Be still our beating hearts. One of Australia’s most beautiful, luxurious and eco-friendly resorts is about to woo serious food and wine lovers with three epic foodie escapes. Nestled within the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains, the Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley resort is on most discerning travellers’ bucket list (it was voted the number one hotel in Australia in Trip Advisor’s 2016 Traveller’s Choice awards), but you may want to rearrange your list to put this at the top once you see what’s on offer in August and September.

Following on from the ‘Bentley Boys’ chef Brent Savage and sommelier Nick Hildebrandt’s gourmet getaway in late July, where the fabled Bentley Restaurant + Bar was brought to the heart of the mountains for one glorious weekend, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley are maintaining their commitment to showcasing local and international food heroes and artisans.

The Blue Mountains are a long way from the tiny Italian village of Barbaresco, with its population of just 650 people, but celebrated winemaker Gaia Gaja is a world traveller. Gaia is part of the fifth generation of the Barbaresco-based wine family that runs the acclaimed Gaja Winery in Italy’s renowned Piedmont region. Having taken over from her father, Angelo Gaja, who is often referred to as ‘The King of Barbaresco’, Gaia is part of a new generation of wine makers, who manage to maintain tradition but with a firm eye on the future.

Few things in life speak to luxury like sitting by a roaring fire, watching the mist descend over the mountains with a glass of fine wine or whisky in your hand. And if that glass in your hand happens to be Waterford, so much the better. If you’re a whisky connoisseur or you want to be, you’ll want to ensure you take the House of Waterford up on their offer of a tasting masterclass in August, where you’ll learn about the art of whisky blending from Chivas Regal ambassador Rachel MacDonald. It’s followed by a degustation dinner where beautiful, seasonal dishes are matched to different whisky blends, presented in dazzling Waterford crystal. And when you make your way back to your villa and look back down at the glass in your hand you’ll notice you’re holding your very own beautifully monogrammed crystal tumbler.

As winter starts to lift in the valley, iconic Aussie brand R.M Williams and guest chef Lennox Hastie of Firedoor restaurant are going to heat things up with what they are calling the ‘Ultimate Australian Weekend’. If you’re partial to bushland adventures, campfire tales under starry skies with a fair bit of luxury thrown in, this is for you. Think of it as an Australian culinary tour de force – Hastie cooking over an open fire and serving up the ultimate barbecue by the iconic 1832 homestead. Amongst the ancient sandstone escarpments and bright stars with a full belly and heart, we dare say you’ll be mighty glad you moved this to the top of your bucket list.

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, New South Wales
oneandonlyresorts.com