Planted in 1988, Inneslake wines were immediately well received, winning medals at the Hunter Valley Wine Show.

The Charley family have owned the property known as Inneslake for nearly 100 years and have been engaged in timber milling and fruit growing activities in that time. On this land Major Innes planted vines over 160 years ago.

The range includes: Semillon, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Merlot, Mist & Tawny Port, as well as two wines bottled under the Little Fish label – Summer White and Summer Red.

Set in the truly beautiful surroundings of Inneslake Vineyards, Little Fish Cafe is a most popular destination for lunch as well as morning teas. The menu is contemporary and changes regularly.

Located Only eight minutes west of Port Macquarie. It is a fabulous destination for a wonderful,
unforgettable experience, with plenty of parking and lots of space for large group bookings and for
the kids to run around on the open lawn areas.

The cellar door is open from 10am – 5pm, 7 days a week. The café is open for morning and afternoon
tea, with lunch served from 11.30am – 2.30pm every day.

Innes Lake Gallery

Offering both cellar door tasting and sales, Long Point Vineyard produces a great range of wines, locally grown and made by the owner, Graeme Davies. Experience his range of red and white table wines, rose, port, alcoholic ginger beer and his famous ‘Agent Orange’ liqueur, which is great for desserts. The vineyard offers a parklife setting, with picnic tables, a barbecue and lots of shade, so that you can enjoy a day among the vines.

However, this is not your average vineyard. On top of their beautiful collection of locally made wines, Long Point Vineyard boasts a unique and colourful art gallery that displays exquisite pieces by local artists.

There are a wide range of styles to view, varying from traditional landscapes to local beachscapes and buildings through to more modern abstracts. You’ll find a variety of mediums and sizes, such as beautiful watercolour pieces for a narrow wall, or maybe a unique oil painting for a lounge room centre piece.

The gallery provides what Graeme describes as a natural distraction from the wines. Art and wine are the perfect couple, and what better way to spend some free time than browsing a gallery while enjoying a sweet Verdelho or fruity Rose? Treat both your eyes and your palate at once!

You’ll find the vineyard at the corner of Long Point Drive (off Houston Mitchell Drive) and Cooinda Place. Follow the signs off Ocean Drive or the Pacific Highway.

Visit www.longpointvineyard.com.au

The Cassegrain winemaking heritage began in France in 1643. A heritage of French winemaking skills combined with Australian technology is practised today by John Cassegrain, using that “savoir faire” (the know how), to produce a wide range of Premium, Reserve and Limited Release wines that are full flavoured, yet soft and elegant.

When the original vineyard was planted at Cassegrain in 1980 it pioneered the revival of Winemaking in the Hastings River Region where the temperate maritime climate is ideally suited to the production of soft and elegant table wines.

This interest in New and Emerging Wine Regions continues today as Cassegrain strives to continually evolve its wines and recognise the importance that terroir plays in determining grape characteristics. Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from the cool climate of Tumbarumba; Chardonnay from the cool, high altitude areas of the New England region as well as the maritime region of Hastings River; and Shiraz from lower altitude sites in New England and Cowra.

Cassegrain’s Cellar Door is open seven days a week, from 9am to 5pm, with a complete range of wines for tasting, along with the new Wine Attic which offers a stunning range of both Australian and International wines.

John Cassegrain

The Cassegrain Winery is the ideal setting for all occasions, from a romantic wedding to a casual picnic, featuring extensive grounds, a formal garden with picnic areas and boasting over 2000 stunning rose bushes lining the entrance to the winery. The sweeping lawns of the Oval, set within the vineyards, forms a natural amphitheatre where a number of concerts are held each year.

Cassegrain’s Wine Club gives its members the opportunity to receive the new vintages before their release, as well as substantial discounts together with numerous other benefits and privileges.

764 Fernbank Creek Road, Port Macquarie
Tel: 02 6582 8377
www.cassegrainwines.com.au

Cassegrain Winery Gallery

The Mobbs family initially bought their extensive grain-farming property in the late 1970s; their experience with soya beans, maize and other small crops offered the ideal opportunity to perfect their horticultural skills in the local climate before dedicating all their efforts to cultivating grapes for premium wine production. The first vines selected for planting on the rich alluvial flats were chardonnay, joined over succeeding decades by more than 12 hectares of other grape varieties: sauvignon blanc, verdelho, viognier, pinot noir, merlot, and chambourcin among them.

The Mobbs family already had a long history of grape-growing in the region, dating back to the first plantings of muscatel and isabella varieties in the late 1800s. Before settling at Bago, Jim studied at Australia’s leading agrarian institution, Hawkesbury Agricultural College, and subsequently worked as a soil conservationist – ideal qualifications for coaxing the very best from the fruitful Hastings Valley earth.

Boutique Bago also boasts a passionate team of experts behind every step of the winemaking process. Chief winemaker, Greg Hayward, truly began at the fundamental level of the industry – first working as an apprentice cooper, or barrel maker, then moving on up through a cellar hand apprenticeship, to dedicating years of study gaining experience in the Hunter Valley … ultimately honing his winemaking skills to their peak.

Under Greg’s direction, Bago Vineyards now processes all its own grapes on site, as well as producing wines for several smaller vineyards across Australia. His great love of wine means he is never too busy to discuss and appreciate Bago’s latest vintages with visitors to the winery.

Assistant winemaker, Gemma Porter, joined the Bago team four years ago, bringing to the role a degree in food technology from the University of Western Sydney and skills secured elsewhere in the wine industry; including experience garnered in the renowned wine districts of Western Australia. Gemma, too, is only too keen to talk food and wine with our daily visitors.

Ian Adams has almost three decades of experience in the industry, stemming from his earliest work supporting wine exporters in the Griffith and Hunter regions. His subsequent experience working for nearby Cassegrain Winery was keenly appreciated when he joined Bago Vineyards for the opening of the cellar door more than 10 years ago.

Ian widened the ambit of his involvement by taking on a marketing and promotions role, and many events held at the vineyards, including the popular regular jazz concerts (now in their ninth year) are his brainchild. Currently, he concentrates his skills on serving Bago’s wholesale and corporate customers.

Jim and Kay Mobbs

Personal customers come in for a warm welcome at the hands of the cellar door sales expert, Bev Newton. Formerly with Rosemount Wines at Denham in the Upper Hunter for 35 years, Bev joined the crew at Bago Vineyards in 2002 when her experience in the bottling and packaging aspects of the production process proved invaluable.

But her role in offering a friendly greeting to visitors at the cellar door makes her one of Bago’s best ambassadors.

Bago Vineyards is open for wine tasting and sales from 9.30 am to 5 pm daily. Deliveries can be arranged throughout Australia, and overseas. Jazz in the Vineyards is held on second Sundays of the month; Cinema in the Vines is held seasonally in the evenings.

The district is renowned for its beautiful weather and scenery and visitors are invited to take advantage of the vineyards’ free picnic and barbecue facilities.

A unique cellar door open daily from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm can also be found at Timbertown, Wauchope’s heritage village, and tastings are offered at the Hastings Farmers’ Markets, on the fourth Saturday of the month at Wauchope Showground, and on fifth Saturdays at Lake Cathie.

Bago Vineyard, Milligans Road off Bago Road, Wauchope.
Tel: (02) 6585 7099
www.bagovineyards.com.au