14 You might not notice it at first driving along the Golden Highway to Denman, but the climate is hotter, drier and cooler at night during summer and cold in winter making the Upper Hunter a wonderful wine growing region. WINERIES IN THE UPPER HUNTER ARE BUILT DIFFERENT Small Forest is one of the three main wineries in the Upper Hunter. Winemaker Atsuko Radcliffe is the only Japanese winemaker to establish a wine brand in Australia. She took the opportunity to settle near Denman in 2013 which is where you’ll find Small Forest on the corner of the Golden Highway and Denman Road. Small Forest is a direct translation of her Japanese family name Kobayashi, and the Wisteria is her family crest that you’ll find winding around the outdoor area of her cellar door. Atsuko is a one woman show producing three main varieties, Verdelho, Chardonnay and Shiraz. “This year I crushed 13 tonnes of grapes for the three varieties. “My Verdelho is quite different – it’s very fruity with more texture and structure. “Many people love my Chardonnay. Up until five or six years ago not many people wanted to taste it because they assumed they didn’t like it. I always at least got people to smell it though and funnily enough they ended up buying Chardonnay. “My wines are soft. The chardonnay is much less oak influenced and softer. Fruitiness is essential and the oak plays a supporting role n the background. “I make my Shiraz in small bins for many reasons. It reduces the risk in the process and makes the wine quite complex. Hunter reds aren’t hugely powerful, they’re quite gentle and soft.” The Upper Hunter’s weather plays a big role in Atsuko’s wine making process. “The weather is so dramatic and very different, so all my wines are single vineyard and reflect that season’s characteristics. I taste the fruit on the vine first which is crucial, I look at the canopy and the weather and what is happening and all of that plays a part in the final product.” When you walk into Atsuko’s cellar door you’ll also get a taste of Japanese culture. Atsuko learnt about Sake during her microbiology and chemistry studies with hands on sake making experience for 18 months in 2009-10. She also judges the Sake category at the International Wine Challenge in England each year and it’s a part of Japanese culture she wanted to share with the Upper Hunter. “Sake is a wonderful part of our culture and people don’t really know what it is.” So, when you head along the Golden Highway to Small Forest, not only can you try Sake and Atsuko’s beautiful wines, you can bring your dog along and explore the other wonderful wineries just a short drive away. “When people see or hear about Hunter Valley wineries, they often only think of what is found in the Lower Hunter, but there’s so much on offer further up the highway. “Part of the fun of finding new wine is coming to the cellar door. The three wineries in the Upper Hunter are totally different – us, Holllydeen and Two Rivers. Each vintage is different and we all try to make better wine each year so you must come and explore,” said Atsuko. “We offer a quality pot of tea or a cheese platter at our cellar door and if that isn’t enough you can drive to Denman or Muswellbrook – we have so much to offer in the Upper Hunter!” The Small Forrest Cellar Door is open Saturdays and Sundays all year round. Bookings are essential for Sake tastings. SMALL FOREST WINES
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