Helen & Lindsay's Wyong Milk Factory Run
23 May 2016 / Article: Andrew Digny Photos: Peter Hilkmann & Grant Webber
For those that chose to rise early, this day was the complete package. After waking to my alarm and having a quick peak out the window to see a light fog, I thought this was going to be a nice sunny day and boy was I right. After a quick run down the M1 to the twin servo's, we met another 13 early rising MX5͛s ready for an early morning blast. Thanks to Helen and Lindsay's brisk pace combined with a great mix of tight, twisty roads, long sweepers, virtually no traffic and a beautiful sunny morning, I found this early morning drive the most enjoyable leg of driving I have done so far in my short time with the MX5 club.
We arrived at the Wyong Co-op to be greeted by another 12 cars complete with smiling faces and after a social coffee or milkshake (and a guilty cake or two) it was off to check out the cheese and chocolate outlets and to sample and buy a few more treats for the wine tasting and picnic later in the day. The labneh cheese was so good I purchased some.
After a quick briefing, 25 cars set of for Catherine Vale Wines and after departing the Central Coast area and ascending into the Mountains District (that's what the sign said) with duelling Banjo's playing in my mind, we encountered all sorts of wildlife (motor bike riders, bicycle riders, firemen, like minded travellers enjoying a Sunday drive, etc.). Still an enjoyable drive but a little busier than the morning leg.
Being a little slow on the uptake, I didn't realise that we were meeting the RPM chapter at the winery and was surprised to see another 14 MX5's already parked when we arrived. Thanks to Wendy Lawson and her staff at Catherine Vale Wines, over 50 members and guests enjoyed a presentation and the tasting of 4 white wines and 2 red wines, all of which are grown on 10 acres of vines on her vineyard. At the conclusion of the wine tasting a lucky door prize was drawn and won by Max (the lucky door prize was wine donated by Wendy). Afterwards everyone retired to the lawns in front of the cellar doors to enjoy a picnic lunch and great company.
Whilst everyone was enjoying their picnic, I had noted there was a sparkling wine (champagne) on the menu and snuck back into the cellar doors to see if I could sample one. Given that Wendy only does a limited run of sparkling wine every 7 or 8 years or so (2008 on sale, 2015 just bottled) she had not presented the sparkling wine at the tasting, but without hesitation opened a bottle for sampling and even offered a second sample whilst chatting. The wine was great and the host gracious, how could I not purchase a bottle of bubbly.
Pretty soon after that, thoughts turned to preparation for another week of work, so all too soon, I headed home in preparation of another week of nose to the grindstone. All in all, 350 kms well spent!
More of Peters photos: HERE
More of Grants photos: HERE
