Stay n’ Sip: the Hunter Valley wine tasting that comes to you

You can tell when someone absolutely loves their job – when their infectious enthusiasm spills out like an overfilled glass of wine. That’s Pierre Toumanoff-Mendoza from Stay n’ Sip in the Hunter Valley.

Founded by Pierre and his wife Mercedes, Stay n’ Sip is a mobile wine tasting that comes to you, whether you’re at home with friends, in a hotel, or staying at a conference venue. Perfect for those on a tight schedule, it makes for a great accessible wine tourism experience too, as cellar doors aren’t always designed for a person with disability in mind.

Lasting between 1 to 1.5 hours, every experience is bespoke. Pierre and the team guide you through a list of long wines, adjusting to suit your palate and desire. Prefer sweet, dry, only red or white? You’re in luck. And to balance it all out, a plate of crackers, cheese and fresh honey from local hives. There is a non-alcoholic option too, plus catering for dietaries requirements.

Our Stay n’ Sip odyssey takes place at Rydges Hunter Valley – and though it was near the end of a long day of wine tasting, we can’t resist diving deeper into the varied drops of the region. Why? Because each one was unique to Stay n’ Sip – you can’t find them on sale at bottle shops or even in the cellar doors of the wineries whose name is on the label. They’re rare and exclusive, and seriously good.

(A Sangiovese we tried, for example, was a “revelation” to a Hunter wine aficionado in our group. Naturally, she bought several bottles at the end of the session.)

Having visited numerous cellar doors over the years, I’d say one of the other big pluses of the experience is its unhurried nature. Sure, there is a time limit, but it doesn’t feel like anyone is watching the clock or keeping an eye out for the next person to walk through the door. That lends it an air of relaxed, casual discovery – one sip at a time.

Available in Sydney, Central coast and across the Hunter Valley, Stay n’ Sip offer several tasting packages, from standard wines through to an ‘Icon’ series uniting the finest wines in the Hunter Valley. And the common thread? Pierre’s infectious commentary, with the whole experience professional from start to finish.

The writer visited as a guest of Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association