This weekend we had the privilege of visiting 3 wineries north of Sydney. After eating lunch in Wollombi, a charming town on our way to the vineyards, we made it first to Brokenwood Winery where we got our first intro to wine-tasting. A very charismatic sommelier educated us on how to properly taste the wine. I found it really interesting that mine and Maddie’s opinions on the wine were drastically different, and my favorite was one of her least favorites. Apparently I have a taste for more aged wines. We then went to a quaint, family-run winery called Ernest Hill before heading back to the hotel to then get dinner. We went to a seafood restaurant, Kingfish, and enjoyed the wharf area so much that we went straight back to the coffee shop beside it the next morning.
That day, we went to one last winery; Margan Winery. We sat in a room decorated with barrels, reminding me of the process that goes into making wine, and how aging the wine in oak barrels can enrich the flavor of wine. What once may have been a sharp, intense flavor can age into something more palatable and smooth as the flavors meld throughout time. So much intricate detail goes into making a bottle of wine that you can’t help but appreciate the process; crushing, pressing, fermenting, aging, filtering, etc. It is amazing that there are certain balances and tastes only time can create.
To end off the “weekend” (because we don’t have class on Mondays), today we did the coastal walk again, but Coogee to Bondi this time! Going the opposite direction was very energizing and I really enjoyed getting to just enjoy the views because I knew what to expect. Also, knowing we got to eat at the end of the hike made us all the more motivated! Out of all the restaurants we went to this week, my favorite was probably the brunch place we went to this morning after our coastal walk. Everyone in the group couldn’t stop raving about how good their food was.
In an effort to fully immerse myself in the culture here along the way, I’ve made some friends (or mates, as they call it) with some people who also happen to go to uni at UTS. I’ve caught on to some of the lingo here, and I think I’m learning how to do a pretty good Aussie accent. I have learned that there are a ton of differences between our cultures. For example, the whole school system and their “marks”, or grades are a whole lot different. They really only need to do well on their marks in year 12 (they don’t say senior year or 12th grade) to get into uni. Now, the new term is starting for the college students going back to school, so the beaches during the daytime have already been less crowded, especially the more local spots. I cannot believe how time is flying by so far. We haven’t even left yet and I’ve already decided I have to come back!! I’m sure that’s how I will feel about Singapore too, since my brother says it’s been his favorite place to travel so far, but I will have to see how they compare. So much to be excited about!
