolling Stones added a Hunter Valley gig to their postponed Australian tour, no-one was complaining! As one of the world's most enduring bands they’ll be performing in the region for the �rst - and most likely last - �me. The Stones - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Wa�s and Ronnie Wood - last toured Australia in 2003. Their 14 On Fire tour was postponed a�er the tragic death of frontman Mick Jagger's partner L'Wren Sco� in March. Mick Taylor, who was a member of the Rolling Stones from 1969-74, will be a special guest. For more informa�on visit www.hopeestate.com.au

UNTIL 23RD NOVEMBER | SCULPTURE IN THE VINEYARDS | Throughout Wollombi | Celebra�ng its 12th anniversary, Sculpture in the Vineyards is Australia's largest outdoor sculpture exhibi�on. The event features over 100 outdoor sculptures and exclusive bou�que wines. Join Sculpture in the Vineyards and enjoy the hospitality and natural beauty of these excep�onal venues and the breadth of talent from the juried selec�on of artworks along the Wollombi Valley Wine Trail. Sculpture in the Vineyards is a celebra�on of art, food and wine where picturesque bou�que vineyards and cellar doors are transformed into �ve temporary sculpture parks. For more informa�on visit www.sculptureinthevineyards.com.au

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EDITORS f r o m t h e

HIGHLIGHTS SCULPTURE IN THE VINEYARDS | Returns in 2014 | The Hunter Valley’s largest sculpture fes�val, the spectacular Sculpture in the Vineyards in the Wollombi Valley, is back again for 2014….

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HOW TO HOST A WINE PARTY! Looking for an excuse to get together with your friends to enjoy a few glasses from the latest Hunter Valley vintage? A Wine Party may be just the shot...

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IT’S ONLY NATURAL | Organics & Biodynamics Organic winemaking in Australia has gained signi�cant popularity to the point where there is now a fast growing number of organic farmers in the Australian and global wine industry….

IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY | At McLeish Estate This bou�que Hunter Valley winery has been successfully producing premium wines for the past 29 years with owners Robert & Maryanne McLeish overseeing all aspects of the family business with the help of their daughter Jessica...

20 A DARK HISTORY | The Rothbury Riots Peel back the vines and take a peek at a dark piece of Hunter Valley history as we explore the infamous Rothbury Riots of 1929….

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HUNTER BLACKBOARD MAP | A popular addi�on to each and every issue. Use it to �nd your way around Wine Country...

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You know Christmas is almost upon us when Hunter Valley Gardens start stringing up the lights! The annual Christmas Lights Spectacular will be dazzling us nightly with brand new displays and over 1.5 million lights. Each year seems to surpass the previous year and it's great fun for the kids (big and small). This a family event not to be missed!

Also returning this year is the annual Sculpture in the Vineyards. It's also bigger than ever before with over 60 ar�sts exhibi�ng their work across 4 vineyard venues. Equally as impressive is the latest exhibi�on at the Cessnock Regional Art Gallery where ''Lines of Substance'' - the highly regarded works of 5 sculptors will be on display throughout November.

This month's issue of The Hunter Blackboard celebrates the people behind the magni�cent wines of the Hunter Valley and in par�cular the incredible success of the McLeish family - who are without a doubt the most awarded bou�que Semillon producers in Australia. Read about their long list of na�onal and interna�onal achievements for their range of Semillons on page 20 of this issue.

Con�nuing with the ''Vines and Wines'' theme our feature ar�cle on page 11 explores the growing appeal of Organic & Biodynamic Wines. We talk to the four families who for various reasons took up

organic wine produc�on and are championing the cause for organic and more sustainable farming methods. On page 12 you will also be able to read the tas�ng notes of the wines represen�ng each of these four organic producers.

Rolling into the Hunter Valley this month is the most an�cipated live concert yet - the Rolling Stones ''14 on Fire'' tour. Considered by many to be the ''World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band'', the Stones perform at Hope Estate supported by a dose of young Aussie rock - Bri�sh India and The Preatures.

The Stones tour kicks o� what is going to be a very full and lively outdoor concert season in the Hunter Valley las�ng un�l April 2015 with scheduled performances from John Legend (December), followed by Paul Simon and S�ng (February), Roxe�e (February), The Eagles (March), Billy Idol, The Angels, Cheap Trick and Choirboys (March) and the recently announced performance by John Farnham and Olivia Newton John in April 2015.

There is so much to do in the Hunter Valley at this �me of the year - with some great restaurants at which to dine at, wine tours, beer tas�ng, live entertainment, Christmas events, galleries and outdoor art exhibi�ons, shopping, glass blowing and so much more and it can all be found in this issue of the Hunter Blackboard.

Enjoy!

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