All blog posts tagged with mudgee area
Mudgee Gourmet Getaway
What visions come to mind when you think of your ideal gourmet getaway? I envisage lots of cheese, wine, music, beer, an abundance of restaurant choices, in a quiet, laid back setting, perhaps with some farmland, historic buildings and some designer shops for good measure. Well dear readers, this is what I experienced during my long weekend, gourmet getaway to Mudgee.
Mudgee is only 265km north-west of Sydney so it would make an ideal weekend mini break. Many old buildings in Mudgee have been classified by the National Trust which adds to the charm of the town. The area is of course best known for its fine wines and numerous cellar doors, but there are so many other gourmet experiences on offer.
My aim was to taste as much as I could of the local produce. The area has embraced a philosophy of producing, buying and eating local, so I have my work cut out for me. On the agenda included some olive oil tasting, honey factory, cheese, condiments, a brewery and many a vineyard.
During our stay the town was bustling with activity, as there was a concert to be held on the green, at the Robert Oately Vineyards. The vineyard organizes a couple of concerts each year and we are told the next is scheduled for the 25th January, and will feature INXS, the Baby Animals and Train.
Mudgee has plenty of hotels and motels, but there are also some lovely bed and breakfasts, farm stays, guesthouses, cottages for a more intimate experience.
So how long do you have available for your gourmet getaway? I have put together a few of my favourite food and wine option for you to consider, but bare in mind, I had only just scratched the surface. I needed an extra day or two as I didn’t quite manage everywhere on my itinerary.
DIY Cheese Plates @ Thistle Hill
74 McDonalds Road, Mudgee
Take a drive out to Thistle Hill and put together a DIY cheese plate from the 'Gourmet Pantry'. This pantry' is full of fantastic local and organic products, including olives, tapenades, cheeses, gourmet pastes and chocolates which would make a great start to any picnic. Once you have made your selection you are welcome to sit back on the deck and enjoy the sensational views.
Open Monday-Saturday 10.00am-4.30pm, and Sunday 10.00am-4.00pm.
For further information please call 02 6373 3400.
High Valley Wine & Cheese Co
137 Cassilis Rd, Mudge
The High Valley cellar door and cheese factory must be included on any gourmet itinerary of the Mudgee area. High Valley has all my first loves under the same roof, coffee, cheese, wine and a lovely selection of dishes made from fresh, local produce on the café menu. It should probably come as no surprise that this was my first port of call on my “tasting itinerary”. High Valley is just 5 minutes from the CBD and marks the start of the wine trail, so it is also a natural place to begin a tour.
Friends had told me about the amazing marinated feta available from High Valley, so I had been looking forward to sampling it for myself, and it didn’t disappoint. High Valley cheese factory produces five different flavours of marinated feta. These are the Chili, Pesto, Olive Tapenade, Olive Oil and Sundried Tomato. The flavours were truly amazing. I couldn’t choose a favourite and ended up purchasing three gorgeous pots of feta. Before I had even finished the tasting I already had plans to make an Angel Hair Pasta with Prawn from the Chili Feta. I was in cheese heaven! (High Valley Full Review)
High Valley is open from 10-5pm 7 days a week and also features a gallery showing the work of local artists and various locally produced condiments are also available for purchase. For more information phone: 02 6372 1011.
Leaning Oak Mudgee
Cnr Cassilis (Ulan) & Buckaroo Rd, Mudgee
This is a true farm to plate experience. It is very rustic, and maybe a little to “farm like” for some (when we visited we had to wait for the goats to be herded past the tasting rooms ready for milking) so with the smell of goat and wet dog we began our farm tasting experience. Whilst it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it was very honest, and my children loved being so close to the goats.
The goat cheese was lovely and all the cheeses are hand made from sheep and goats milked on the property. Our group of tasters gave the wines the nod as well.
The farm and cellar door are open between 10 am and 4pm on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Or you can book onto a farm & dairy tour by calling for a booking Phone: (02) 6373 3814
Farm Walks
The Leaning Oak also participates in the Farm Walks program which operates every 3rd Sunday of the month. Tours cover three different farms each month and tickets are $20 per family. Some of the participating farms are Sarjay Vegetables, Guneemooroo Olives, Mudgee Gourmet Hazelnuts, Ormiston Free Range Pork, Top Shed Olives Tinja Organics, Cudgegon Olives, and the Native Fish & Yabbie Farm.
Tickets can be purchased at the Mudgee Visitors Centre at 84 Market St, Mudgee or ph: 6372 1020.
Some times you want a little something to eat with your wine tasting. This selection of vineyards below has some great thoughts on food to go with your wine tasting experience.
Vinifera Wines
194 Henry Lawson Dr, Mudgee
Vinifera is latin for grape, this suitable named vineyard has grapes a plenty!
There is also a lovely covered deck overlooking the vineyard which is available for guest to enjoy a glass of wine and a tapas platter, the platters are $18 or $23 with a glass of wine.
Vinifera is open every Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10- 5pm, for further information call 02 6372 2461.
Di Lusso Estate
1094 Eurunderee Lane, Mudgee
Di Lusso specializes in Italian style wines with varieties such as Pinot Gigio, Vino Rosato and Sangiovese. Tasting of the wine range is welcome at the cellar door, as is sampling of the olive oil and fig based condiments.
Guest can also enjoy a game of bocce or a meal by the waters edge overlooking the vines.
The vineyard restaurant specializes in wood fired pizza but also has an a la carte menu which changes weekly.
Mudgee Brewing Co
4 Church Street, Mudgee
Sample some unique boutique style beer brewed on the premises. Enjoy a meal, or simply enjoy the Sunday afternoon live music.
It is the perfect way to spend an afternoon - good beer, good company, good music and great food. Make sure you reserve a table, phone 02 63726726. www.mudgeebrewing.com.au
Robert Oatley Vineyards
Craigmoor Rd, Mudgee
Ph 026372 2208
This was my favourite vineyard during my visit to Mudgee, in part due to the beautifully manicured grounds and picturesque scenery, and partly due to the fact that I adored every wine I tried.
The vineyard produces five different “brandings” of wine. The “Wild Oats”, “Robert Oatley”, “Craigmoore”, “Montrose” and “James Oatley Tic Tok.” They are each produced for a different market, and not all are readily available through out the country. The full range is available at the cellar door so I took advantage of the opportunity to purchase a few favourites.
The cellar door is open seven days per week from 10.00am to 4.00pm. The full range of Robert Oatley Vineyards Wines is available for tasting and purchase at our Cellar Door. Taste one wine or taste them all with our personable and informative tasting crew. Open 7 days 10.00am – 4.00pm.
The full range of Robert Oatley Vineyards Wines is available for tasting and purchase at our Cellar Door. Taste one wine or taste them all with our personable and informative tasting crew. Open 7 days 10.00am – 4.00pm.
Bunnamagoo Estate Wines
603 Henry Lawson Drive, Mudgee
I had experienced wines from Bunnamagoo Estate prior to my visit to Mudgee and I had always been very impressed with the range. The vineyard produces some beautiful wines starting with the Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay and the Sauvignon Blanc all the way through to the Shiraz, Cabernet Merlot and the Autumn Semillon, a lovely desert wine.
Whilst sampling the wines I was offered a private tour of the cellar and vineyards and had the wine making processes explained to me in detail.
The cellar door is open 7 days 10.00am to 4.00pm. Wines are available for purchase by mail order, for enquires please phone ph 02 63733046 or view online at www.bunnamagoowines.com.au
The Farmers Pantry
234 Castlereagh Hghwy, Mudgee
The Farmers Pantry is another stop you have to make on a gourmet tour of Mudgee. Each morning I had my “wake up” coffee here at the café and believe me the breakfast menu is amazing.
The Farmers Pantry houses a collection of Mudgee’s most delicious gourmet produce including the delectable Ormiston Free Range Organic Pork. This is a truly local pork, which is prepared, cured and smoked locally. The pigs have a traceable origin, and are kept in a human manner. Tours of the farm are conducted through the farm walk program.
If you imagine the pantry as a farmyard to kitchen shop experience which also encompasses, local gourmet produce & wares, a providore, delicatessen & café you will begin to understand this unique business.
The pantry provides tasting platters which can be matched perfectly with the wines from Burrundulla Vineyard, just next door.
Burrundulla Vineyard
This is a lovely modern cellar door , which also benefits from the "Farmers Pantry" next door. The wines are beautiful and we took quite a few home with us from here also.
www.burrundulla.com.au for more information call 02 6372 9532
Fairview
6 Henry Lawson Drive, Mudgee
Fairview is home to a number of boutique shops which are worth stopping in for a look. There is the “Small Winemakers” tasting rooms. Here you are able to try wines from a number of the different smaller vineyards in the area.
“Mudgee Gourmet” operates on the same concept. Beautiful local gourmet products such as jams, sauces, condiments and relishes are available for tasting and purchase. There are quite a large number of local businesses represented in the range at Mudgee Gourmet and it is an efficient way of trying a large number of producers wares.
Well I hope you have enjoyed my little Mudgee round up. I had the most relaxing indulgent weekend and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of my stay in the area. There is plenty more to see and do, and so many more vineyards and restaurants than I have covered here. I have done my best to sample a range of beer, wine, cheese and condiments in the name of research, but there is a limit to what a girl can consume in a weekend. Now I am off for a nana nap and big glass of Berrocca!
di Lusso Estate Restaurant
Di Lusso Estate is dubbed “an Italian Experience, in the heart of Mudge.” The vineyard specialized in producing wine made with traditional Italian grape varities such as Pinot Grigio, and Sangiovese. The vineyard also continues the Italian tradition of growing figs and olives for use in cooking, on the table, and in condiments and oils. These products are available to be tasted at the cellar door.
We were visiting di Lusso to experience the restaurants gourmet wood fired pizzas. We were pleased to notice a table at the lakes edge which was big enough to accommodate our large group.
We had a look over the menu and decided to order all five of the savoury pizzas. This way we could all have a slice of each pizza. I was pleased with the decision as I was struggling to choose just one pizza from the range.
We intended to do a little wine tasting while we waited for the meal, and perhaps choose a bottle to enjoy over lunch. Unfortunately the cellar door was busy the whole time! We were unable to do more than sample the olive oils and figs which are available on a tasting table.
Our table by the lake was an ideal spot to watch the kids play bocce and run around on the grass. My curiosity got the better of me and I wandered over to where the pizzas were being made. The set up was all outdoors so I watched the pizzas being topped and then loaded into the pizza oven. It was fascinating and it made me hungry all over again.
In addition to the pizza range there’s a menu which is changed weekly. Two specials which caught my eye were the chicken roasted in tarragon and a pinot grigio wine sauce, and a chorizo and mushroom risotto. I am pretty confident with our decision to order the wood fired pizza, the aroma while they were cooking was just magic.
It wasn’t long before the pizzas started appearing on the table. They were each cut into six slices which suited our group perfectly. The first pizza I tried was the Quattro Fromaggi, or four cheese pizza. I took a deep breath in to inhale all the divine melted cheese smells. With my mouth watering I devoured the slice! It was the cheeseiest, tasties pizza ever! It reminded me straight away of the four cheese panini hubby and I shared in Paris a few years ago. It’s funny how smells and tastes bring back such clear memories.
Once I emerged from my food daze I tried the anchovy and caper pizza with Italian parsely and mozzarella cheese. It was another immediate favourite, a seafoody, salty and cheesey pizza full of flavour.
I shared my slice of Tuscan pizza with the kids. It was made with Tuscan salami, olives sundried tomato and mozzerella cheese. I am always pleased that my kids will eat whatever we are having, it makes dining out much easier.
The vegetable pizza relies on seasonal local produce and is another changing feature on the menu. We enjoyed a pizza of roasted pumpkin, olives, zucchini, eggplant, cherry tomato and mozzarella cheese. This seemed to be a favourite pizza of the kids.
I had been looking forward to trying the pear, proscuitto and gorgonzola pizza. I love strong cheese and I thought the combination sounded perfect. Whilst the pizza was nice, it wasn’t quite what I had hoped. I couldn’t taste gorgonzola at all, and it seemed it had been given a sprinkle of parmesan instead. As a result it was a little dry.
Not to be deterred we decided we would be able to manage one more pizza. We ordered the dessert pizza special. It featured apple and rhubarb with slivers of almond and Mudgee honey in a double cream. I have become a real fan of the dessert pizza lately. This pizza was moist and lush with a beautiful fruity flavour and a great note to end our meal.
We called the kids over to try a slice of the dessert pizza and it was devoured in seconds, so it is safe to say they gave it the big thumbs up also.
The kids continued to play bocce and the adults enjoyed a quiet moment relaxing by the lake.
Di Lusso Estate is located at 1094 Eurundee Lane, Mudgee. It is open Mon- Fri from 9.00 – 5.00pm and from 10.00am -6.00pm on the weekend. For restaurant reservation phone: 02 6373 3125
High Valley Wine & Cheese Co
The High Valley cellar door and cheese factory must be included on any gourmet itinerary of the Mudgee area. High Valley has all my first loves under the same roof, coffee, cheese, wine and a lovely selection of dishes made from fresh, local produce on the café menu. It should probably come as no surprise that this was my first port of call on my “tasting itinerary”. High Valley is just 5 minutes from the CBD and marks the start of the wine trail, so it is also a natural place to begin a tour.
Friends had pre warned me about the amazing marinated feta, and I was looking forward to sampling for myself. High Valley cheese factory produces five different flavours of marinated feta. These are the Chili, Pesto, Olive Tapenade, Olive Oil and Sundreied Tomato. The flavours were truly amazing. I couldn’t choose a favourite and ended up purchasing three gorgeous pots of feta. Before I had even finished the tasting I already had plans to make an Angel Hair Pasta with Prawn from the Chili Feta. I was in cheese heaven!
Adding to my appreciation of this beautiful feta was the knowledge that after recently attending a cheese making workshop I could do this myself. I have learnt the secrets of making feta, and I am planning to extend my knowledge into marinating my own feta and adding herbs from my garden.
Also available for tasting are a number of other cheese varieties included a white mould cheddar, buffalo cheese and a mild creamy blue. All the cheese were absolutely beautiful with the buffalo cheese being a very strong gamey taste, but yet still strangely appealing.
We moved onto the wines, and settled into a comfortable seat for the journey. There is quite a large range available for tasting and they were all lovely. My favourite whites were the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and the Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc, both at $19 per bottle.
I am a red drinker at heart and at the risk of sounding like a lush, I have to say I enjoyed all of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz on tasting at High Valley Vineyard. The 2007 Reserve Shiraz was my true favourite at $30 a bottle. Also the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon was rich, fruity, and truly delicious and only $18 per bottle.
Both Mr GG and I like a nice dessert Semillon and the High Valley Botrytis is a gorgeous drop. A lovely citrus marmaladey lemon tang, cuts through the syrupy sweet nectar. Beautiful, we added a bottle to our shopping list and set off for our next stop.
I will need to return and sample the menu from the Fromagerie Café, the dishes making there way to the terrace looked beautiful, but alas we still have so much more to cover. We cannot spare a couple of lazy hours to contemplate the view over the vines and sample the menu on this visit.
High Valley is located at 137 Cassilis Rd Mudgee and is open from 10-5pm 7 days a week and also features a gallery showing the work of local artists. Various locally produced condiments are also available for purchase. For more information phone: 02 6372 1011.
Vinifera Wines
Vinifera is latin for grape, and this suitably named vineyard has grapes a plenty!
The vineyard is owned by a lovely couple who have planted a selection of Spanish grape varieties such as Tempranillo and Gran Tinto due to the similarities in climate Mudgee shares with the Spanish wine region of Rioja.
Vinifera now produces a great range of wines which would suit many different palates. My favourite whites were the 2006 Limited Release Semillon at $17 per bottle and the 2008 Chardonnay, $19 per bottle.
Once again in the red wine range I found it hard to choose a favourite because they were all to my taste. Finally I decided to purchase the 2005 Tempranillo at $23, the 2004 Gran Tinto $19, and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon at $22 per bottle.
If you haven’t tried a botrytis you are missing a wonderful experience, and I strongly recommend a wine tasting for this reason alone. The 2006 Easter Semillon was amazing, I am yet to meet a port, white or otherwise that I don’t adore.
Whilst our group was enjoying a prolonged wine tasting the children happily played a game of croquet with nana on the croquet pitch. There is also a lovely covered deck overlooking the vineyard which is available for guest to enjoy a glass of wine and a tapas platter, the platters are $18 or $23 with a glass of wine.
Vinifera is located at 194 Henry Lawson Drv, Mudge and is open every Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10am to 5pm, for further information call 02 6372 2461.
Mudgee Brewing Co Restaurant
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than lunching at a brewery and sampling their unique range of beers, whilst listening to some live entertainment.
It’s a hard life, but someone has got to do it. We are visiting friends in the Mudgee area and taking the time to sample some of the local fare.
The restaurant and the brewery are both located in the same heritage building, so the back drop to the restaurant is the micro brewery itself. There are sets of shiny stainless steel vats containing the beer and various other pieces of brewing equipment on display. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed and we quickly settle in for the afternoon.
I love dining in groups, firstly it is always a great atmosphere when you are sharing a meal with friends and family, but more importantly for my restaurant review, I am usually assured of more than just a few food images. Whilst the company and atmosphere is top notch our range of meals ordered is limited. After our group of eight adults and two children has finished pursuing the menu we find we have all chosen the same dishes!
When it came time to order I was torn between the Antipasto Turkish Bread with Green Salad and the Thai fried noodles with lemon and garlic prawn. Mr GG and Jess chose the noodles so obviously I chose the Antipasto Turkish Bread so that we had a bit of variety at our table. Hubby is always happy to share with me so I knew I would be able to sample his noodles.
Thankfully Stacey chose something a little different with the Soup of the Day which was a Seafood Chowder and homemade Roll. The chowder was lovely and thick with seafood and chunks of pumpkin. I loved the fennel throughout the dish as it gave the seafood a fresh taste that suited the Spring weather.
The remainder of the table chose the Beer Battered Fish and chips with Salad and Aioli. They were all very happy with their dish, although I have to say, this is one meal which is on just about every menu, but has absolutely no appeal to me. Obviously the happy masses can’t all be wrong in their culinary appreciation, but I don’t understand the appeal of fish and chips, even if it’s called a beer batter, or a tempura it is all fish and chips to me.
My Antipasto Turkish Bread was absolutely perfect. It dripped with oil from the marinated vegetables, pesto and cheese, and it would have been no more healthy than the fish and chips, but the taste was magic. Come to think of it I don’t think I even offered Mr GG a bite. Sorry sweetie. The salad was dressed in a lovely balsamic vinaigrette and I enjoyed every mouthful of my meal.
Mr GG shared a mouthful of the prawn and noodles with me and it was also delicious. The noodle salad was full of yummy fresh, Asian flavours, and beautiful garlicky prawns, it was a great combination and he was very lucky to get it back. He declared himself the winner for choosing the best dish of the day and I couldn't argue.
The rest of the afternoon was spent listening to the band and enjoying the atmosphere of the Mudgee Brewing Company and a table full of friends and family.
The brewery is open from 9.00am Monday to Friday and 8.30am on a weekend. Beer tasting platters are available at the bar for $6.00 for a “sevens” glass of each of the four beers. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week, and dinner from Thursday - Saturday.
Make sure to book a table for the restaurant as they are always very busy 02 6372 6726. The brewery is located at 4 Church Street, Mudgee.
Mudgee Brewery Co
When I suggested we should have Sunday lunch at the Mudgee Brewing Company, as you can imagine, the men in the family answered with a unanimous and hearty “yes”.
When I added that the brewery puts on entertainment for the Sunday afternoon crowd I could see my dear hubby mentally settling in for the long haul.
I have to admit, a laid back lunch in the pub, a bit of music and sampling some boutique beer, doesn’t sound half bad to me either.
The brewery was opened in June 2007 by a local resident and lover of beer. This beer visionary was Gary Leonard, he had set himself the task of creating a new brand of locally brewed, boutique style beer.
With passion, skill, a lot of hard work, and plenty of taste testing three distinct beers were established under the Mudgee Brewing Company’s’ label. The beers now on offer are a Pale Ale, Wheat and Porters beer. The brewery also produces a special blend periodically, enabling beer lovers to try something a little different in their tasting. The current new blend is a “Spring” beer which is an American style brew.
Mr GG was a good sport about the tasting and agreed to sample each of the four beers and give a beer lover’s perspective on the range. Hubby usually likes a pale ale and the Mudgee Brewing Co Pale Ale was no exception. The beer of the day for him however was the “Special Release Spring Beer” which was light, flavoursome and fresh, although he did say it had a bit of a kick at 5% alcohol.
Mr GG’s dad enjoys a darker beer and knocked back quite a few of the Mudgee Brewing Co Porters throughout the afternoon. Senior GG usually enjoys an old, and the Porter had obviously hit the spot with him.
With the beer tasting complete we settled in for lunch and spent the remainder of the afternoon enjoying the entertainment, the beverages, and some great company.
The brewery is open from 9.00am Monday to Friday and 8.30am on a weekends. Beer tasting platters are available at the bar for $6.00 for a “sevens” glass of each of the four beers. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week, and dinner from Thursday - Saturday.
Make sure to book a table for the restaurant as they are always very busy 02 6372 6726. The brewery is located at 4 Church Street, Mudgee.
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3 TOURS DEPARTING 2012
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I wish I had you for my mum when I was 5!
That cake would have been the talk of the town for the rest of the year - fantastic job.
A lot of your blogs will be interactively design and style that visitor share data to read your blog.
Thank you so much, it is going to be a wonderful surprise for my Mum, I wish everyone a great day with your own special people, those who helped you become who you are today.
Mum definitely deserves the hamper, because she is an amazing woman that has brought up 3 kids through tough times. She is the best mum a son could ask for.
She's had it tough, working hard
deserving much more than just a card
So let's raise a glass and toast her true
The best person in the world - Mum, that's you!
Thanks for the info on Rasa Malaysia's book. I used to visit her website for recipes but some time ago, igot a new PC and forgot to bookmark it!
You're too modest Julie! You did a great job with the cake! :D
Yellow strawberries and cream is just perfect for mum as a reward for putting up with two kids who were a pain in the bum.
I would have loved to have seen those martini glasses! Hope Miss A had a lovely time celebrating turning 5 :D
It shouldn't. It should go to me as whilst trying to make sure my mum, step-mum, MIL, Step-MIL, 3 x Grandmas are spoilt on Mother's Day, I always seem to get forgotten!
My poor old mum is battling to care for my step dad who has advanced Parkinsons. My real dad who has had a stroke still expects her to be there for him, my bro is going bankrupt and she lives two states away from her only gransdon. Her life has little joy- JUst wish for one thing nice to happen to her. We all love our mums, good luck to you all!
Perfect place to relax and forget about all the troubles we have in the city and just unwind ~ can't wait to go to somewhere like this hehe
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