Wining and Dining

On Monday, January 3^rd, we visited two separate wineries in the region of Hunter Valley.  This area is located about two hours northwest of Sydney.  While in this area, our group stayed at a hostel for two nights.  Staying at the hostel was interesting, because we slept in bunk beds, there was no air conditioning, and everything was cooked outside on the grill. 

We started out on Monday morning with a wine tour at Tyrell’s winery.   The director gave us a tour of the vineyard and explained the process of creating the wine.  We tried grapes straight off the vine, which were extremely sour!  Then we were given the chance to taste many different varieties of wines.  He gave us two glasses at a time, so that we could compare and contrast the different types.  Tyrell’s has been a family owned winery for 150 years.  Their facilities are very rustic and make visitors feel as if they are family.

After leaving Tyrell’s, we went to a Thai restaurant that was connected to the Tempus Two Winery.  At Tempus Two, we sampled many more wines.  During the wine tasting, we found out how to properly spin and taste the wine.  Tempus Two has a modern feel and conveys a completely different message than Tyrell’s.  They are focused on satisfying consumer tastes and appealing to them through new flavors and modern labels. 

Both of the wineries have been given the opportunity to utilize the internet in order to connect with their customers.  Not only can customers order wine online, but they can also check out upcoming events and what is new.   Because the two wineries give customers the option to order online, globalization has been achieved.  One downside that this may have is customers not getting the whole experience of coming to the actual winery. 

In Perkins’ article, Global Vineyard, he claims “although some growers may find different grape varieties that are suitable to the new climate regime, environmental conditions in some famous grape-growing regions may turn too hot or too dry to support vineyards.”  Many of the Hunter Valley vineyards may not be able to grow the same types of grapes they have in the past.  They need to find a way to maintain their current customers and appeal to new customers.  If possible, the wineries should try to keep some of their signature flavors but yet be willing to try others as they cope with the climate changes.