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The Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s most prestigious wine regions and is famous for its delectable wines and historic vineyards.
The valley is a lush subtropical area dominated by the striking Hunter River and rolling hills covered in countless vineyards. The river’s many tributaries snake through the region, creating an idyllic landscape unlike any other in New South Wales.
Its fertile ground, freshwater supply, and tropical climate make the Hunter Valley a perfect wine-growing region that is well regarded for its delicious blends.
Two of the best ways to get to and around the Hunter Valley include joining a half-day wine tour or booking one of the various day trips to the Hunter Valley’s top vineyards. To help you enjoy all that the Hunter Valley has to offer, we have put together a list of the best wineries in the Hunter Valley area, as well as some of the best Hunter Valley half-day wine tours!
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5 Best Wineries in the Hunter Valley Region
The Hunter Valley is one of the oldest and most renowned wine regions in all of Australia, with its winemaking history dating all the way back to the early 1800s.
This long history means that some of the world’s best wineries are located in the Hunter Valley and the area is a popular location for wine tasting day tours and trips.
To help you discover the best wineries in the Hunter Valley wine region, we have listed the top five wineries and what makes their history so unique.
1. Tulloch Wines
The Tulloch story goes back all the way to 1838 when Scottish immigrant James Tulloch arrived in Australia, settling in the town of Camberwell. However, the Tulloch’s history with wine did not start until 1895.
Since then, for more than 125 years, the Tulloch estate has been crafting fantastic wine in their humble stretch of the Hunter Valley.
With seven different vineyards, all of which are dedicated to a specialist blend, the Tulloch wine estate has grown into one of the most recognised wineries in Australia.
The estate is especially well regarded for its historic shiraz and specialist cellar door releases, with Tulloch being well known for both white and red blends.
The beautiful estate grounds and artfully designed cellar door area make this one of the best wineries in the Hunter Valley region.
2. Harkham Wines
This small, family-owned winery is famous for its natural approach to wine production, with all of its grapes handpicked to ensure only the highest quality fruit goes into its wines.
The estate is well known for its organic wine range which is made without using chemical additions, flavour adjustments or filtration, creating a unique and rounded blend.
Visitors to the property can stay at authentic farm-style accommodation, then spend a day meeting with Harkham’s owner and winemaker Richie Harkham for a complimentary tasting of his wine selection, bespoke chocolate liqueur and sweet honey meads.
Harkham wines is a fantastic winery if you’re interested in trying a more sustainable approach to winemaking.
You will also get savour delicious ports while admiring the impressive views of the beautiful Brokenback Mountain Range.
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3. Audrey Wilkinson Winery
Experts in winemaking, the Audrey Wilkinson Winery has been making fantastic wines since 1866, paving the way for many in the Hunter Valley region.
Its founder, Audrey Wilkinson, was famed for winning multiple awards throughout his life and for helping to develop top of the range winemaking techniques such as cement fermenters and steam-powered crushers.
With such ground-breaking early days, it is no wonder that Audrey Wilkinson wineries have been at the forefront of winemaking for more than 150 years.
Visitors to the cellar door can savour delicious wines and explore the sites winemaking museum, which is housed in the original winery. The museum is free to enter and showcases the Wilkinson family history as well as many of their original ground-breaking winemaking tools and inventions.
4. Bimbadgen Winery
Located high on a hill and with a name that translates as “Place of Good View” in the indigenous language, the scenery of Bimbadgen Winery is sure to impress.
Bimbadgen’s Palmers Lane vineyard was planted in 1968 and the McDonalds Road vineyard shortly after that, with both sites providing exquisite Semillon, Shiraz and Chardonnay blends for over 50 years now.
The property is well regarded with spacious tasting rooms, an outdoor amphitheatre, fig tree orchards and an iconic bell tower property that all come together to create a truly breath-taking landscape for visitors to admire.
With such impressive scenery and a fantastic range of wines available, the Bimbadgen Winery is by far one of the best wineries in the Hunter Valley.
5. Vinden Wines
Although a relative newcomer to the wine scene in the Hunter Valley, having only started out in 1990, Vinden Wines is no less impressive in its range of wines.
Vinden Wines is known for classic blends such as their single barrel Chenin Blanc as well as for experimental projects such as the Vinden Headcase release, which incorporates wine and photography in an artistic combo.
The property is well regarded for its Victorian style architecture and beautiful surrounding views.
Guests can spend the night at the Vinden Estate homestead and enjoy:
- Beautiful interior design
- An outdoor swimming pool
- Blazing fireplaces and
- One of the most spectacular views of the surrounding countryside
The Vinden wines stunning estate design, delicious wines and artistic approach to winemaking is why it’s one of the best wineries in the Hunter Valley.
The Best Hunter Valley Wine Tours
With so many fantastic wineries scattered throughout the hills of the Hunter Valley, it can feel a little overwhelming when picking which ones to visit.
The happy medium is usually 3-4 wineries a day, but the hardest part is which ones to choose!?
Thankfully, there are a host of great wine tours and experiences to choose from ensuring that you visit at least some of the best wineries in the Hunter Valley region.
To help you find the best tour to suit your tastes and preferences, we have listed our Top 5 half-day and full-day trips to the Hunter Valley wine region.
1. Hunter Valley Picnic and Wine Tasting Tour
One of the most relaxed Hunter Valley half-day wine tours, this trip will have you visiting the Audrey Wilkinson Cellar Door, as mentioned above.
The tour starts by taking you through the Audrey Wilkinson Cellar Door’s on-site museum, where your experienced guide will help you discover the long and rich history of wine in the Hunter Valley regions.
After your tour, you’ll have the chance to enjoy a premium tasting experience of the Audrey’s showcase wines, which is guided by one of the cellar doors passionate winemakers.
You will then collect your gourmet picnic lunch and a bottle of one of Audrey Wilkinson’s most popular wines and head out into the grounds of the vineyard.
Time: 1.5 Hours
Includes:
- Host or greeter
- Museum tour
- Wine tasting
- Picnic lunch
Price: $80 AUD p/p
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2. Hunter Valley Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Tour
One of the most popular day trips to the Hunter Valley for food and wine lovers, this tour is fantastic for those looking to try all the flavours this lush wine region offers.
This tour will see you visiting three of the best wineries in the Hunter Valley and sampling some of Australia’s most delicious wines.
During the tour, you will get to enjoy guided wine tastings (led by some of the wineries most experienced winemakers) and discover fascinating insider knowledge around the production of this incredible region’s renowned wines.
Your wine tasting will allow you to sample both red and white varieties, ensuring no matter your preference, you will be able to try some of the best wines on offer in the Hunter Valley. As a part of your tour, you will also be able to enjoy a fantastic cheese tasting experience that will let you savour some of the Hunter Valley’s best organic made cheeses.
Your tour will also include a stop for lunch in the gardens of one of Hunter Valley’s many wineries, where you can savour local delicacies with a glass of wine or two.
Along the way, you can enjoy some samples of locally made flavoured liqueurs, including organic vodka, schnapps and gin, which will be provided to you as part of a unique tasting experience.
The final part of your tour will see you savouring handmade chocolates as part of a gourmet tasting experience, a delicious end to a flavourful day.
Time: 6 Hours
Includes:
- Pickup from select locations
- Visit to 3 wineries
- An exclusive behind-the-scenes wine production tour
- Red and white wine tastings
- Local guides
- Organic vodka, schnapps, gin, and liqueur tastings served in test tubes
- Cheese tasting
- Local chocolate tasting
- Lunch with wine, beer, or soft drinks (subject to option booked)
Price:
- $195 AUD p/p
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3. Tulloch Premium Wine Tasting Tour
This tour will have you step inside the doors of the previously mentioned and world-renowned Tulloch winery.
Here you will enjoy a fantastic tasting experience in the private cellar where you can taste and savour six of Tulloch wineries best wines, paired with a gourmet charcuterie and cheese board.
The six wines on your tour will be chosen from the museum cellar selection, explicitly selected as part of this specialist tasting experience and aged to perfection.
For those who don’t drink alcohol, they also offer a fun and engaging Kombucha tasting experience alongside your wine tasting session.
Time: 1 Hour.
Includes:
- Wine Ambassador guide
- 6 premium aged wine tasting
- Local cheese and charcuterie board
- Take home Tulloch branded gift
- 10 Voucher for any Tulloch Wine purchase
- Teens kombucha and kids tasting experience
Price: $100 AUD p/p
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4. Uncork the Hunter Full-Day Wine Tour
A fantastic and all-encompassing full day trip to some of the Hunter Valley’s best-kept secrets, this tour will see you enjoying several activities throughout this beautiful wine region.
Your passionate local guides will take you to some of the best wineries in the Hunter Valley region, with wine tasting at each of them.
Wineries won’t be your only stop though, and you will get to enjoy a cheese and wine tasting masterclass as well as a chocolate pairing experience at some of Hunter Valley’s top boutique shops.
Enjoy a generous lunch in a scenic location set amongst the vines of the valley’s lowlands before heading off for your tours mystery wine experience, a lesser-known gem chosen personally by your local guide.
Your fantastic day trip will end with a tour of one of Hunter Valley’s unique brewery locations, where you can sample some of their local beers.
One of the best day trips to the Hunter Valley area, this tour will let you enjoy some of the region’s most delicious wines and local produce.
Time: 7 Hours
Includes:
- Wine tastings
- Mystery wine experience
- Passionate tour guides
- Cheese and wine pairing experience
- Chocolate and wine matching experience
- Gourmet grazing box (weather permitting)
- Brewery tour
- Transportation in luxury vans
- Pickup and drop-off to your Hunter Valley accommodation
Price: $199 AUD p/p
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5. Hunter Valley Beer and Wine Tour
If you want the complete package, this tour could be the perfect option for you – you will get to savour the finest wine and beer throughout Hunter Valley.
Travel in a small group through the lush rolling hills of the Hunter Valley and visit some of the region’s most popular breweries and two of its most prestigious wineries.
Learn about the tricks and trades of wine and beer production as you enjoy fantastically paired tastings that are led by an experienced local guide.
After you are done discovering the taste of Hunter Valley’s beautiful wines, hand-crafted beers, and refreshing ciders, take a break to enjoy a relaxing lunch with magnificent views of the area.
One of the best Hunter Valley half-day wine tours, this excursion will let you take in the many beautiful sites and flavours that the region is so well known for.
Time: 6.5 Hours
Includes
- Tastings at two breweries and two wineries
- A wine production tour
- A brewery production tour
- 1-course lunch
- Pickup and drop-off from selected Hunter Valley hotels and locations
Price: $189 AUD p/p
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In Summary:
The beautiful architecture, delicious wines and unbelievable scenery are just a few things that make the many wineries in Hunter Valley the best in the world.
Any trip to this lush green valley is sure to impress, even if you’re a well-versed wine connoisseur or doing one of the shorter day trips to the Hunter Valley region.
I hope that you now have a better insight into some of the best wineries in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, so you can feel confident booking your next tour or even doing your own self-driven tour to wineries that best suit your palate.
