Australia's Hunter Valley

[raggedy1]

can anyone recommend "must see" wineries in the Hunter Valley area of Australia?

[Bucko]

Rosemount hits the top of my short list.

Bucko

[Innkeeper]

You can add Tyrrell, but their Long Flat Vineyard, that produces some good wine, doesn't sound very exciting.

[Drew]

Rags, here's an interesting web site.

http://www.winecountry.com.au/

Drew

[raggedy1]

thanks for all the responses. I know this will be a memorable trip!

[raggedy1]

had a great couple of days in the Hunter Valley wine country (australia)! In two days, we visited over 20 wineries. Having to decide on which wines to purchase was not easy! This is the breakdown of what we purchased: 98 Tyrell's Vat 8 Shiraz/Cab, 2000 Rothbury Gerry Sissingh, 96 Tulloch "Hector" Shiraz, 2000 Briar Ridge Stockhausen Shiraz, 98 Drayton's Bin 5555 Shiraz, 2000 Peterson's Back Block Shiraz, 99 Capercaillie Clan, 99 Jackson's Hill Cab Franc, 98 Peppertree Shiraz reserve, 98 Brokenwood Rayner vineyard Shiraz...
I tend to prefer big, oppulent wines over lighter/complex wines. The good ones are big and complex, of course. 8)
Highly recommend spending time in the wine country for those visiting aussieland...

[barnesy]

Man, I gotta keep working on that yoga so can I fold myself insides someone else's suitcase. Sounds like you had a great time. Of course, in San Fran...you are just a hop and a jump from BIG Wine style wine country. Australia in the spring, that would be neat.

Wife and I decided that first major trip we take out of the country will be to Germany....I may suggest the Mosel area....hear there's a lot of fun tourist stuff to do....and some rumor about some ok wine [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

Barnesy

[hotwine]

Barnesy, you'll think you've died and gone to heaven when you get to Germany. There's more to see and do (and drink and eat) than you could cram into several lifetimes. CCK can give you some recent info from her visit there, when you get around to planning a trip.
Throw ME in that briarpatch! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[wondersofwine]

Barnesy,
If you do visit the Mosel--plan on an excursion to Burg Eltz (one of my favorite fortresses/castles along with the Heidelberg Schloss). It's so picturesque and in a somewhat out-of-the-way spot near Moselkern (not far from Cochem).
(Fodor's says less than 5 kilometers--3 miles--from Moselkern is romantic Eltz Castle, one of the finest in Germany. The original complex of four separate residences was built between the 12th and 17th centuries, and has been preserved in all its glory. You may need four or five hours to get there and explore it and get back to the main roads. The town of Bernkastel is another favorite along the Mosel. (We often stayed overnight in Traben-Trarbach where rates may be cheaper than Bernkastel or Cochem, etc.)