A long lunch in the Barossa, followed by 5 day Abrolhos Islands cruise

[RooFlyer]

Inspired by @JohnM and the drrrons, I booked the Eco Abrolhos 'wine and seafood' 5 day cruise to the Abrolhos islands about a year ago: Abrolhos Island Tours - Eco Abrolhos and have just returned.

But beforehand, there was my (now annual) 'Henschke Hill of Friends Lunch' - it begins at 10am and finished at about 4pm!! +

Flights were all QF, mostly points, but a couple of the longer were revenue, using old credits, all in J, except for PER-GET-PER, which only had economy.


My trip, as usual, started at coughpy HBA, where, as usual, the departure gate with its wooden benches was more comfortable, and less crowded than the QP. Thanks to QF cutting the direct HBA-ADL service some months ago, I got shafted / shifted to an OMG o'clock flight to SYD, then onto ADL later in the day.



Then up, up and away into a lovely spring Hobart morning:





Breakfast a rather dry pumpkin omelette



Ooops, looks like the SYD dishwasher is playing up again ...




SYD, unlike Hobart, was rather cold and wet. I had a day at the Mitchell Library, doing some research. Exit from St James station



Research was a success, and onto ADL with dinner on the way. Can't remember what this was



And coming into an old familiar sight, with a night at the Atura at ADL, before some friends joined me for the trip to the Barossa and lunch

 

[RooFlyer]

I was overnight at the Atura hotel at Adelaide airport. Not as good as, say Rydges at SYDi; about on par with an Ibis styles hotel.

Its connected with the arrival/baggage claim concourse. Check-in was pretty easy and I was on the top floor; runway view room, but the runway activity could hardly be heard and stopped I think around 9:30pm.






Really annoying, for a new hotel, that the bedside power points weren't readily accessible. Have to pull the bedside table out. They've got other electrics within reach - why on earth not the power points? (The thing next upper right is a light button.)





There was quite a large selection of booze, soft drinks and nibbles in the mini-bar and on the bench.



I arrived about 7pm and the restaurant on the bottom floor was heaving, so I got a burger at the bar.

 

[RooFlyer]

Next morning, picked up Avis car (thanks to @henleybeach for a promo code a while back ) and then my friends, and we headed off to the Barossa.

We dropped the car off at our accommodation - Stoneleigh cottages B&B at Angaston and at 9:45 our ride arrived to take us to Henschke winery, supplied as part of the lunch.

After a welcome from one of our hosts, and a disinfecting shoe bath, we headed off for a tour of some of the vineyards. Mt Edleston viewed, and then a stop at Hill of Grace, where their vineyard techniques and methods were explained.

Bud burst at Hill of Grace



The church, called Gnadenberg, meaning Hill of Grace. The name comes from the home of the Lutherans who founded the church.



Then a look around the winery





We then went to the tasting room (I think there were 8 guests). We were each given a glossy, high quality 50pp A5 sized booklet, with our names, all about the vineyard and the wines were were about to taste, and others.



No pics of the tasting - it was a bit intimate and I didn't want to spoil the atmosphere, but it was a 'Single vineyard shiraz masterclass'.

2017 The Wheelwright; RRP $140; exceptional vintage, 30+ years cellaring; 14.5% alcohol, acidity 6.02g/l, pH 4.52
2017 Mount Edelstone; RRP $235; exceptional vintage, 35+ years cellaring; 14.5% alcohol, acidity 6.4 g/l, pH 3.39
2017 Hill of Roses; RRP $430; exceptional vintage; 30+ years cellaring; 14.5% alcohol; acidity 6.04 g/l; pH 3.6
2017 Hill of Grace; RRP $900; exceptional vintage; 35+ years cellaring; 14.5% alcohol; acidity 6.4 g/l; pH 3.52

Last year we had a Hill of Grace vertical tasting.

Then onto canapes with a Johanne Ida Selma Blanc de Noir in their 'artifacts room' (forget what its properly called)



Then onto the dining room. We were meant to be hosted, like last year by 'Stephen and Pru' but they had bolted away somewhere, so one of their nieces was our very charming host.

So here's what we were in for:

 

[RooFlyer]

I used to buy my single-bottle (in wooden case) entitlement of HoG every year, but with retirement comes some austerity . Its my last bottle this Christmas.

 

[Happy Dude]

Geez that lunch looks luxurious @RooFlyer. I'm not sure I've got the stamina. I'm in ADL next weekend. Any recommendations for something a little less time consuming at a winery or restaurant on a Saturday? CBD or elsewhere is fine.

 

[JohnM]

You forgot - and with age comes missing peak drinking...

 

[RooFlyer]

Geez that lunch looks luxurious @RooFlyer. I'm not sure I've got the stamina. I'm in ADL next weekend. Any recommendations for something a little less time consuming at a winery or restaurant on a Saturday? CBD or elsewhere is fine.

A local may suggest better, but in the CBD I'd be looking at Jolly's Boathouse or Gauchos (if you haven't been there before - its gone off since its best, but still a good meat experience). Hereford Beefstouw

 

[TheRealTMA]

You forgot - and with age comes missing peak drinking...

”Please Explain “

 

[JohnM]

”Please Explain “

Well, according to the Henschke notes, the current release 2017 vintage cellaring potential is 35+ years. That may be OK for Young Rooy, but I know how old you and I are.

Stuffed if I'm leaving things like that to the predators that sniff around my wine and ask when I'm dropping off the perch.

 

[drron]

Well if HOG is to cellar for 35 years I doubt I will be tasting it at the age of 110.
I really can’t justify the prices they charge. HOG was my wine of choice back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I used to buy a dozen every year.
In 1974 3 of us with partners polished of 6 of them at the Barn in Mclaren Vale to celebrate passing our post graduate exams.

There are a lot of better value wines today.

 

[VPS]

Geez that lunch looks luxurious @RooFlyer. I'm not sure I've got the stamina. I'm in ADL next weekend. Any recommendations for something a little less time consuming at a winery or restaurant on a Saturday? CBD or elsewhere is fine.

Roma Adelaide

elevenadl.com.au

Home | Garçon Bleu | French Restaurant Adelaide

Garçon Bleu is where French cuisine meets contemporary innovation, inspired by the love of good food and wine.

garconbleu.com.au

Jolleys is good

Peel St has some great restaurants but also some ordinary ones. Depends how flash you want it but I love Gondola Gondola

 

[henleybeach]

Roma Adelaide

elevenadl.com.au

Home | Garçon Bleu | French Restaurant Adelaide

Garçon Bleu is where French cuisine meets contemporary innovation, inspired by the love of good food and wine.

garconbleu.com.au

Jolleys is good

Peel St has some great restaurants but also some ordinary ones. Depends how flash you want it but I love Gondola Gondola

Aurora in the city is great as well!

Aurora Restaurant Adelaide – 63 Light Square, Adelaide SA 5000

Supported by the pillars of sustainability, local produce and social responsibility, Aurora aims to create memorable dining experiences that nourish and engage. A la carte and tasting menus offer inclusive, authentic experiences that celebrate culinary excellence.

www.auroraadl.com.au

 

[Pushka]

Roma Adelaide

elevenadl.com.au

Home | Garçon Bleu | French Restaurant Adelaide

Garçon Bleu is where French cuisine meets contemporary innovation, inspired by the love of good food and wine.

garconbleu.com.au

Jolleys is good

Peel St has some great restaurants but also some ordinary ones. Depends how flash you want it but I love Gondola Gondola

Peel Street restaurant is excellent.

 

[Major]

Well if HOG is to cellar for 35 years I doubt I will be tasting it at the age of 110.
I really can’t justify the prices they charge. HOG was my wine of choice back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I used to buy a dozen every year.
In 1974 3 of us with partners polished of 6 of them at the Barn in Mclaren Vale to celebrate passing our post graduate exams.

There are a lot of better value wines today.

I used to buy HOG from Geoff K Gray Auctions in Rosebery for about $8 per bottle in the 1970's.
Haven't been able to afford it for decades

 

[RooFlyer]

So here is the tucker

Bluefin tuna with farro and grapefruit with the 2004 and 2022 Julius


Tea-smoked duck, brassicas and ginger caramel with the 2001 and 2015 Cyril


Dry-aged scotch fillet, carrot and cavalo nero with 2006 Hill of Grace (note the black stem, only for the HoG )


Yes, we got top-ups


Cheese with 2016 Noble Semillon. The soft cheese was an unpasteurised French brie



Some extra truffles with a Muscat


The Henschke museum passed as we tottered out for the cars to be delivered back to the accommodation!



A great lunch and I'll try to do it next year too. There are 4 per year, although this year there were 8, due to cancellations the last 2 years.

 

[RooFlyer]

Back to Stoneleigh cottages B&B in Angaston. Two conjoined 1 BR cottages, set back from the road. They are different inside, but both excellently stocked with breakfast supplies, incl eggs and bacon. The bathrooms are not en-suite.

My place









The next morning (Saturday), we walked to the Angaston farmers market, which was very good. Unfortunately we weren't in a position to buy anything.





Angaston was very pleasant

 

[RooFlyer]

That afternoon, we choofed off to Rockford for a tasting (lunch is a few weeks away ). Unfortunately many of the vintages unavailable, with new ones due a week after we visited. Todd looked after us very well, as usual.





Dinner that night at a place Todd recommended in Angaston , Otherness. Couldn't get a reservation, so we sat at the long bench, which was OK, but when we left, all the other tables were still unoccupied!! Mainly 'shared plates'





Coq au vin







Next day, we wound our way back to Adelaide via the Hills, and dropped into Handorf, which none of us had been to for ages. It was heaving, as you'd expect.



Not being very hungry, we dropped into one of the German places and each had a potato and bacon soup, which was pretty bad. A walk down the street, and I spied:



Given how certain AFFers rave about Fruitchocs, I decided to go forth and try. Just to prove it (sort of):



Not a fan, sorry.

 

[Pushka]

Fruchocs are a funny beast. Sometimes I love them and other times not so much. Something to do with whether I want sweet I guess.

 

[RooFlyer]

Another night at the Atura at ADL. Photo taken from the built-but-never-used L1 roadway in front of the terminal building - now partially landscaped at the Atura end.


Room and amenities very similar to before.







The Atura tries to make a virtue out of its mainly concrete construction (think bare concrete ceilings with a bright yellow-filled circle painted on it ... ). The hallways are like this:



My friends and I had dinner at the Atura restaurant and we all agreed the meal was very good, and reasonably priced. I had a steak, not anticipating much red meat over the coming week!



Next morning, a 6:30am departure on QF883, ADL-PER, in a B737, in business. My friends were travelling back to Hobart on Virgin, also in business. Luckily I had been fore-warned about the possible security shermozzle here on AFF so I turned up 30 mins earlier than I would have wanted to, and yes, it was a zoo at security. Fortunately there was Premium security in action and I was only delayed by the screen operator who held my carry-on for re-inspection due to my new Canon camera

Flight departed from way down the Virgin end of the terminal, so it was a hike from the QP.

Breakfast on board was quite decent, except for that 'Danish' on the left and I skipped the baked beans!

 

[VPS]

When the terminal opened we used to be able to drive up that ramp and passengers were deposited right at the terminal front door but that changed after a couple of years