Meets In Pokolbin, Beer Tasting

Seven hours in the Hunter with Two Fat Blokes Gourmet Tours, from $239 per person. The day moves between cellar doors with wine, beer, cheese and chocolate tastings plus a gourmet grazing lunch. Rated 4.8 across 582 reviews, and free cancellation applies.

Overview

Two Fat Blokes Gourmet Tours runs this full day trip out of Pokolbin, and it leans as much on food as on wine. The opening stop is an hour at the operator's own base, Two Fat Blokes Gourmet Tours & Kitchen, with admission included. Reviewers keep naming the wine, chocolate and cheese combination as a highlight of the day.

From there the day fans out across Hunter Valley cellar doors and a brewery stop at Hunter Beer Co, also an hour long. Travellers report visiting several wineries over the course of the day, with samples at each and a glass of wine poured over lunch. The midday meal is a gourmet grazing box, and one reviewer said a vegetarian version was prepared when it was requested.

The whole thing runs about 7 hours, starting at 10:00 and finishing back at the same Pokolbin address. Groups cap at 18 travellers, and reviewers often describe the crowd as small and sociable, with a guide who drives and talks through the day. It is not recommended for pregnant travellers and is not wheelchair accessible.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet in PokolbinThe tour starts at 10:00 at 770 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320.
2. Two Fat Blokes baseOne hour at Two Fat Blokes Gourmet Tours & Kitchen, admission included.
3. Hunter Beer CoOne hour at the brewery, admission included, with beer tasting on the schedule.
4. Winery stops and lunchThe day continues across Hunter Valley cellar doors, with a gourmet grazing box for lunch and a glass of wine included. Reviews mention several winery stops with samples at each.
5. Return to PokolbinThe tour ends back at the McDonalds Rd meeting point, roughly 7 hours after the 10:00 start.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points worth knowing before booking, drawn from the listing and from what repeat reviewers said.

• Eat first. The tour does not include breakfast and the listing tells you plainly to eat before you come. Lunch arrives later, so a solid morning meal pays off.
• Group feel. Numbers cap at 18, and reviewers often describe the group as small, friendly and good company. Expect a group outing rather than a private one.
• Food and drink. Wine tasting, beer tasting and a glass of wine with lunch are all included, along with snacks and the grazing box lunch. One reviewer described the lunch as generous and filling. A vegetarian lunch was catered for when raised, according to one reviewer.
• Weather and dress. The vehicle is air-conditioned, so the drive between stops is comfortable whatever the day does. Dress for a relaxed day of moving between cellar doors and a brewery.
• Guide and pace. The guide drives and talks, giving an overview of the day and a short intro as each stop approaches. The tour keeps to a schedule across roughly 7 hours. One reviewer found the pour at the chocolate tasting stingy.
• Booking and timing. The listing states confirmation arrives at the time of booking. Be at the McDonalds Rd address for the 10:00 start.

Common issues. The tour is not wheelchair accessible and is not recommended for pregnant travellers. It can be cancelled if a minimum number of bookings is not met, in which case a different date or a full refund is offered. Refunds otherwise require cancellation at least 24 hours before the 10:00 start. One reviewer felt the wine served alongside the chocolate tasting was too small a pour to judge, and the day depends on a shared group of up to 18, so pace and company vary.

Choosing Your Tour