A Taste of Lucia Roche

There’s a fresh reason to linger a little longer in Pokolbin, with Lucia Roche Estate bringing Italian-inspired dining, estate wines and relaxed hospitality to the heart of Hunter Valley wine country.

Now open at Roche Estate, Lucia has been designed for everything from a leisurely lunch among the vines to dinner and cocktails as the sun goes down.

At the centre of the experience is a menu made for sharing, combining seasonal produce with the warmth and simplicity of Italian cooking.

Leading the kitchen is Head Chef Jack Zideluns, whose impressive career has taken him from Merivale and Hamilton Island to London’s Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay.

At Lucia, however, inspiration comes just as much from home, drawing on recipes, traditions and memories passed down through his Italian family and Nonna.

“Some of my best memories of food are sitting around a table with family, with plenty of dishes in the middle and everyone helping themselves,” says Zideluns.

“That’s a big part of what I want Lucia to feel like.”

A stone-fired oven sits at the heart of the kitchen, turning out pizzas alongside generous share plates and pasta. Think burrata with romesco and freshly baked pizza bread, Prosciutto Rucola pizza layered with prosciutto, rocket, parmesan and fig, or Pesto Mafalde Corte finished with basil, pistachio and stracciatella.

The same relaxed approach flows through to the drinks list. Locally produced estate wines sit alongside Lucia Lager and a considered cocktail offering, including the Amalfi Sour, an easy accompaniment to an afternoon spent settling into the estate.

Venue Manager and Licensee John Samway, a WSET Level 3-qualified wine professional, oversees the wine and beverage experience, while Operations Manager Sam Harman brings more than two decades of hospitality experience to the wider operation.

“We want Lucia to be somewhere people can gather and settle in, there’s no rush to order or to leave,” says Samway.

“It should feel special enough that you want to make a plan to come here, but relaxed enough that you can spend a few hours over good food and wine.”

With its combination of stone-fired cooking, beautiful wines and an easy-going atmosphere, Lucia feels right at home in the Hunter Valley, and offers another delicious reason to plan your next afternoon in wine country.

Lucia Roche Estate is open Wednesday to Sunday at Roche Estate, Broke Road, Pokolbin.