OZ Grapes
Trip Start
Jan 10, 2007
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3
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Trip End
Mar 08, 2007
Melbourne,
Australia
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Bad timing prevailed on our part, as we booked our flights to Melbourne, and ALL hotels were booked due to the Australia Open. We were lucky enough to find a hostel (YHA Melbourne Metro) that had a cancellation and was able to take us in for the night. Let's give a big congrats to Jazz since this was his first hostel experience and I think he handled it pretty well considering the night before we were Starwood GOLD members, accomodated in Sydney's beautiful Sheraton hotel in Darling Harbour!
The next morning, we rented a car and decided to venture out into Melbourne's surrounding vineyards, and most specifically we visited Mornington Peninsula. Imagine the vast vineyards of Napa Valley however contoured by a beautiful coastline with pristine aqua blue waters! Absolutely magnficent and not to mention the vineyards we visited were quite impressive with fine tasting wines.
The Mornington Peninsula is well known for it's Pinot Gris and lighter Chardonnays. Because the area consists of a cooler climate throughout the summer months, the grapes are never as full bodied and ripened to the extent of Hunter Valley, (popular wine region outside Sydney) due to warmer climate.
We only visited 2 vineyards but participated in their wine tasting followed by eating their finely prepared lunches accompanied by a bottle of their home branded Pinot Gris or Chardonnay wines.
Last Day In Sydney
Made with all freshly picked produce, the gourmet meals were absolutley DIVINE, however the price factor still remains an issue. I've finally come to acceptance that the prices on this side of the world are double that of US/Canada's most expensive cities.We slept over in FLINDERS, Mornington Peninsula - a town with a population 1500 people. A miniscule town, just a short drive away from Montalto, the second vineyard we visited. Definitely, a very posh winery, restaurant and exposition that requires reservations well in advance. Luckily, Jazz and I got a head start to our wine tasting tour that morning and made it in for 10 am! Nothing like fine wines for breakky!
We drove back to Melbourne that afternoon, still burdened with the issue of lack of accomodations due to the Australia Open. Jazz, decided to ever so NON hesitantly book the Westin, Melbourne using his Starwood points. Let's just say it took 10,000 points to cover the cost of a $600 room!
I like to think that the fluctuating standard of accomdations, from 4 star Hotel to Hostel, to 5 STAR HOTEL truly does reflect and test our abilities to adapt to our local surroundings. RIIIIIIIGHT.....
