Building the Perfect Hunter Valley Cheese, Wine and Olive Platter
A platter is one of the simplest ways to spend an afternoon in the Hunter Valley, and it’s a big part of how we like guests to experience Tintilla Estate. Good produce, a glass of something local, and no rush to be anywhere else.
What goes on the platter
Start with the olives. Our estate-grown Manzanillo, Sevillano and Frontoio olives are fermented and infused with garlic, lemon or oregano, so they carry more flavour than anything you’d pick up at a supermarket. Add our olive tapenade, made with anchovies, capers and Merlot, spread thickly on fresh bread.
From there, bring in a proper cheese selection. A soft, mild cheese works well against the sharper, more peppery character of a fresh olive oil, while a firmer, aged cheese can stand up to a fuller red. Round it out with our chilli tomato relish for something with a bit of heat, and our fig jam, grown and made right here on the estate, for a touch of sweetness against the salt of the olives and cheese.
Pairing it with wine
A crisp, cooler-climate white sits comfortably with the milder cheeses and the lemon or oregano olives on the platter. If you’re leaning into the tapenade and a firmer cheese, a fuller red such as our Merlot, or a Chardonnay with a bit more weight, will hold its own against the richer flavours.
Making an afternoon of it
Platters work particularly well paired with a wine and olive tasting, since you’ve already got everything open and poured. Ask your cellar door host to build a platter around whatever you’re tasting that day, rather than choosing one before you know what you’ll be drinking. It tends to make for a better match, and it’s a good excuse to slow down and stay a little longer.
Book your visit
Platters and tastings run together at our cellar door, six days a week, 10:30am to 5:30pm, with extended hours until 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Group bookings are essential. Get in touch to book your afternoon at Tintilla Estate.