This personal tour started at Sutton Forest Estate Wines,

Sutton Forest wine & food

famous for their Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and antipasto plates. They are right next to the Sutton Forest McDonalds (see my article – Would you like a Chardonnay with that?) but their cosy cellar door with an open fire, fine wine and homemade Tiramasu is a world away from burgers and fries.

Anyone for chess?

Then it was onto the expressway heading north, off at the Berrima exit, cruising through bustling Berrima past Mrs Oldbuck’s famous Jam Shop, cafes and craft shops, turn left at Greenfields Road and left again to Blue Metal Wines. They are named after the local rock, but their barn-styled cellar door is, you guessed it, made of metal (Bluescope Steel perhaps?). Inside, with a trendy cafe and plenty of room to sip wines and chat, they were doing great business.

Next it was back to Greenfields Road and up to Joadja Winery for their Cool Jazz event. Joadja is the oldest and

Jazz in the winery!

 most rustic boutique winery in the Southern Highlands, so it was amazing to see about 100 parked cars flanking the entrance. Inside it was easy to see why: there was a jazz quartet playing in the winery itself, surrounded by relaxed people and tall stainless steel fermentation tanks. You can’t help thinking those Joadja wines are going to have a cool laid-back feel with lingering sax and a hint of trumpet! The cellar door itself was three deep with keen wine tasters, outdoors there was expresso coffee, and everywhere there were people sipping on Joadja’s finest cool-climate wine.

McVitty Winery views

After a couple of enjoyable hours at Joadja listening to the music, and a lunch of Indian food cooked on site, it was time to head just down the road to McVitty Grove and take in the misty valley views from their stylish cellar door and cafe.

A few kilometres closer to Mittagong at Kells Creek we dropped in to Bousaada Wines before going across the road to Tertini, who scooped the pool of prizes at the 2008 Southern Highlands Wine Show.

Tertini Winery tasting

Their cellar door was pretty busy, and we were invited into the winery itself to sample the Tertini range amid racks of patiently aging wine barrels. One of the special treats was to try the new Arneis white, made from a grape variety grown in only a few dozen vineyards worldwide. Notoriously dificult to cultivate, Arneis seems to have taken a liking to the Southern Highlands and is producing prize-winning wines. Meanwhile, the Tertini Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon are also winning medals, and their Pinot Noir took Silver in the Shanghai International Wine Challenge!

St Maur cantina style cellar door

After tasting the full range of wines at Tertini, we continued our Wine Trail adventure via the sophisticated Centennial Vineyards and Southern Highland Wineries at Bowral and Sutton Forest, finishing up close to home at the atmospheric St Maur Estate cantina in Exeter.

Not a bad way to relax on a Sunday!

Highlands Wine and Food!

The vineyards, restaurants and food producers of the NSW Southern Highlands are presenting the best of the region’s food and wine. The Cool Flavours Festival runs Friday 5th June until Sunday 7th of June.

Come and sample local cheeses, jams, chocolates, mushrooms and a vast array of top quality Cool Climate wines.

Cool Flavours Festival Events include:

Centennial Vineyards Restaurant – Produce Dinner Saturday 6th June.
Four course menu by renowned chef, Robin Murray, featuring Southern Highlands produce. Bookings required.

Joadja Winery “Cool Jazz” Music in the Vines:
• Cool Jazz from “The Occasional Five”
• Real Wood Fired Tandoori
• Coffee, Tea & Chocolate
• All the Joadja Wines including the ’Triple’ Blend (Cab/Merlot/Malbec)
• Plus Tawny Port & Boysenberry Liqueur

Southern Highland Wines – Family Fun day. – Rides and Games, stalls, Wine tasting for Parents, Barbeques, Entertainments – Bring the whole family for a fun-filled day.

Mt Ashby – FLAVOURS OF FRANCE. Famous for Beef Bourgeonon Pie and a Charcuterie Plate which includes home grown and made Remoulade, Pork Rillettes a selection of French Cheeses and other French delicacies. Plus a showing of French Farmhouse tables and Antiques by Sally Beresford, and an “Art in the Mist” Exhibition.

Small Cow Farm – Cheese Appreciation and demonstrations, – Bookings essential – 9.30 am,11.15am. and 2pm Saturday and Sunday. $22. Please book by phone on 02 4885 1241.

Cuttaway Creek Raspberry Farm – Berry Jams, sauces, vineyards from fruit grown on the property. Raspberry tarts and Chocolate Mousse from the Belgium Chocolate Mousse factory.

Blue Metal Wines – Café and tastings:  visit the Bluemetal winery to try their Award Winning Wines and a special festive Winter Tasting Plate. Cellar Door open Thurs-Mon 10am to 5pm and Cafe open Long Weekend 11am to 4pm. Tel (02) 4877 1877.

Bousaada Wines – Jazz in the vines and local Produce Platters.

Milk Factory Gallery – Wine tastings from six local vineyards, plus a range of local produce at the gallery store.

Tennesee Orchards – open for sales.

Highland Hamper Company – Hampers of local produce on sale at venues and the Milk Factory Gallery.

Canyonleigh Store – Tastings of local wineries – sales and music.

Sutton Forest Estate Wines – homemade Tiramasu with Pinot Noir wines and Italian antipasto platters.

Tertini Wines – taste the unique Arneis grape with Italian cheeses.

Mrs Oldbuck’s Pantry at Berrima – tea leaf readings, tastings etc.

Li Sun Mushrooms tunnel tours. $20 pp. Meet at Bowral Swimming Pool at 10.30am, 1.30pm, and 3.30pm. Book  on 02 4872 1447.

For more detailed information click here for the Southern Highlands Food & Wine Association website  or phone 02 4872 1447.

have a happy meal at the vineyard

Imagine if you could pick up at the drive-thru then set down at a winery cellar door almost under the golden arches.

This parental dream sounds way too good to be true.

What if it was at the busiest McDonalds outlet in Australia?

wine & cheese

Unbelievably, this dream does exist, right now, in the Southern Highlands of NSW.

Everyone who travels the Hume Highway south from Sydney knows that halfway to Canberra they pass the Sutton Forest service center, Roadhouse and McDonalds. And for those with children it is a traditional food stop on the way to or from Canberra, the snow, or any other southern destination. So popular in fact, that Sutton Forest is the busiest McDonalds in Australia.

What very few travelers realise is that as you pull out of the Sutton Forest McDonalds you can pull into the Sutton Forest Estate Winery. The secret is to ignore the ”local residents only” sign on the access road and just drive into the vineyard. There you can park without getting monstered by coaches and trucks, sit under the trees or inside the cellar door, and try some truly excellent wines.

exit McDonalds and turn in here!

The Lo Russo family who run Sutton Forest Estate Wines have been there for nearly 30 years, and in 2002 they turned to their Italian heritage and planted a range of grape vines including Pinot Noir and SanGiovese varieties. These vines are now producing premium cool-climate wines, which you can taste on your Sutton Forest travel stop, and then take a bottle or two of your favorites home with you.

And, if you are touring the southern portion of the Southern Highlands Wine Trail, Sutton Forest Estate Wines is easy to find - just look for the golden arches!