December 23, 2015

You mention ‘wine country’ and ‘Australia’ in a sentence and people normally immediately picture lush The Hunter Valley, stopping through historic and picturesque towns of Pokolbin and Lovedale.

South Australia’s Barossa Valley also gets a look in, known for its full-bodied Shiraz and the varied regional produce.

Mudgee Region, on the north west of the Great Dividing Range has a slightly quieter rep but is just as prolific with the vino and as generous with the fine food.

Actually, we found that any of this overshadowing from other regions has actually serves this place well and much the town’s personality has remained distinctly safe from over hype.

Much of the community lives and works in the area and so you tend to slot right into the ebb and flow of things. To put it bluntly, there’s less of an obvious grab for your tourist dollars and just more of a traditional local slant on everything.

We loved Alby & Esthers; the cafe opens up through a tunnel into the most inviting vine-covered courtyard. You could sit there all morning just watching the locals enjoy their breakfast, enviously seething that they get to live here and do this whenever they want.

The Butcher Shop Cafe is a favourite for its clever conversion from its past life (one clue as to what that might be). Breakfasts here are generous and we recommend bringing your stomach for the French Toast, which comes out beautifully thick and syrupy. It’s breakfast, Elvis style.

Even if you’re not particularly church-y, you’d struggle to not get absorbed in the community spirit of the local Saturday market. Or at least be consumed by the choice of produce. We met Luke Spencer, of Spencer Cocoa, who roasts his own beans in town.

Also, Grosvenor and Rose Francis of High Valley Wine & Cheese. Once you’ve tasted their Stefan Blue straight from the aging fridge, you kind of have the bar raised for all others from then on in life. We don’t think that’s overstating it.

Logan Wines featured prominently for us. Owners Hannah and Peter Logan’s tasting room is a pleasure to visit – even for non-drinkers – their all-glass lounge will render you speechless to the point where you just stare out, mouth open, practically lobotomized by the beauty of the aspect.

From up high, it really hits you hard.

Hannah and Peter’s aesthetic matches well with how they approach winemaking – with an emphasis on keeping things clean and simple while still celebrating the natural personality of the grapes.

While we hate to judge a wine by its label, you can trust that all this exterior elegance continues right to the last drop.

Dom’s ancestors (the Loneragan clan) used to own businesses all throughout the region. You could say they were like the Corleone’s in that everyone knew them (but not in the mafioso leave-a-horse-head-in-your-bed way).

There are little references to it all throughout the town and dropping the last name here and there will often result in a eyebrow raise or a few morsels of family gossip. Which is lovely and sometimes gets you a little extra bacon on your plate.

As you can see there’s a mix of styles and tastes here, which is exactly what makes it such a special spot.

STAY

Perry Street Hotel

Corner Perry & Gladstone Street, Mudgee

+61 2 6372 7650

Formerly De Russi Suites, Perry Street Hotel has put so much thought into the design, mixing traditional architecture (a formal local dance hall) but without scrimping on the modern influences. The result is a very urban hotel that fits right into the energy of the town.

Cobb & Co Court

97 Market Street, Mudgee

+61 2 6372 7245

Cobb and Co offers luxurious rooms while retaining its heritage feel. We love the courtyard restaurant (Wine Glass Bar & Grill) which serves fine food from locally sourced suppliers.

Getaway Cottages

38 Mortimer Street

+61 2 6372 7272

Ideal for families on a bit of a budget but still want the luxury of self-contained accommodation. The gardens at Getaways are meticulously kept and even house a number of animals including a Shetland pony, a donkey and… an Emu. Great fun for kids.