It’s one of the golden rules of a house-party holiday that the organiser scores the best bedroom. Those who follow get dibs according to order of arrival and latecomers must make do with whatever is left, even if it’s a set of bunks with Barbie bed linen. Simply put, it can be fraught. There is no such roulette at The Residence at Winmark Wines in the Broke Fordwich sub-region of the NSW Hunter Valley. In a miracle of planning, there are four bedrooms down the hallway, three with queen beds and one with twins, and each has its own ensuite shower and toilet. As the usual planner of house parties for family and friends, entrusted with keeping everyone happy, this is a first for me. The bedroom I choose, with thick floral curtains and a bonus corner window, has a canvas behind the door of a patchwork cow by Tracey Keller. I find its goofy bovine stare oddly restful, with no hint of reproach.
Also noteworthy and comforting are the multiple number of living spaces, from a conservatory-style area with safari-style decor (tribal drums, masks, carvings) in earthy tones to an enormous main room with a banquet-worthy dining table and multiple groupings of sofas and easy chairs. There are piles of coffee-table books and art pieces galore. Karin Adcock, Danish-born owner and vigneron of Winmark Wines, formerly Pooles Rock Vineyard, is an avid traveller and passionate collector whose generosity is well evidenced by the personal treasures on display here. The unambiguous message is to spread out, relax and enjoy, everyone.
The most likely arguments among guests could be about which channel to choose on the one TV. But with expansive views beyond the house, it’s much more equitable to watch clouds shifting over escarpments and old forests, the passage of the sun across district landmark Yellow Rock, and the arrival, seemingly on the dot of the cocktail and canapes hour, of inquisitive kangaroos. Big windows and French doors bring in sun and light, and there’s outdoor seating on terraces under pergolas threaded with wisteria and along pathways edged with stalky lavender and pots of vivid geraniums.
The scope of all this is in keeping with this large parcel of wine country set amid rolling grasslands and hard, rocky hills cresting the horizon just off Wollombi Rd. Karin knows the true meaning of hospitality, and over the past seven years has diversified the estate’s offerings to include a range of accommodation, from a tiny house suitable for a couple to the two-storey Residence, although she closes off the top level, where her personal effects are stored. The 52ha estate is understandably popular for weddings and events but such is the scale that it’s hard to imagine any sense of overcrowding.
