BLOG | ADFAS Pokolbin

Mar 11, 2020
5 min

An old fashioned Aperitif with a long history: Bobs Blog from Around Hermitage

Sherry was the standard aperitif when I was a lad and when working in the UK years ago, it was always offered to the woman while the real men drank Scotch! We have moved on from that time and yet there are some interesting connections associated with wine of the past. I will come to the important Hunter connection to this ancient wine-producing region and its more modern aperitif style wine later. Possibly, our longing for nostalgia led to a recent meal that featured a world-

64 views0 comments

Feb 12, 2020
5 min

Karl Stockhausen: A man for the times.

Karl Stockhausen: A man for the times. Bob’s Blog From Around Hermitage At 90 years and still going strong Karl Stockhausen has lived through and contributed to the renaissance of the Hunter Valley wines. Appropriately a small gathering of friends gathered at the Mcguigan/Peterson resurrected Ben Ean – the site of the old Lindemans to wish him a happy birthday. Julz Van de Berg organized a night of memories led by Brian McGuigan, John Davis, Bill Sneddon, and Julz herself. Ma

94 views0 comments

Dec 4, 2019
4 min

Rosé steps forward in time for Christmas

By any other name would it taste the same? Bob’s blog from AROUND HERMITAGE 📷 Rosé has become THE recreational drink of choice over the last few years, not just in Australia but worldwide, a global phenomenon. Amazingly there has been a 35% year on year growth in this intriguing little wine which just goes to show how perceptive my wife and daughter are. Data presented by Damien Ferreira Gomes from Google Travel, at the recent Wine Media Conference here in Pokolbin of Google

37 views0 comments

Nov 10, 2019
6 min

If ye break faith ---we will not sleep

Armistice Day Address Robert Lusby AM Concord Repatriation General Hospital, 11 November 2019 📷 “If ye break faith with us-----we shall not sleep” Words from the Western Front poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae Chilling words from the dead that reflect the social contract between those who have served and the families and community that released them to serve. Just as relevant today, when we reflect on the support of returned service men and women and their families a

27 views0 comments

Oct 2, 2019
5 min

On the origin of Hunter River Semillon

On the origin of Hunter River Semillon; Bob’s Blog from Around Hermitage. I recently went to the Mitchell Library in Sydney where there is an interesting exhibition called ‘Dead Central” which is an account of the Devonshire Street Cemetry that gave way to the building of Central Railway station. The cemetery opened in 1820 and was “occupied” by some 30,000 souls. It was rapidly filled and eventually became overgrown with many graves and monuments becoming exposed. In 1901 th

70 views0 comments

Sep 12, 2019
5 min

There wont be many coming home

Sandakan Death March Bob’s Blog from Around Hermitage Address by Emeritus Professor Robert Lusby AM, Sandakan Memorial Burwood Sunday 4th August 2019 When asked to speak at this ceremony in memory of the infamous Sandakan Death March the words of a song sung by Roy Orbison came to mind There won't be many coming home- maybe 10 out of 20, maybe 5 out of 20, There won’t be many…. there may not be any If none come back but one, he is Still some mother’s son... There won't be man

87 views0 comments

Jul 20, 2019
8 min

Have we gone missing or what are we missing "The Next Big Wine Region"

BOB'S Hunter Centric Blog from AROUND HERMITAGE I was a little surprised to read in the excellent Forbes magazine Laura Parker interview with Jo Thomas, of the Hunter Valley Wine Tourism Association, how little recognition there appeared to be in Laura’s view, of the Hunter Valley wine region within Australia. Laura Parker did, however, title the article “Australia’s Hunter Valley is the next Big Wine Region to Watch”. We often take pride in our recognition in the UK but hav

90 views0 comments

Jun 24, 2019
6 min

Hunter River Vineyard Pioneers and solving the Greatest Mystery of Civilization

Bob’s blog from Around Hermitage June 2019 We are fortunate that the Hunter wine industry grew from the enthusiasm of pioneers who were inheritors of the mindset of the age of enlightenment. They formed the Hunter River Vineyard Association in 1847 with a view to exchanging ideas and experience, acknowledging they came from a country devoid of a wine-growing culture. That is not to say they were not wine drinkers, indeed their knowledge included the great wines of Burgundy, B

114 views0 comments

May 13, 2019
5 min

ANZAC Day Reflection: love and war don’t appear a natural fit at first

ANZAC Day Reflection: love and war don’t appear a natural fit at first Bob’s Blog from Around Hermitage 📷The dawn service at Branxton this ANZAC Day saw a record number of people present for the rising of the sun around the war memorial Rotunda. A brief service set at the time when men left the trenches to advance on the enemy. A brass band accompanied comforting hymns to remember the lives of those who have given service to our nation and the Last Post played as the flag wa

56 views0 comments

Apr 3, 2019
5 min

Terroir: it’s about people as well. Bob’s Blog From Around Hermitage

I often think the patchwork nature, small holdings, and landscape of the Pokolbin and Broke Fordwich wine subregions is similar to Burgundy. Indeed there is a move afoot to get Heritage recognition for some of the old vineyards that have survived and given that we are a phylloxera free area these vines are unique growing on their own roots. In Burgundy, they have defined “Climats” which are precisely defined vineyard parcels on the slopes of the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de

39 views0 comments

Feb 13, 2019
6 min

Hunter Terroir - Defining a Unique Region and Wine Style

The unique situation of the Hunter wine grape growing region being situated in the break in the Great Dividing Range creates the climate that moderates an otherwise warm grape growing environment. The years of experience and knowledge add to the development of high-quality wines from the patchwork of soils and vineyards all of which go to define the Hunter Terroir. The unique situation of the Hunter wine grape growing region being situated in the break in the Great Dividing R

107 views0 comments

Jan 19, 2019
5 min

THERE’S A LOT MORE TO MERLOT

At a recent family celebration, I opened a bottle of Grand Cru Classe wine bought in Saint Emilion back in 1979! It was a Tertre Daugay 1964 and to our great surprise, it was still a very sound wine with those wonderful characteristics of an aged Merlot. Now you probably haven’t heard of this wine before but we bought it after tasting it and thought at the time it should age well. It is from one of the most ancient properties in St.Emilion located on the hillside near most of

143 views0 comments

Navigating Our COVID 19 Response and Action Plan - Learn More

|ADFAS Pokolbin

MEMBERS

An old fashioned Aperitif with a long history: Bobs Blog from Around Hermitage

Karl Stockhausen: A man for the times.

Rosé steps forward in time for Christmas

If ye break faith ---we will not sleep

On the origin of Hunter River Semillon

There wont be many coming home

Have we gone missing or what are we missing "The Next Big Wine Region"

Hunter River Vineyard Pioneers and solving the Greatest Mystery of Civilization

ANZAC Day Reflection: love and war don’t appear a natural fit at first

Terroir: it’s about people as well. Bob’s Blog From Around Hermitage

Hunter Terroir - Defining a Unique Region and Wine Style

THERE’S A LOT MORE TO MERLOT