Hi Nils, good to see you back - and glad you enjoyed the trip Down
Under.

Nils Gustaf Lindgren wrote:
> Following the advice of Salil, we took a coach tour to Hunter Valley with
> Boutique Wine Tours, and visited in all 4 producers. Thank you for the tip,
> Salil, it was great. Favorite palces were the very small family run Ernest
> Hill, and the largish Brokenwood, where our experiences were better than
> yours (yes, we got to taste the Graveyard Shiraz which to my mind will need
> some serious cellar time to reach its potential) - place was rowdy and
> boisterous, but the service was, as almost everywhere, warm and friendly,
> and well-informed.

Just curious as to how you did the Brokenwood tour - was it with the
Boutique Wine Tours group, or were you dropped off to see it alone?
Either way, from what I've heard from many others, my experience there
last time was a bit of an anomaly there - so when I'm next in Sydney,
I'll be paying it another visit. Which were the other 2 wineries you
went to?

> Reception everywhere was on the
> 'I'll-put-another-shrimp-on-the-barbi-for-you' standard. And then we heard
> that in Oz, the Sidney-ites are noted for being a bit reserved and stuck-up.
> Oh dear.

Yep, still can't figure why. The people (both in the HV and the city)
are very friendly and welcoming (and this was when I'd gone by in the
tourist off-season). As far as hospitality goes, haven't seen many
places that compare to Sydney or New Zealand for sheer warmth and
friendliness.

> Favorite restaurant was 'Fish At the Rocks', the Rocks being a part of the
> town with a certain notoriety for good eating and drinking places. A bit
> like "Ma cuisine" in Beaune, but even friendlier service.
> Also loved 'Kobe Jones' in Darling Harbour, but don't order their house wine
> which we found rather uninteresting.

Can't go wrong with the Rocks. I'd had a number of very good meals
there, including some very good pizza at Zia Pina and Italian Village.
Quite envious of the dining and wining options most Sydneysiders have.

Salil