It was terrifying, says Abby Crawford, marketing manager at Winmark Wines. We could see the fires coming down the hill towards us. Winmark was one of many Hunter Valley wineries that lost its entire 2020 vintage to smoke taint. Having already endured three years of drought, the bushfires in late 2019 must have felt like the final straw. And then, of course, came COVID-19.
When restrictions in NSW finally eased in June last year and people started travelling again, the Hunter faced a more familiar challenge: the surprising indifference of many Sydneysiders to the world-class wine region on their doorstep. Many bypassed it in favour of what are perceived as the cooler wine destinations such as Orange and Mudgee.
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