Hunter Valley Wine and Food Festival 2017

Overview

"Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost; united and well matched they are as body and soul, living partners." Wine connoisseur André Simon's words couldn't ring any more true at the Hunter Valley's annual festival of gastronomical delights, the program for which is absolutely stacked with locals celebrating the fantastic food and wine coming out of the region.

The events focus around pairing produce and wines from the area, like a two course meal where all ingredients are sourced from within 100 metres of the table. There are partnerships between local cafés and restaurants and wineries, like the Lovedale Long Lunch, and quirky tastings, like the Cabernet, Chocolate and Cold Drip experience. For those with a severe case of amour du fromage, the Cheese Lovers Festival "pays homage to cheese in its all flavours, textures and forms."

Beyond the food and beverage, there's the Rock 'n Blues Revival, or En Plein Air, where participants partake in painting landscape in the open air. It's not like you ever need an excuse to get to the Hunter Valley, but this is a pretty darn good one.