Sitting about two hours northwest of Sydney, or an hour from Newcastle, the Hunter Valley isn’t just one of New South Wales’ most popular wine regions; it’s also Australia’s oldest. The region has been growing grapes since the 1820s. Now, there’s nearly enough wineries to represent each year it’s been producing wine.
There’s more than 150 wineries in the Hunter Valley so we’re yet to make it to all of them (but believe us when we say we’re trying).
Our favourite Hunter Valley wineries with cellar doors
Hanging Tree
Where is it? 294 O’Connors Rd, Pokolbin
Types of wine available: Brut, Cabernet, Chardonnay, CSM, Durif, Fume Blanc, Merlot, Mosacto, Petit Verdot, Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, Rosé, Semillion, Shiraz, Verdhelo,
Tasting price: $10 per person
Website: https://www.hangingtreewines.com.au/
Accommodation available? Yes! Book direct.
Wine dogs, scenic views and friendly winemakers are three of the key ingredients for a great winery in our books. And Hanging Tree has it all. The tasting room of the 40-acre winery sits inside and around a cosy old cow shed, giving it a perfect rustic-farm feel. There’s nothing pretentious about this place. in the best way possible.
Audrey Wilkinson
Where is it? 750 De Beyers Rd, Pokolbin
Types of wine available: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cuvée Rosé, Cuvée Rouge, Fiano, Gewurtztraminer, Malbec, Merlot, Moscato, Muscat, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Sangiovese, Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Shiraz, Tempranillo, Verdhello
Tasting price: $15 per person
Website: https://audreywilkinson.com.au/
Accommodation available? Yes! Book direct.
Atop a hill in Pokolbin overlooking the vineyards, Audrey Wilkinson is a winery at its prettiest. The white homestead with a wrap-around balcony that’s now the tasting room is also home to the property’s winemaking history and the Wilkinson family’s heritage. The property has been in its hands since 1886.
Piggs Peake
Where is it? 697 Hermitage Rd, Pokolbin
Types of wine available: Chardonnay, Grenache, Nebiollo, Reisling, Sagrantino, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Verdhelo, Viongner, Zinfandel
Tasting price: $32 per person
Website: https://piggspeake.com/
Accommodation available? No.
Aside from the actual wine (which is fab), our favourite thing about this place is the creative, pig-themed names for all the wines. From Rosed Pork to Hogwash, each bottle is unique and delicious. While they do tend to be a bit higher priced than some of the others (including the tasting fee), we believe it’s worth the treat.
Lucy’s Run
Where is it? 1274 Wine Country Dr, Lovedale
Types of wine available: Merlot, Shiraz and Verdelho
Tasting price: $5 per person
Website: https://lucysrun.com.au/
Accommodation available? No.
Originally part of a cattle farm, Lucy’s Run takes up 68 acres of the Hunter Valley in Lovedale, which tends to be a quieter part of the popular wine region. The winery offers the adorable Woof Woof range, a selection of wines that have profits donated to animal charities. Wondering who Lucy is? A dog of course!
Tamburlaine Organic Wines
Where is it? 358 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin
Types of wine available: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Reisling, Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz
Tasting price: $10 per person
Website: https://tamburlaine.com.au/
Accommodation available? No
Easily one of the most extensive wine tastings we’ve had, Tamburlaine has a great range of organic wines. We did opt for the tasting including cheese, and we were happy we did. While it was a few years ago, the extended tasting ended up being private and with a great guide. Everything they do here is plant-based and low-sulphur, and all farming is as sustainable as possible.
Tiltilla
Where is it? 725 Hermitage Rd, Pokolbin
Types of wine available: Chardonnay, Merlot, Semillon, Semillon Spritz, Shiraz, Syrah,
Tasting price: $10 per person
Website: https://tintilla.com.au/
Accommodation available? No
Arriving at Tintilla on a sunny afternoon and sitting on the patio, overlooking the vines, as the sun sinks lower into the sky is our favourite way to end a day in the Hunter Valley. We’ve done it a few times now! If you’ve only for room for one more at this point, we loved the spritz wines they make.
Why not make a weekend out of your Hunter Valley visit?
About the Hunter Valley
What wines are produced here?
Wine-wise, you can get a bit of everything in the Hunter, but the region is best for its Shiraz, Semillon, Chardonnay, and Verdelho, according to Wine Australia.
A lot of wineries here will also have vineyards in other parts of New South Wales, like Mudgee or Orange, where certain varieties are better grown. They’re then produced and sold at the cellar doors. So, if you’re keen on drinking local drops when you’re in the area, it’s best to double check where it’s from. The bottles are clearly labelled, and the staff at cellar doors will know the origin of anything included in your tasting.
Where is the Hunter Valley?
The Hunter Valley sits about 175kms northwest of Sydney, or about 65kms from Newcastle. On the road, the journey takes a bit over two hours from Sydney or one hour from Newcastle.
Climate-wise, you can expect it to be similar to either of those cities. Since it’s in-land though, it may be a bit warmer in summer and a bit cooler in winter.
Where to stay in the Hunter Valley
Accommodations are dotted all over the Hunter Valley, but considering it covers a huge 22,000 square kms, you’ll probably want to plan your stay a bit carefully. There’s a few main areas where the wineries are centred around. If you want to limit your driving while there, or are taking taxis, you may want to check out accommodation and cellar doors in the same area.
We recommend staying in Pokolbin, Broke, Lovedale or Cessnock.
Where we’ve stayed in the Hunter Valley:
- Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort (Agoda | Booking.com)
- Nightingale Villas (Agoda | Booking.com)
- Talits Estate (Airbnb)
- Cants Cottage (Airbnb)
- Rothvale Vineyard Cottages (now closed)
We’ve also done plenty of day trips here, too!
