As Australia’s oldest wine region, the Hunter Valley is always a popular destination. But those in the know don’t just stop at Pokolbin; they carry on to Broke-Fordwich. And here’s where to stay.
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As our wheels crunch over the stones of the driveway, we’re struck by the fact that we’ve only been in the car for 15 minutes since leaving the busy roads around Pokolbin.
It’s not that it’s been a long drive here, or that Broke-Fordwich is particularly difficult to find.
It’s simply that in the quarter of an hour, we’ve noticed the traffic ebb, the countryside open up and our pulses calm. It’s like we’ve crossed some invisible line that slows life down.
The tiny settlement of Broke is not much more than a crossroads west of Pokolbin, and one of those roads leads through its even smaller counterpart Fordwich.
But between them are over a dozen superb little wineries and some truly splendid countryside. This all combines to that faraway feeling we all yearn for when we leave the big smoke.
The car’s engine mutters into silence and we step out to admire our little castle. For the next two nights, our miniature kingdom is before us: Villa Vino.
Other Broke-Fordwich wineries and tiny homes we’ve written about:
– Life on the Farm – Margan Wines
– Long Table Lunch – Whispering Brook
– Lilypad Tiny House, NSW South Coast
Villa Vino at Winmark Wines, Broke-Fordwich
Small, perfectly formed, and surrounded by the vines of Winmark Winery and the rolling hills of Broke-Fordwich, Villa Vino tiny house has everything you’d need for a romantic getaway in the Hunter.
This is indeed a tiny house, though it doesn’t feel like it.
The inside space is barely two metres wide — just enough to house a double bed with space for shelves either side. But it’s long enough to fit hanging space, a little dresser and a chest of drawers, a couple of armchairs and a coffee table.
The furniture and artworks that line the walls is perfectly chosen; it doesn’t feel cramped or cluttered at all.
Dining in Villa Vino Tiny House
At a push, you could use this space as a dining room, but why do that when you have some wonderful al fresco options on your doorstep?
Beyond the pretty white walls of the tiny house, the attached outdoor kitchen-diner is all ours to play with.
And the kitchen is replete.
Not only is there a full gas barbecue, hob and microwave, there’s a gas-fired pizza oven too as well as all the tools we need. Cutlery, crockery, utensils, (actually sharp) chef’s knives, a fridge-freezer and a sink.
What’s more, you’re supplied with everything you need for a solid breakfast: a dozen eggs, beautiful local thick-cut bacon, milk, sourdough, butter, on-vine cherry tomatoes, OJ, granola and fresh fruit are all waiting in the fridge.
There’s also a bottle of the winery’s own Chardonnay and a block of chocolate for you to enjoy.
With solid walls on two sides and protected by a pull-down screen to the north-west, this open-air kitchen is a clever, all-year-round all-weather proposition.
You can either sit at the broad table within the kitchen area or take your dinner down to the fire pit.
As evening comes on, we set the kindling and enjoy the night sky as the flames from our fire warm our hands chilled by the glass of wine.
From the mesmerising fire, we look up into the heavens as the stars come out and the thin crescent of the moon carves a gleaming sickle into the sky.
Bathroom Facilities
Of course, there’s no space for an ensuite inside the tiny house, but the solution is very smart.
From the front door, but still undercover and on the same elevated level as the house, the toilet and shower are in a separate unit to one side. There’s even a storage heater on the wall for those chilly winter mornings.
There’s not a whole lot of space for toiletries in the bathroom though, so you’re better off keeping everything in the house.
Winmark Wines Cellar Door & Gallery
A short walk from the tiny house, down the path and between the vineyards, takes us to Winmark Wine’s cellar door.
Inside, the neat tasting room is even more full of artwork than the tiny house. Our excellent host Milly tells us about a couple of the pieces as she takes us through the wines of Winmark.
Winmark makes only Chardonnay, a perfect and popular varietal for the Hunter Valley generally, and in Broke-Fordwich especially. They have four different ranges on offer here — Rusty’s Run, Expressions, Single Vineyard and Icon 7 2, the latter three all scoring very highly in the Halliday Wine Companion.
We then take a look at Winmark’s art gallery next door, which is packed with impressive works by local artists. The art isn’t restricted to within the four walls of the gallery though.
The winery’s Sculpture Park features large-scale pieces from a range of artists, however, Biosis by David Ball, which was commissioned for the winery, is a clear favourite.
This — the winery, the gallery, the accommodation — is the baby of Danish-born Karin Adcock, who started Winmark in 2016. Karin’s meticulous attention to detail and passion for creativity shines in the cellar door and the gallery.
As for Villa Vino, with the vines of the winery out in front, the sculpted escarpment of Yellow Rock Lookout looming behind, this tiny house is Winmark in a microcosm.
