Top Ten Hunter Valley Gourmet 2014

Now we all love a list and this year we are sharing our suggestions for the Hunter Valley Gourmet Top Ten - featuring in no particular order some of our favourites and some of our new discoveries and some others who you might be interested in. 

Seriously, these selections are based on genuine Hunter Valley Gourmet and are not a paid list or clients of ours.  Word of mouth, referral and recommended to us by close friends, we are in a privileged position to share this list with you - the Top Ten Hunter Valley Gourmet for 2014.

Please, share your thoughts and nominate yourself, your business, or your own recommendation if you have a better suggestion or would like to be included in the next edition.  Above all we are fair, open minded and eager to share everything Gourmet about the Hunter Valley.

Great Gourmet Hunter Valley Wine Drives

Great Wine Drives - Gourmet Traveller

For decades the Hunter Valley has been Sydney's playground, a place to enjoy a weekend away in the country with family and friends all washed down with a healthy dose of local shiraz, semillon and chardonnay. Just close enough to make the couple-of-hours drive north of Sydney an easy run, the magical mix of vineyards, some outstanding wines and the imposing Brokenback Range continues to draw visitors, both local and international, to the region in ever-increasing numbers.

Hunter Valley Gourmet Restaurant

Leaves and Fishes Restaurant

Focusing on seafood, with an Asian kick, Leaves & Fishes started when co-owner Damian Burke began growing his own Silver Perch in the dam below Leaves and Fishes’ front deck. Harvesting and serving them in the restaurant, Sharon and he designed and built together, they became one of the first seafood restaurants in the Hunter Valley region. Offering good, fresh food in a friendly atmosphere has always been their continued goal.

Hunter Valley Gourmet BBQ

Tuscany Wine Estate Gourmet BBQ

Located in the heart of Australia’s premium wine country; Hunter Valley and only being a 2 hour drive from Sydney, many other factors such as the professional team with a high level of service ensuring you are made to feel you are at home; it is the food.

The Mill Restaurant at Tuscany Wine Estate Resort does not serve function food, rather prides itself on every meal with menu’s designed to give the highest quality, freshness, unique, variety; not your run of “The Mill”  experience.  Apart from the food we have the opportunity of offering various dining locations, ensuring those long stays offer a different dining experience each evening in both location and menu style.

Hunter Valley Gourmet Boutique Tours

Hunter Valley Boutique Wine Tours

This tour is a great introduction to the depth of Wine Country's industry! Yoll travel with a wine qualified host and experience insights into the industry not afforded everyday visitors to the Valley.  Also included are olive, cheese and handmade chocolate sampling.  Lunch consists of "clean, green" produce - a scrummy antipasto platter full of mouth watering selections.  On long weekend or event weekends,  a cafe style menu is provided.

Hunter Valley Luxury Accommodation

Blackwattle Gourmet Luxury Accommodation

Blackwattle Luxury Retreats offer two exclusive self-contained luxury cottages with romantic couples accommodation and luxurious small group self contained accommodation. The beautiful Lovedale location, in the world renowned Hunter Valley wine region of New South Wales of Pokolbin, Rothbury, Lovedale and Mount View, promises the ultimate getaway with the best of the Hunter Valley within just a few minutes.

Hunter Valley Gourmet Smokehouse

Lovedale Gourmet Smokehouse

Located on the picturesque Majors Lane Vineyard Estate in the heart of Lovedale, we are now home to Majors Lane Restaurant, Lovedale Smokehouse Gourmet Pantry, Lovedale Smokehouse Café, Majors Lane Cooking School, Majors Lane Wines Cellar Door and a Gallery of Local Art. 
We pride ourselves on showcasing the Hunter Valley’s best produce by offering a unique dining and tourism experience, and would like to thank the following publications and television programs for helping us spread the word about Hunter Valley producers:

Hunter Valley Gourmet Pizza

Hunter Valley Gourmet Pizza

A family owned business that has been in the Hunter Valley since 1998. We have expanded since then to include three locations with plans for more all across the hunter.  Nick and Nicky have been in the industry since 1976 when it was still in its infancy. They have grown and evolved along with the styles and tastes that have led to its current form.

Tinklers Fresh Hunter Valley Produce

Fresh Hunter Valley Gourmet Produce

Utilising our fertile soils and farming experience, we grow an abundance of seasonal produce including table grapes, peaches, nectarines, avocados, figs and mixed citrus. These and many other seasonal vegetables are available fresh or there is a wide range of jams, marmalades, pickles and relishes to chose from.

Hunter Valley Tour Guides- Two Fat Blokes

Hunter Valley Gourmet Tours

With an amazing 140 different wine outlets, over 50 outstanding restaurants the task to choose the right ones to visit can be a daunting one. We are also blessed with stunning natural beauty and an abundance of wildlife and that famous lay-back ‘Hunter Lifestyle’.  In fact, one of the world’s most respected wine magazines named the Hunter Valley as one of the top ten wine travel destinations in the world for 2013. The Hunter Valley is the only Australian wine region to make the list.

Binnorie Gourmet Cheese Hunter Valley

Hunter Valley Gourmet Cheesemaker

Set right in the middle of the Hunter Valley's fabulous Pokolbin vineyard district, Binnorie Dairy produces a range of cheeses with distinctive characters unavailable outside the region.  One of the ways this is achieved is by using only locally sourced milk.  "In the same way that wine reflects its regionality, due to soil variation and climatic conditions, so it is with dairy produce."

It is a real pleasure to keep seeking and finding hidden gems in and amongst the Hunter Valley Gourmet Region to share.

Gift Giving 2013

Gift Giving in 2013

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We all appreciate the warm glow that giving and being generous inspires in us, yet in 2013 it is still painfully obvious that, on the whole, we are still more driven by “getting” as oppose to “giving”.

Just thinking about other people and expressing this through a thoughtful gesture like sharing a fruit basket can make your world a better place. It is scientifically proven that a generous attitude benefits the giver as much as the receiver.

 Valuing Thoughtfulness
Giving a Gift Hamper is an expression of spirit, and powerfully relates that you have considered the other person’s situation and made a positive, meaningful show of support. The act of kindness costs nothing in and of itself, but the feeling of undivided attention definitely acts as a catalyst to change the way we feel.

“Giving protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease”
Stephen Post, Why Good Things Happen to Good People.



Creating Great Memories
In the day to day bustle of life, where saving money is often given too high a priority, giving a Fruit Hamper offers validation, and a gesture of meaningful connection that is remembered. Too often we pause to think that it would be “nice to” send a gift, but when it comes to picking up the phone and making the call with delivery details, we find ourselves just not that emotionally available.

Give Because You Can, Not Because You Are “Owed”
Once you set aside your own feelings of resentment and being hard done by, the release of giving to a friend who is lonely, recovering from illness or experiencing a moment in life is nothing short of magic. Being appreciated as a valued friend is something that we all cherish, and despite what we may tell ourselves – something we can all afford. In this light, it is not hard to make the right decision and choose a Fresh Fruit Basket Delivered for $59.


Becoming Someone Who is Appreciative and Gracious
We all strive for self improvement and as the sales of self help books attest, the social appetite for becoming a better person is insatiable. Demonstrating your own willingness to give, share and take the real life opportunity to connect in a caring a positive way is the first step toward a fulfilling this lifestyle goal. Isn’t it time you shared a Fresh Fruit Basket?

How do I send a Fruit Basket to say Get Well Soon?

 You know the feeling - when a member of your staff is off work with a serious medical complaint and you have been given the responsibility of arranging a fruit gift.

You do a quick online search and all you come up with a florists and affiliate sites.  The florists try hard, but the basket is small and the fruit included you can count on one hand, whilst the affiliate sites pass on your order to the nearest local and take a big chunk of your money for the privilege.

So what to do?

Imagine if there was a dedicated fruit basket specialist who ships across Sydney with market fresh fruit?

Imagine if your fruit basket was literally brimming with fresh fruit - you see, we buy our fruit in boxes, direct from the markets and with our best price guarantee, we don't have to be as miserly with the fruit - in fact, we love going overboard a little - we see it as advertising in the hamper you get.  And we all know how powerful word of mouth advertising is.

So keep your options open and make the switch for your next fruit basket or fruit hamper.

 

Gourmet Hampers Sydney

Sending a Gourmet Hamper to a friend or business partner is effortless and with a definite touch of class when you choose Hunter Valley Hampers.

Finding the right hamper makes such a difference when you want to make the right impression.

Fruit Baskets Newcastle

Stallholders Directory

 Firstly, after a long hiatus, we are back at the orifice, err, office.

New approach and attitudes all round have us with a definite competitive advantage.

Something about beer and teamwork

Fruit Baskets Newcastle

Burnt Fig Jam by Maggie Beer

Just reviewing Maggie Beer's Burnt Fig Jam, since Figs are currently in season. A delightful tangy sweetness for all lovers of figs, and if you are new to figs, give this a try, definitely worth considering.

Also, have a look at other Maggie Beer products like her famous verjuice and tomato and sultana chutney.

Well worth waiting for.

Hampers for Christmas Gifts

Moet Champagne and Chocolates

Such a wonderful time of year, it is so busy I have struggled to find the time to post a blog.  But here it is. 
Firstly, we would like to share our feature in The Newcastle Herald where we were nominated amongst the favourite Online Stores for Food and Wine Gourmet in the Hunter Valley.  We are so proud of this achievement and it is testament to Kacy, Brendan and the team that we keep being considered for such accolades.

Next, we have launched our Christmas Campaign and are already preparing quotes and filling briefs with many of Australia's largest Corporations.  It is a pleasure to deal with such experienced and professional teams and again we learn so much from interacting with our clients at the process and protocols of maintaining a large client base.

Please feel confident you will be able to access experienced corporate administration staff and procedures at Hunter Valley Hampers. Also, at this time of year we recognise your planning with healthy bulk order discounts.

Christmas Indulgence Hampers

Lets chat before we do the deal and ensure you don't have to settle for over-priced, imported, overly-packaged products full of preservatives.  Like I said to a customer today, have a look at our competitors product range, and tell me you couldn't buy all that grocery product at your local Coles.
No wonder people send a gift card for groceries instead of a gift basket when it has John West Smoked Oysters and a can of Coke in it!  Puhleese!

Final words - SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN stores, suppliers, producers and especially the farm gate producers from the Hunter Valley.  Call 1300 284 684 to order a fresh, Hamper made to order.

Gift Baskets

Gift Baskets for Gourmet Hampers delivery to Sydney.