The Thousands

Here’s news: the vineyards are not reserved strictly for hoity toity wowsers who quaff the good stuff from extra large glasses and spit contemptuously into buckets. No, in fact there are so many vineyards nestled into the rolling landscapes of the Hunter Valley, and by extension so much vino, that the good folk up north have been known to give the stuff away to anyone.

For the uninitiated, this is not some shonky black market deal, nor are we taking advantage of struggling winemakers. It’s all part of the legitimate practice of cellar door tasting, which involves a bit, well actually a lot, of trying before you buy.**Do you know your Pertit Verdot from your Merlot? What about a Chenin Blanc from a Chardonnay? Yes, you can actually feel yourself getting smarter in proportion to how much wine you drink. By the end of the day you might grasp the appropriate use of phrases such as ‘crisp finish’, ‘peppery characters’ and ‘full bodied’, which may or may not come in handy when you slur, ‘one of thisssss oooone’ at the counter.