THERE are two words in the English language that when spoken to a woman sets her spirit alight.
'Girls trip'.
So it was on a mid-week jaunt to the picturesque Hunter Valley, with the promise of an incredible spa treatment at Elysia Wellness Retreat, a tipple or two at Ben Ean Winery, Savannah Estate and Tamburlaine Organic Wines rounded out with a five-course Sri Lankan inspired degustation that myself and a friend set off for Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort.
The aptly-named Best of the Best Wine Dinner at the Oak and Vine Restaurant is a true celebration of 'Chef Vinnie', Vinura de Silva's, Sri Lankan roots, perfectly paired with wine from six local boutique wineries.
Settling in for a feast of the senses overlooking the lush, green golf course and turquoise pool, the beautiful colours on the plate come second only to the heady, aromatic spices that smell just as delicious as it tastes.
The concept is a true collaboration between winemaker and chef, general manager Shaun O'Bryan said.
"Part of our expectation when we do wine dinners is we ensure that the winemaker and the chef have dialogue," he said.
"Chef Vinnie is French-trained, he's worked a lot in Dubai and brings his native flavours to the dishes with different spices, he's very creative.
"But again, each dinner never has the same menu."
To start, crumbed crab and prawn cutlets with a mustard pumpkin sauce alongside a coconut roti with chili onion sambol is a warm invitation for a complete newcomer to Sri Lankan cuisine.
A sip of Tamburlaine's delightfully fresh High and Dry Cuvee the perfect accompaniment to the plate, a perfect toast to what had already been a day of indulgence.
Still feeling a little euphoric from our spa treatments, for myself, a hydrating facial that left me feeling and hopefully looking 10 years younger, we relished in the relaxation.
Pushing through a heavy, golden door to the retreat, we had entered a slice of heaven.
The attentive staff at Elysia Wellness Retreat welcomed us with a citrus-infused water or tea before we slipped into luxurious robes and away from reality.
Coming to in the quiet, calm of the day spa, the only thing that dulled the pain of leaving was the promise of lunch at Baumé Restaurant and wine tastings on the horizon.
After a sneak peek at Ben Ean's exclusive, intimate private dining room, The Still House, we were off to raise a glass at Savannah Estate's new cellar door, with a delicious chambourcin, and then onto Tamburlaine to try a selection of their organic wines - others which we'd come to sample at dinner.
Once we'd polished off our starter, we were on to the Oak and Vine signature trio - half shell scallops with a tangy coconut herb crust, finger lime and micro herbs nestled alongside a treacle-and-fennel glazed duck breast with tempered beetroot, feta and curry leaves and a black pepper pork dry curry, each a perfect bite.
Washed down with First Creek's Limited Release 2023 Fiano, I started to wish I'd left some room after lunch, but there was more to come.
The third dish, a sweet and sour crispy barramundi with ceylon spice chilli sauce and a pineapple coriander salsa paired with First Creek's 2019 Balmoral Chardonnay - on this night I may have become a convert to a dry white.
O'Bryan said it's the thoughtful pairings and experience that keeps guests coming back.
"Fans of the Oak and Vine Restaurant and Vinnie's cooking who come to the wine dinner, it won't be their last," he said.
"Vinnie will touch every table, without a doubt, and that's part of the experience with our communal, long chef tables along the restaurant.
"He'll come through with the wine maker and they'll explain why the dishes and wines were paired but it's always different, we don't want it to feel the same."
As a first-timer, I was undoubtedly impressed with our main, a medium-rare sous vide rack of lamb, with a pappadum and curry leaf crust, eggplant moju and sweet tamarind sauce (with an unexpected small side of Chef Vinnie's famous curried prawns "just to try").
But, it's his attention to detail and passion for food that made it all memorable, even showing us his sketchbook, where he painstakingly designs each well-balanced dish before it comes to life on the plate.
At this point I was well and truly stuffed, but there's always room for dessert - a kithul panna cotta with wood apple gel, gingernut and finger lime that went down well with First Creek's 6 Barrels Reserve liqueur verdelho.
The dinner is a return to what traditional wine pairing is all about.
"With some wineries there's not a lot of detail in it, they might do the basic pairings that go with that style and there's no real intensity or trial to see if it does go with the dish," O'Bryan said.
"The goal for us when we did this was we wanted to make sure it was very authentic, that it went back to the grassroots of making sure wine pairs with that dish, a true collaboration between the wine maker and chef."
