This was published 13 years ago
The Vineyard Cottage, Berrima review: Her beauty and her terroir
Genteel feel ... the Vineyard Cottage is stylishly decorated with antiques and original artwork.Credit: Mags King
When your front door is this close to the cellar door, the designated driver can have a well-earned break, writes Mags King.
WE ARE on our way to vineyards for the weekend, with some serious-looking bikes along for the ride. Russet-topped trees complete the scenery as we head above Bowral on Compton Park Road in the Southern Highlands. Bluemetal Vineyard is one of 60 in the region and at 790 metres above sea level, it's also the highest.
Its name is drawn from the basalt rock on which it lies, known as blue metal. An educated friend in the car informs me that, traditionally, the names of wineries reflect the terroir, their sense of place in their environment. At that moment, we drive past a property named Dixieland. Luckily, it's not a winery.
Bluemetal produces just 40 tonnes of fruit a year but has already achieved a seal of approval from James Halliday; its Fume Blanc 2008 rated 94 points.
We are staying just a few steps away from the cellar door. Our cottage was opened at the vineyard this year and is nestled among pretty maple, ash and English oak trees. The first thing we see on the front deck is a huge flying saucer-like chair decadently covered in Turkish lamb's wool. It could easily accommodate three people. Mental note: must try that later.
A neatly stacked pile of wood and a rather large decorative broom is also by the door. In the distance, the Southern Tablelands and Blue Mountains can be seen.
We walk into a beautifully warm room, the small but effective combustion heater already cranked. We scatter to claim bedrooms; there are three, two off the living area and one off the kitchen.
Each room is stylishly decorated and we swoon over high-thread-count sheets (and the chocolates resting on them), sumptuous throws, wall heaters and, for when the temperature really plummets, electric blankets.
There is plenty to like at the Vineyard Cottage: kilim rugs on floorboards, antique hurricane wall lanterns, original artwork, as well as prints, tactile throws stylishly laid on comfy armchairs and a back deck complete with barbecue and dining table overlooking the winery.
A local-produce lunch menu, along with espresso coffee, devonshire teas and gourmet platters, is available at the cellar door's cafe. For cooks staying at the cottage, the kitchen is equipped with all the necessary accoutrements, including a stylish dinner set and glassware for that languid dinner party.
The bathroom is simple by contrast, although the fire engine-red tiles are sobering. I later learnt the manager was pregnant when she decorated the bathroom. Enough said. It has a bathtub, a shower recess and organic products.
The living room has a TV-DVD player, a stack of games, magazines and CDs should guests decide to hunker down for the weekend. We crank up Aretha Franklin, pour some vino and tuck into home-made pizza in front of a roaring fire before making the painful decision to leave the cottage and pop into Berrima, a mere four kilometres away.
We had already made a detour to Bowral on the way to the vineyard, our attention landing on both the organic Wild Food on Bong Bong Street and the bakery across the road in the Grand Hotel building.
With beautifully preserved Georgian-style architecture and shopfronts, Berrima is reminiscent of an English village. Peppergreen Antiques & Collectables is a cavernous purpose-built barn in which you can get lost for hours.
The Little Hand-Stirred Jam Shop is worth a visit, too; we went in for jam and left with restaurant recommendations. Follow the advice and book a table at Eccetera in Bowral. The meal is everything you would expect from a good trattoria, right down to the fresh ingredients and friendly service.
Back at our warm cottage, we rally around the roaring fire for home-made tiramisu, all mention of cycling banned until the next day.
The writer was a guest of Bluemetal Vineyard and Tourism NSW.
Trip notes
Where The Vineyard Cottage, Bluemetal Vineyard, 112 Compton Park Road, Berrima. (02) 4877 1877, bluemetalvineyard.com.
Getting there Take the South Western Freeway to the Hume Highway, exit on to the Old Hume Highway, turn right at Greenhills Road and left at Compton Park Road.
How much $300 a night on weekends; $200 a night Monday to Thursday. Minimum two-night booking.
Style statement French provincial flair and Australian country-cottage charm.
Perfect for Couples, groups, nature lovers and sybaritic types.
Shame about No veggie peeler in the kitchen.
Kudos Hamper deliveries and midweek fine-dining deals with the neighbouring Eschalot Restaurant.
Take the kids? It's more suited to adults, aside from outdoor activities.
Don't forget Wingello State Forest for cycling and walking.
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