Brokenwood Wines, PokolbinCredit: Destination NSW
Enjoy time out among the vines of Audrey Wilkinson estate in the Hunter Valley.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Just two hours’ drive from Sydney, you’ll find more cellar doors than anywhere else in Australia in the Hunter Valley. One of the great pleasures of wine tastings in this region is the incredible breadth of flavour and character among the wines — but other weekend drawcards include acclaimed restaurants, luxurious hideaways and romantic adventures.
Eat
Fresh local produce abounds in the Hunter Valley. Pop into Binnorie Dairy for delicious soft cheeses and labneh, and be tempted by the range of delectable smoked meats and fish at Lovedale Smokehouse. Weekend travellers with a sweet tooth should try the artisan chocolates from Cocoa Nib, including their signature bon bons and colourful chocolate blocks.
For lunch, visit one of many local eateries — Leaves and Fishes, Yellow Billy Restaurant, Muse Kitchen or The Wood Restaurant — or collect a bottle of Audrey Wilkinson wine and fill a picnic hamper with homegrown goodies to enjoy a picnic among the vines. The Hunter Valley’s fine-dining scene includes many elegant restaurants for a special evening out, including Muse Restaurant, Bistro Molines and Margan Restaurant.
Drink
While the Hunter Valley has long been renowned for its semillon and shiraz, today you can also sip distinctive and innovative wines from classic chardonnay to newer varietals such as sangiovese and tempranillo. You can taste these wines at your pick of more than 150 wineries and cellar doors in the region, including Brokenwood, Pepper Tree Wines, Tyrrell’s Wines, Gundog Estate, Usher Tinkler Wines, Tamburlaine Organic Wines and Hungerford Hill. There are many winery experiences to choose from in the Hunter Valley and, if you’re travelling with children, don’t miss Tulloch’s Junior Tasting Experience, where young ones taste soft drinks and snacks as parents sample wine.
Not a wine drinker? Drop in on one of the region’s innovative craft brewers or distillers. Head to Iron Bark Hill Brewhouse for beautifully crafted beers, Pokolbin Cider House for its crisp Classic Draught Apple and Hunter Distillery for certified-organic spirits, such as Lemon Myrtle Vodka or Blackberry Schnapps.
Hunter Valley Highlight Selects Credit: Destination NSW
The Hunter Valley is the perfect place for a wine weekend away.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Hunter Valley Highlight Selects Credit: Destination NSW
The Hunter Valley is the perfect place for a wine weekend away.
Tulloch Wines, Pokolbin Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a food and wine experience at Tulloch Wines, Pokolbin.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Tulloch Wines, Pokolbin Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a food and wine experience at Tulloch Wines, Pokolbin.
Brokenwood Wines, Pokolbin Credit: Destination NSW
Visitors enjoying the wine tasting at Brokenwood Wines, Pokolbin.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Brokenwood Wines, Pokolbin Credit: Destination NSW
Visitors enjoying the wine tasting at Brokenwood Wines, Pokolbin.
Play
For a truly unforgettable Hunter Valley experience, join a sunrise hot-air balloon flight with Balloon Aloft and soar high above the vineyards. Take in panoramic views of the Hunter Valley before enjoying a champagne breakfast back on the ground. After breakfast, join a tour with Two Fat Blokes to explore local vineyards, meet the winemakers and learn all about growing grapes and the surrounding region.
For something a bit different, tour the Hunter Valley with Murchessons Horseback Wine and Dine Tours. Ride a horse through the vineyards, stopping for lunch and wine tastings. Or, if you’re more about learning some local epicurean secrets, several Hunter Valley restaurants offer cooking classes. At Majors Lane Cooking School, chef Ben Sales will show how to slow smoke meats and make curry pastes from scratch.
Stay
The Hunter Valley has an impressive range of accommodation, with everything from vineyard cottages to luxury guesthouses and expansive resorts. For a classic resort, stay at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley or Voco Kirkton Park. For something more on the boutique end of the scale, book into Spicers Vineyards Estate, Degen Estate, H Boutique Hotel or Estate Tuscany. Larger groups looking for their own private oasis should check out Corunna Station, Allawah Estate and Arenridge.
Murchessons Horseback Wine & Dine Tours, Pokolbin Credit: Destination NSW
Group enjoying a guided horseback tour at Hanging Tree Wines, Pokolbin with Murchessons Horse Wine & Dine Tours.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Murchessons Horseback Wine & Dine Tours, Pokolbin Credit: Destination NSW
Group enjoying a guided horseback tour at Hanging Tree Wines, Pokolbin with Murchessons Horse Wine & Dine Tours.
Spicers Vineyards Estate, Pokolbin Credit: Destination NSW
Guesthouse available bookings at the Spicers Vineyards Estate, Pokolbin.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Spicers Vineyards Estate, Pokolbin Credit: Destination NSW
Guesthouse available bookings at the Spicers Vineyards Estate, Pokolbin.
More Inspirational Stories
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
#feelnsw #newsouthwales
Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
#feelnsw #newsouthwales
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
#feelnsw #newsouthwales
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
#feelnsw #newsouthwales
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
#feelnsw #newsouthwales
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.