Broke Fordwich, the passionate bunch

Last updated: 29 July 2023

As mentioned in my other post, I’d been invited to spend a weekend in Broke Fordwich in the NSW Hunter Valley, and I can honestly say that Broke Fordwich charmed me.  Clearly I’ve been in the city for too long. I’d been indoctrinated where smiles are forced, manners are a rarity and everyone is out for themselves.  So Broke Fordwich had me on the back foot from the start.

I was pleasantly surprised that instead of the usual abruptness of the city that you drown out with a bottle of fine red, Broke brings the wine to you and hugs you with a warm familiar embrace. It was then I suddenly realised, Broke and I were going to be friends.

From the start, Margueritte and Paul from A Wine Tour in Broke have a homely neighbourly feel about them.  To them, you aren’t just another number. You’re a face, a name and a person with a history that they’re just dying to hear about. Both of them will take the time throughout the day to speak to you, to find out more about who you are and what brings you to Broke.

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The Experience

The first stop of the day was to Mike at Mount Broke Wines. It was here the first cracks started to show amongst the rookie wine tasters. White, red, sparkling, check!   But when asked if Tempranillo was a red or white grape, he got a few blank looks.  After sampling his cellar, Mike took us on a stroll around his vineyard and recounted tales of how creative names such as Sticky Fingers and Skinny Dipping came to be.

Meet the Growers

The grape growers, viticulturists and wine makers of Broke are a passionate bunch.  – no pun intend.  

These people live and breathe their profession.  The thing that amazed me the most, is that most of them haven’t always been in the industry.  Barb from Ascella Wines has a background in health and used this and her industry contacts to help develop Ascella, an ACO certified organic pure wine.

Ron from Whispering Brook is a former wheat farmer who has been in the wine industry since getting a job with Penfolds in 1974.  Now he spends his days ageing his wine in French oak barrels for a softer, more delicate flavour while the Brokenback Mountain range provides an impressive backdrop.

 Imagine a place where you can match good wine with amazing pieces of heaven.

Welcome to Stomp Wine.  Here, together with Stomp! owners Meredith & Michael, you can experience wines paired with chocolates. Sourced locally from the Hunter Valley, they’re so delicious and moreish that you won’t want the experience to end.  As I sat back and sipped on their tawny port and I was instantly transported back in time to my grandmas kitchen table at Christmas.

One thing that resonated with me throughout this trip was that while all these amazing people have come from different walks of life but all bring the same intense spirit to what they do day in day out.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

Broke pulled out all the culinary stops to convince me that this is a foodies Mecca.

Under the stars at Brokes Promise (unfortunately, now permanently closed), our first evening was catered by Mel from Motty’s Farm Cuisine. These guys know the area well and all of their produce is locally sourced.  For those thinking of arriving in Broke late on a Friday evening, Motty’s can prepare and deliver quality home produced meals to your accommodation ready for your arrival.

Andrew & Lisa of Margan hosted dinner on night two.  Their impressive onsite garden and orchard produces up to 90% of vegetables and fruit for their seasonally inspired menus.  It really proves they’re worthy of their tagline ‘Estate Grown and Estate Made’. Keep plenty of space in your tummy to try one of their amazing desserts. 

After all the wine and dinners  you’d think there’d be no space for lunch and coffee. How wrong you are! Throughout the trip, the team at Nightingale Wines kept us coming back for more. After hosting lunch on day one, I found it a great spot to pop in on day two after a big wine-filled weekend to recharge before hitting the road back to Sydney.

So much serenity

When it’s all said and done, we all need somewhere to rest our weary & well-wined heads. Broke offers a range of accommodation to suit most budgets.  Most of the area is serviced by homesteads, or purpose built accommodation like Pemberley Grange.  Waking up to uninterrupted Hunter Valley view towards Yellow Rock and down the Brokenback Range every morning was quite a treat.  I found myself happily preparing this post while snacking on a gorgeous fruit platter and home-made produce.

The Verdict

If you’re interested in wine and a weekend of relaxation, then Broke is definitely for you.  Drop me a comment with your questions or feel free to contact the Broke Fordwich Wine & Tourism Association for further information.

The Essentials – Sydney to Broke Fordwich

• Distance: 160km (99 mi)
• Driving time: 2.5 hours
• Driving time: Direct it’s about 2.5 hours however heavily dependant on traffic in & out of Sydney
• Driving conditions:  Depending on the route you take, through Cessnock it’s freeway the majority of the way.  The recommended scenic route through Wollombi has a small section of dirt road and country roads.
• Driving advice:  If driving at dusk (or dawn) be really aware of wildlife.  There are plenty of suicidal kangaroos, wombats and birds that could derail your trip. In this area, public transport is non-existent, so it’s with that in mind, that a big thank you should go to Redspot-Sixt car rental for providing some wheels for the trip.

Disclosure: While I was a guest of the Broke Fordwich Wine & Tourism Association, all opinions, as always, are my own.