Saturday And Sunday the 19th & 20th of July, 48 members with family & friends spent the weekend in Mudgee!
What a weekend it was. Beginning with a rendezvous at Glenbrook information centre...then a 300km course to Mudgee. On what was one of the coldest days of winter 2014, the 20 Italian Stallions performed beautifully, in their atmospheric element. We concluded that "drive time" was just over 2 & 3/4 hours...each car moving with the traffic, the sweet rumble of Italian exhausts echoing through the upper mountains!
We visited 2 wineries on Saturday morning, LOGANS WINES & FARMERS DAUGHTER before enjoying (and sharing) an array of home made cuisine for lunch. Next stop was booking into hotels then visiting a third winery, PETER VAN GENT, proceeded by a rest back at the hotel, before our dinner stop for Saturday Night @ The WINE GLASS BAR & GRILL,laughter and conversation prevailing. Wonderful to see new friendships evolve, as new members made acquaintance for the first time.
Our Sunday morning began with a leisurely stroll through Mudgee, with many enjoying a coffee al ''fresco” (and fresco it was -1C with a -3.5C feel factor!)
Later in the morning we visited our 4th winery, DI LUSSO ESTATE, The owner, taking us for a tour of his vineyard, which also included olives & figs (apparently supplying over 250,000 figs to agents that take them to market!) Italian Variety figs of course! Further, we were invited into the fermentation room, where the wine making process was further explained.
As lunch time approached, we were invited into the barrel room, where we were greeted by staff and a table setting fit for royalty, where we enjoyed wine & oil tasting and a wonderful lunch.
The end of lunch marked the conclusion of a fantastic weekend. Some members opting to stay behind and enjoy a few more wines and a complimentary wood fired pizza that topped off a really special experience!
A huge thank you to the organisers of the weekend (a mammoth task) the outcome being a true reflection of the many, many, many hours of preparation in ensuring that all were catered for and all went smoothly {Thanks Rose Cara, Leo & Ellen Di Rocco) - HUGE EFFORT!
Thank you to the members for their participation...one of our best weekends in a very special part of country NSW, incorporating one of our most memorable drives in FANTASTIC company.
We'll do that again, FOR SURE!
