Heaven is on the south coast, more specifically, it can be found at Cupitt’s Estate. I recently made the three-hour drive from Penrith down the South Coast to stay in one of their luxury villas.
Check-in was smooth with the staff’s kindness apparent from the moment I stepped in the door, they welcomed me with ease and gave me an overview of the sprawling grounds before letting me know my winery tour and tasting would begin soon.
I headed to Villa 2, which was to be my home for the evening. The first thing to note is each villa has reserved parking spaces for its occupants; it’s a small touch but it most definitely did not go unnoticed. The short walk from the car to the front door was surrounded in shrubbery making it feel like you were the only person there, another quiet moment of luxury.
With a swipe of my key card, I entered the villa. The villa had a small kitchenette with a fully stocked minibar inclusive of a how to guide for a range of in-house made cocktails – a great touch.
To the left was the lounge room, it was decorated with wicker and shades of cream that were complemented by the sound of waves crashing coming from the TV.
To the right was the bathroom inclusive of a rain shower head and coloured by moody tiles, then there was the bedroom stocked with a plush king bed. The showstopper was the secluded deck which had an outdoor bath, this was the complete highlight of my trip. I was half tempted to get the water running right then and there but knowing I had my tour soon, I tabled the idea.
After a freshen up, I made the short walk over to the restaurant area to begin my tour. I was greeted by Rosie Cupitt, co-owner of the estate with her husband and the originator of the family’s move into wine almost two decades ago.
Briefly, Cupitt’s Estate sits on Washburton Farm, a 75-hectare property originally settled by William Tuckerman in the early 1800’s. The Cupitt family purchased the Washburton Farm in 2001 and later officially opened it as the Estate in June 2007.
Rosie grabbed two wine glasses and led me into the heart of the operation, the wine cellar to meet her son Wally, Head Winemaker. I tasted some wines (some straight from the barrel!) and learnt about the intricacies of wine making.
The tasting impressed me so much I bought two bottles to take home to enjoy.
Once my tour ended, I had some time until my dinner reservation. So, I headed to my outdoor bath and turned the taps on to get the water warm and the soap bubbling. To complement the experience, I also grabbed a glass of wine. Once the bath was full, I got in and sat listening to the sounds of nature. It was complete bliss.
I took the short walk over to the on-site restaurant where the staff were so helpful. I perused the menu before deciding to start with the fried zucchini flower stuffed with whipped ricotta and the house baked focaccia with Vanella burrata and fennel jam. I want to preface, I did indeed order too much food, but I was so keen to try everything. These two starters were exquisite, in fact, if the food stopped coming then I would have been more than satisfied but I pressed on, with another glass of wine of course.
Next, I ordered a serving of the grilled Yamba prawns with Martins Ridge nduja butter and lemon. As someone who is not often a seafood lover, these were the best prawns I ever had! They were so juicy and full of flavour, I’m still thinking about them. Lastly for my mains I ordered the hand rolled ricotta gnocchi in a tomato vodka sauce, a baby cos salad with parmesan and breadcrumbs as well as the double fried potatoes. This was the best food I ever had, in fact, I would make the six hour return trip just for the food.
After one of the best night’s sleeps I have ever had, I was treated to a breakfast hamper in my villa. The hamper included freshly baked house made sourdough, juice, fruit and yoghurt. I made some breakfast and sat on the private balcony to take in the tranquil views.
Cupitt’s is about making wine an experience even for the causal partaker and they certainly deliver. The food is decadent and the accommodation is luxurious in every way.
If you are after a romantic getaway or a solo trip to refresh your body, my suggestion is Cupitt’s Estate.
Visit https://www.cupittsestate.com.au.
The writer travelled as a guest of Cupitt’s Estate.
