THE GRAPEVINE BLOG

"What is a degustation?" one may ask themselves when deciphering the fancy word on a dining menu. ‘Degustation’ is a French word for ‘tasting’. So, it’s literally a menu that offers you a series of different dishes to sample and try.

Now in its 15th year, the 2022 Hunter Valley Legends & Wine Industry Awards last night saw a record number of Hunter Valley wine and tourism businesses recognised for excellence, commitment and quality.

22 July is the day to shine for one of the Hunter Valley's most popular varietals. Step forward, Hunter Valley Shiraz. To honour International Shiraz Day, we sat down this week, in the birthplace of Shiraz in Australia, with Andrew Thomas of Thomas Wines. Andrew, award-winning Hunter Valley winemaker, shared with us his expert knowledge on Shi...

Ditch the designated driver arguments – the secret to a stress-free getaway is to book a local tour guide to give you an insider's guide to the Hunter Valley. We have hop-on, hop-off buses, small group tours, individual tour guides, horse carriages, helicopters – you name it! We have done the hard yards for you with our top picks below. Sit back, r...

Best Red Wine of the Show awarded to Mount Pleasant Wines Best White Wine of the Show awarded to Australian Vintage Ltd - McGuigan Wines It was bottoms-up for the Hunter Valley's Semillon this year after beating Shiraz on a total medal count to be the most successful variety exhibited at last week's CCL Label Hunter Valley Wine Show held at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort. Over the three days of judging, the 19-strong panel judged 722 wines, with 50 gold, 75 silver, 225 bronze and 21 trop...

Glasses have been raised, wines have been tasted, results have been tallied and celebrations have begun at this year's CCL Clear Image Hunter Valley Wine Show Celebrations Luncheon at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort. Over the three days of judging leading up to today, the judging panel tasted over 700 wines, with 49 gold, 77 silver, 210 bronze and 20 tro...