Seamless Integration of Unique Food & Wine Experiences
Richard and Susan Bradley bought Calais Estate in 2000 with the idea that they’d like to retire to a small vineyard and maybe make some wine.
Fast forward 22 years, and they are now running one of the largest boutique wineries in the valley that enjoys a growing reputation as a wedding venue par excellence, an extensive hand-crafted wine list, a cellar door that’s won more than its share of awards, a homewares and gift store called Come What May and Restaurant Kawul, the onsite restaurant with the gorgeous verandah and stunning views over the Brokenback ranges.
Richard Bradley grew up in farming communities in Victoria and Queensland before moving to Sydney to become the founder and CEO of a software IT company. Never one to be away from rural life for long, Richard and his wife ran horses and cattle on a property in the Yarramalong Valley, raised their three daughters and dreamt of running a vineyard one day. Warned against even attempting to grow grapes on their farm in Yarramalong, they were surprised to receive an offer for
their property which spurred them on to purchase Calais Estate.
Originally a dairy and cattle farm, Calais Estate became a vineyard in 1971, with the winery established in 1975 and the cellar door built a few years after that. When Richard and Susan took it over, they worked hard on renovating the grounds and the cellar door. They used what they could find on the estate and reclaimed materials, resulting in a rustic, bucolic charm and character that creates the ideal backdrop for everything the estate offers.
“The cellar door is built from convict-hewn sandstone,” said Richard.
“When it was built, it repurposed materials from a pier in Pyrmont and from buildings in The Rocks for the beams and other things. The verandah is from an old pub in Newcastle; we’ve got bricks from an old train station. There are even fossils found on the property, and of course, there are the old dairy vats that were converted to winery vats.”
Richard and Susan have not had to do everything alone, however. It’s a family-run business, and their daughter Joanne who previously worked in film and television as well as hospitality and for the PGA Golf, was excited by the opportunity to work on something that was stable and that didn’t require a lot of travel. She is the General Manager and has been on deck since the very beginning. Her sister Katrina took a bit longer to be lured away from Melbourne, where she worked in IT. It was nine years ago that she had the idea of running her own homewares and gift shop so that she could put her love of shopping to good use, and the onsite store Come What May was created with a focus on vintage and locally made products. Katrina also works as the Calais Estate Marketing Manager. “I’ve found a way to shop for my career,” laughed Katrina.
“I thought I’d do it for a year, but here we are nine years later. It’s easy to get hooked. It’s an engaging and lovely industry to work in. Everyone is out to have a good time, they’re on holiday, and it’s lots of fun. Wine is also a fabulous intersection of science meets art.”
The vineyard comprises twenty acres planted with the Hunter Valley classics of Shiraz and Semillon as well as Cabernet Sauvignon but also sources premium fruit from other first-class vineyards. Winemaker Adrian Sheridan joined Calais Estate in 1997, and when the Bradleys took over the estate, he became the Senior Winemaker. The winery offers personalised winemaking services to other producers as well as developing a wide range of traditional wines and rare varietals under its own label.
The restaurant space began as a function centre before becoming The Verandah Restaurant, which ran for twelve years. Restaurant Kawul which has a strong native influence utilising natural bush flavours and spices and a focus on local produce, moved into the space - and then Covid happened.
“We did some more renovations during the first Covid lockdown,” said Richard.
“But the biggest change during this period was that we bought Restaurant Kawul, which enabled us to seamlessly integrate everything – the food, the wine, the experiences. It’s been a great thing for business. All the front-of-house staff in the restaurant know about the wines and can share their knowledge with our customers. Most of our experiences include a food component – Grazing Picnics, the Winery Long Lunches, our Locals Nights and, of course, catering for our wedding clientele.”
The property is situated on Wonnarua land, and the connection with local indigenous elders is something the team are keen to celebrate. The restaurant and shop, Come What May stock local indigenous art produced by three generations of the same family. There is also a focus on planting natives in the gardens.
At the heart of Calais Estate is the experiences that it offers visitors.
“We’ve got a full range of very insta-worthy grazing picnics and unique experiences,” said Richard.
“The opportunity to make your very own sparkling wine is something that is very unique to us. We call it the Bubbles Bonanza. It’s for groups of 8 or more, and people get to hand-make their own sparkling, going through the process of disgorging and dosaging before enjoying the fruits of their labour over a picnic. It’s very popular.”
But for the genuinely in-depth experience, nothing can beat the Winery Long Lunch. This unique experience includes an opportunity to explore behind the scenes with an access-all-areas tour led by family members, the chance to create your own sparkling wine in the traditional French style, then canapés and a five-course degustation meal by Restaurant Kawul with matching Calais Estate wines.
Another long-standing tradition at Calais Estate is the monthly Local’s Night which began many years ago. This popular event is not just for locals. It’s a discounted night of food and drink prepared by Restaurant Kawul and served at a big, long table with a different menu each month based around a wine variety. People get a chance to meet others in a convivial, fun atmosphere.
“It’s a fabulous way to meet new people,” said Richard. “We even encourage BYO, although, of course, Calais Estate wines are available to buy on the night at a discount. It’s lots of fun for people to taste each other’s wines. And the restaurant staff get to be even more creative. It runs on the first Friday of every month and is just $60pp.”
A quick look at the social media of Calais Estate provides insight into one of the most successful areas of the business. The spectacular Barrel Room is an extremely popular wedding and events venue.
“The space is a working barrel room,” said Katrina.
“It has to be set up every time it’s hired out. By the time we have it all styled and set, it looks like a wonderland. It’s so rustic, you can smell the oak, and with the fairy lights, it gets you every time. No matter how often you see it, I’m always in awe. It’s a truly beautiful space.”
The homewares and gift store at the estate, Come What May, sells some of the produce used in the picnics and tastings, such as jams, chocolates and condiments, as well as personalised gifts that are popular with the wedding clientele. The chocolates are made by a local women’s refuge as well as many other locally made products. Katrina also offers a personalised design service to source homewares for customers according to their interior styling requirements. There is a range of candles, vintage homewares, indigenous art, gift items, kid’s wear, blankets and Christmas decorations.
Some changes are being planned for the near future on the estate.
“We are looking to make a few changes, move a few things around,” said Richard. “We’re looking to create a private tasting room and private dining area to further expand on our customer experiences. We’ve got a blacksmith working on wrought iron gates, but I’m not spoiling the surprise – you’ll just have to watch this space!”
With so much on offer at Calais Estate – from wine tastings, picnics, shopping and Restaurant Kawul, nothing could be easier than spending a whole day soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the food and wine in this picturesque setting. There’s no need to go anywhere else.
WORDS LIANE MORRIS
Other popular experiences include:
• Guided tasting, including cheese platter for $25pp;
• Group tasting for groups of 15 or more, including cheese platter and one bottle of wine per person at $45pp;
• Grazing picnic with a beautifully styled charcuterie selection for $60pp;
• Garden tasting with wine and cheese, including digital tasting notes for $15pp;
• Guided cheese and wine matching for $35pp; and • Gourmet picnic packs for $46.
