It's mid-summer in the Hunter Valley. There are roses leaning towards the sun and the Brokenback Ranges are all narrow and bony, bent over like an old man and clad in orange and black, courtesy of the recent bushfires.
We've been out of Sydney for just a few hours and already my husband has formed a lump in our hammock, which he has strung between two gorgeous gum trees. This is wine country and we've booked ourselves a tree-shaded cabin on the outskirts of the Pokolbin region, 23km west of the main township of Cessnock and conveniently located smack-bang in the middle of some of the region's best wineries.
It's a sun-dappled spot and we are far from the high-velocity pace of Sydney. But still, we restrict our scheduled hammock time to about an hour and are soon plotting a punishing afternoon itinerary that takes in galleries, antique shops, museums, delicatessens and, of course, a few tastings at various vineyards and cellar doors.
As well as cultivating a healthy arts scene, a great sense of community and a reputation for being one of Australia's prime foodie destinations, the Hunter Valley is best known for its world-class wineries. The area attracts visitors from around the globe and there are a healthy mix of buffs and bogans (a colloquial term for the flannelette shirt and flip-flop brigade). It's where the worlds of painted fingernails and sweaty backs collide. And, like a top glass of wine, it's this variety of personalities that makes the area so special.
The Hunter Valley is the sort of place where you go to get an injection of wellbeing. Despite the fact that the vineyards are serious business here, the locals all display a laidback attitude that makes a visit to the region very relaxing. There's a healthy mix of boutique and big-name wineries, and the cellar door staff are all liberal in their outpourings of both knowledge and alcoholic beverages.
All you need is a pair of pouting lips and the ability to discern what it is you are looking for when presented with a glorious spectrum of wines. And if you wouldn't have a clue, then you don't need to pretend as the unpretentious staff are there to guide you. There's no pressure to buy, so of course the area is popular with thirsty backpackers
If you are not part of the sniff, swish and spit school, then you'll need a designated driver. But, as well as the more conventional modes of transport, there's also the option of going by bike, by bus, by carriage or coach. You can also plummet towards the patchwork fields by parachute or get a bird's-eye view by balloon. Perhaps because of my own propensity to expel an extraordinary amount of hot air, this is what we opted for. And so, on day two, before the yellow, yokey light of dawn had broken, we find ourselves hurtling down a dirt road in the Hunter Valley, on a mission to get high.
My husband is driving, squinting and silent. He cranks up the stereo, we roll down the windows and blast ourselves with the cool morning air. We are five minutes' late and arrive in a big, empty field to find a giant, deflated balloon, limply draped across a paddock still glistening and wet with morning dew. We are welcomed by 10 or so strangers, including pilot Peter Vizzard, who, like us, are all behaving as if this is a perfectly reasonable time of the day. Peter enlists our help to inflate the balloon: we grip and tug at its sides and stretch its gaping hole of a mouth until it has swallowed enough propane to puff up its ample cheeks.
We then eagerly squeeze into the oversized fruit basket that is attached to it. Before long, we have lift-off. And then, higher and higher we go and there's no nervous twitching now, just half-moon smiles as we rise, cruise, drift and soar. I wish there had been room to haul out bongos and maracas and do a bit of a victory dance.
The view from above is beautiful and we are all shuffling around, this way and that, casting an appreciative eye over the landscape. From this perspective, the Hunter Valley is even prettier. Soon the sun appears on the horizon, as a smudge of burnt orange. It seeps onto the distant hills, tinting the woolly coat of the big, slumbering giant that is the Brokenback.
Peter is a master pilot. He's flown a gazillion times and has us all gasping as he expertly skims the tops of a stand of pine trees. The scene below is surreal and I feel completely detached from it. Up here, hundreds of metres from the earth, I'm wedged in with my husband, an Indonesian couple, two hip, young Melbourne things, and a local with a grizzled face and a broad smile, celebrating his 40th birthday (his wife, who has a fear of heights, is waiting loyally on terra firma).
The morning light covers the earth with a beautiful lilac hue and we listen as Peter shares his enthusiasm for the valleys and vineyards and surrounds. Every 30 seconds or so, the burners ignite and we are kissed by its warmth. I stick my head over the side to see horses, birds, cattle, sheep, a lone floppy-eared hare, the odd car tooting along and little scenes being played out on the patchwork. I catch a glimpse of our reflection as we pass over a dam and the magic becomes even more real.
All too soon - after about an hour - we begin to descend and with a few soft bounces are on the ground. There we continue the woozy experience, slurping champagne and enjoying fresh cereal, juice and a hot breakfast. With as much pomp and ceremony as we can muster we join in the celebration of being honorary balloonists and then sneak off back to bed, to restock our energy stores for an afternoon of tastings. At about 1pm, we re-emerge and then zigzag our way through the day with visits to McGuigans, Peppers Creek, Rothbury's and Saddler's Creek keeping us happy.
A trip to the Hunter Valley can be as manic or as restful as you like. If you want more than just a tour of the wineries, a great time to go is for the Vintage Hunter Valley Harvest Festival, held during March and April each year. The festival follows the grape harvest from picking through to fermentation. It begins with two full weeks of wine tastings and is followed by a fantastic range of events, including photographic exhibitions, sculpture in the vines, a chocolate festival, winemaker's dinner and cinema under the stars. For information on wine tastings in the Hunter Valley, tel: (02) 4990 4477 or visit Wine Country.
How to look like you know what you're doing
Hold your glass by the base and angle it away from you. Note the colour: it should be clear. The colour is a clue to its age, wine variety and perhaps its sweetness. Hold the glass upright by its base and give it a brisk swirl (except of course, if it's a sparkling wine) with a quick, fluid flick of the wrist. This aims to release the aroma of the wine, especially in the case of the aged wines that have been cellared.
Place the glass up to your nose and inhale. Make a lot of authoritive, posturing sounds and then try to put a name to the aromas - for example, a posy of violets, flavour of old t-shirts, earth and spice and horse manure, tobacco, chocolate, sweaty trainers. The nose refers to that elusive place inhabited by the complex flavours that enhance the taste.
And finally... take a mouthful and swish it around your mouth (suck back some air, too, and you will look like a true professional), let the wine cover all corners of your tastebuds. This is when you are really tasting the wine. From here, you can either swallow or aim for the spittoon.
Things to do during harvest time
· The hot air balloon flights with Balloon Aloft Australia cost $250. A special B&B&B (Bed & Breakfast & Ballooning) package is also a great option during festival time. Tel: (02) 4938 1955 or email balloons@balloonaloft.com.
· The Hunter Valley Gardens are open daily from 8am. Entry is $12 (about £4 per adult).
· McWilliams will host a Team Wine Trivia Night on March 8. The evening costs $60 (about £21 per person).
· The highlight of the harvest festival will be a performance by the celebrated soprano Kiri Te Kanawa to celebrate the opening of the Hunter's newest cellar door - Tempus Two Winery. She will be accompanied by the Australian Philharmonic Orchestra for a concert under the stars in an outdoor amphitheatre. For bookings, phone Ticketek on (02) 9266 4800.
· Dine in the Vines: Every Saturday in March, the Peppers Guest House will take guests at Chez Pok restaurant to dine in the vines. The three-course seafood menu and selected wines will be $110 (about £39 per person). Accommodation packages are also available. Tel: (02) 4998 7596.
· The valley is laden with talented artists. From March 17-30, events include a gallery display at Wandin Valley Estate; the Expressions of the Hunter photographic exhibition at the Rothbury Estate; a Japanese art/ceramics exhibition at McGuingan Cellars; and Scuplture in the Vines, tel: (02) 4998 1571.
· Also at The Rothbury Estate, there will be the Fiddle & Bang affair on March 22 for those who like a bit of an Irish jig on St Patrick's Day as well as the Vintage Jazz in the Vines on April 13.
· On April 20, there will be an Easter egg hunt at Hunter Valley Gardens, as well as High Tea Raffles Style at the Sebel Kirkton Park on April 26.
