HUNTER VALLEY WINE AND FOOD BEGINS

The Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month has kicked off again, and there is no better time to enjoy the many delights of this gourmet region of NSW.

Giving visitors up-close and personal experiences alongside some of the region’s best winemakers, producers and chefs, this month-long celebration of the Hunter Valley’s wine and food culture is not to be missed.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Major Events Andrew Stoner said the NSW Government is supporting the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month this year through the Regional Flagship Events Program.

“The Hunter Region is an important contributor to the NSW Visitor Economy, with the region’s wineries receiving more than 300,000 overnight and 360,000 daytrip visitors domestically last year. The region as a whole also welcomed around 114,000 international visitors in 2013,” Mr Stoner said.

“It is no wonder visitation to the region is so strong; as well as being Australia’s oldest wine producing region, The Hunter is also home to a whole new generation of younger winemakers, and The Hunter Semillon is world renowned.

“The NSW Government’s Visitor Economy Industry Action Plan identifies wine tourism as a key area of focus to be addressed if we are to achieve our goal of doubling overnight visitor stays by 2020, and events such as the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month contribute to this.

Member for Upper Hunter George Souris said last year’s event attracted more than 7,000 visitors from outside the region, generating an estimated $2.1 million in visitor expenditure, which is a great result for the economy.

“I congratulate our local industry for continuing to host this fantastic month of events, promoting the Hunter Valley as one of NSW’s premier food and wine destinations,” Mr Souris said.

“The Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month, now in its seventh year, continues to showcase the Hunter Valley’s world class wine industry, fantastic local restaurants, gourmet food producers, artists and accommodation providers.”

Visitors can attend a Chef’s Plate Lunch or a Winemaker’s Table dinner, meet with local producers, learn more about their favourite wine variety, or take part in a cooking class or wine master class to brush up on their skills.

For more information about the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month, go to the Visit NSW website at: visitnsw.com