4-Hour Cheese And Wine Matching

Two Fat Blokes Wine Tours runs this 4-hour half-day through Pokolbin, collecting guests from hotels in Pokolbin and Cessnock. Stops cover three boutique cellar doors plus a cheese and wine matching. Rated 4.6 across 529 reviews, from $129 per person.

Overview

Four hours, three boutique wineries, and a cheese board built to match. This morning tour from Two Fat Blokes Wine Tours concentrates on the Pokolbin area, the heart of the Hunter Valley, so the driving stays short and the tasting time stays long. Pickup and drop-off from hotels in Pokolbin and Cessnock is included, which removes the usual worry about who is driving after a morning of wine.

The route calls on at least three wineries, each with a private tasting away from the general crowds. One stop is Two Fat Blokes Gourmet Kitchen, where the signature experience matches seven cheeses with seven wines, and where kangaroos sometimes appear among the surrounding vines. Along the way the hosts talk through how pairing works, so you leave knowing how to get more flavour from a glass rather than just having drunk several of them.

It suits travellers short on time who still want a proper taste of the Hunter. Reviewers repeatedly describe a social, easygoing atmosphere, with people making friends on board and the wine flowing. Anyone wanting a deep, technical cellar-door education may find the pace brisk, but for a relaxed morning with wine, cheese and wildlife spotting, it lands well.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickupThe tour collects guests from hotels in Pokolbin and Cessnock. Pickup and drop-off are included in the price.
2. Boutique winery tastingsThe group visits at least three unique wineries, staying close to Pokolbin to keep transfer times down. Each stop includes a private wine tasting.
3. Two Fat Blokes Gourmet KitchenOne of the stops is the operator's own gourmet kitchen, home to the famous cheese and wine experience. Seven cheeses are matched with seven wines, and kangaroos are sometimes spotted around the property.
4. Hotel drop-offThe tour finishes back at your Pokolbin or Cessnock hotel after roughly four hours. Tips for guides are not included.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you get the most from the morning.

• Getting there. Pickup is included from hotels in Pokolbin and Cessnock, so there is no need to arrange a car. The included drop-off at the end means no one has to think about driving after the tastings.
• Group feel. One reviewer mentioned playing music in the vehicle, so the tone is casual rather than formal.
• Pace. If you like lingering over each tasting, go in expecting a brisk but fun rhythm.
• Food and drink. Wine tastings at all three wineries are included, along with the seven-cheese, seven-wine matching at the Gourmet Kitchen.
• Wildlife spotting. The listing says there is a good chance of seeing kangaroos hopping among the vineyards, particularly around the Gourmet Kitchen. Keep your camera handy but be ready for them not to appear on cue.
• Guides vary. Reviewers often praised the guides as friendly and entertaining, and names that come up repeatedly suggest some real characters. That said, the tour stands on its itinerary and tastings, not on any one host.

Common issues. The most consistent criticism in reviews is depth: several travellers said they wanted clearer explanations of the wine and cheese pairings, or more detail on the winemaking process, and one found the guide lacked knowledge. Another felt the first winery did not match the standard of the later stops. One reviewer also found the individual stops a little rushed given three wineries fit into a half-day. Tips for the guide are not included in the price.

Choosing Your Tour