31 unmissable Hunter Valley wineries

It’s a tough gig but we’ve combed the best Hunter Valley wineries for your slurping pleasure.

A comprehensive guide to the best Hunter Valley wineries is going to be as diverse as the varietals the region produces. The first vines were planted in the region in the 1860s and a growing patchwork of wineries has extended around the Hunter Valley ever since. These days, the Hunter is best known for its shiraz, grown around the lower slopes of the Broken Back Range, and its semillon, chardonnay and verdelho. But it’s also making a name for its merlot, cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese and tempranillo. Here are the best vineyards in the Hunter Valley and the best Hunter Valley wineries to sample the goods.

1. Piggs Peake

Travel for the pig puns (Rosed Pork rosé, anyone? Or perhaps the smashable 2022 Pork Hunt shiraz?) but stay for sensational hospitality and quality craftsmanship. Steve Langham at Piggs Peake is a legend in the Hunter Valley wine game, spinning delectable drops out of seasonal ingredients and cleverly handled grapes. Best of all, he’s a total hoot and welcomes guests with open arms. Pair your tastings with a bite to eat at The Sty, which plates up jaffles and coffee.

If you’re there to really make memories, there’s also Yellow Billy Restaurant, an award-winning foodie destination where share plates are nailed over nothing but a fire.

Go for: A relaxed woodfired feast.

Address: 697 Hermitage Rd, Pokolbin

2. Allandale Winery

With vineyards in NSW’s Mudgee, Orange, the Southern Tablelands’ Hilltops and the Goulburn Valley, in addition to their Hunter Valley spectacular, Allandale Winery plucks the country’s finest fruits to craft acclaimed drops.

Blended on-site in the Hunter, the varieties are led by a standout semillon however whatever’s poured is reliably superb. Sink into a sun-drenched cellar door, overlooking pristine vines and the mountainous Broken Back Range, to sample seasonal creations and signature concoctions.

Go for: Outstanding views.

Address: 132 Lovedale Rd, Lovedale

3. Latitude 32 Wines

The cellar door at Latitude 32 Wines underwent a facelift during the first half of 2024, so expect a sparkly new home to facilitate your vino obsession. Set against processions of vines and a soothing lake, while dramatic hills roll in the distance, this Hunter Valley winery has 40-year-old vines, and they just keep planting more of the good stuff.

Expect big, bold, experimental flavours and silky-smooth classics (the shiraz is a crowd favourite) as well as quirky cellar door experiences like the Dumplings & Wine Tasting on offer from Thursday to Sunday.

Go for: Wine and dumplings, an irresistible flavour sensation.

Address: 771 Hermitage Rd, Pokolbin

4. The Little Wine Company

Run by passionate winemakers Ian and Suzanne Little, The Little Wine Company is big on boldness. The pair were early adopters of modern grape varieties including tempranillo and sangiovese, perfecting their craft as other Hunter Valley wineries only began to cotton on.

Sample the favourites inside their relaxed cellar door, right opposite Brokenwood, which offers both indoor and outdoor seating and some of the most welcoming staff in the region.

Go for: Something new to fall in love with.

Address: Corner Singleton and Nelson Streets, Broke

5. Ivanhoe Wines

See that dream homestead with a storybook-like verandah, mountain vistas and an adorable little lake? It’s Ivanhoe Wines, home to a lovely variety and one of the most stunning backdrops in town.

The cellar door’s tasting experiences are legendary, set on that amazing verandah with dream-weaved views from every angle, as cheese platters line tummies and waddling ducks cement the surreal scene.     

Go for: Warm, welcoming service.

Address: 525 Marrowbone Rd, Pokolbin

6. Saddler’s Creek Wines

If you’re visiting during the cooler months, Saddler’s Creek Wines is a must as itty-bitty fire pits are dropped into the venue’s al fresco garden. Cosy up to your loved ones to watch the flames crackling as a superb collection of blends do the rounds.

You can book the most popular wine tasting experience or step up your festivities by opting for the extra-special Reserve Wine and Food Pairing, which runs for one hour and sorts lunch in sensational style. Get there on a Saturday or Sunday to let live music set the ultimate scene.

Go for: Your live music fix.

Address: 15 Marrowbone Rd, Pokolbin

7. Tamburlaine Organic Wines

Drawn to organic drops? We don’t blame you, especially when they taste as good as those from Tamburlaine Organic Wines. One of the country’s largest producers of organic wines, this Hunter Valley stalwart has been impressing folks since 1966 and boasts vines that are free of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and synthetic fertilisers.

Even the water is recycled, while the team compost their fruit to make the soil even richer. The cellar door offers a guided tour of the grounds where you can learn even more about their fabulous processes and values.

Go for: Deliciousness that’s nasty-free.

Address: 358 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

8. Pokolbin Estate Vineyard

If you failed to secure a babysitter, this one’s for you. Pokolbin Estate Vineyard runs a child-friendly cellar door, dishing up an extremely clever ‘Junior Tasting Paddle’ – because it’s never too early to get them onto liquid gold. If they’re aged between six and 17, they’re invited to sample a selection of juices and lollies as grownups settle for award-winning shiraz, riesling and semillon.

All rustic at first glance, a surprisingly sleek, minimalistic fit-out and vibrant staff will blow you away once you’re inside. Don’t leave without a visit to the on-site Hunter Olive Centre where the assortment is guaranteed to impress every taste bud.

Go for: A kids’ tasting paddle. Yep, it’s a thing.

Address: 298 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

9. Scarborough Wine Co.

When a winery sits in a landscape as special as the award-winning Scarborough Wine Co. it’s easy to get a sense of the terroir. And if you thought wine tasting was only for couples, think again. Scarborough Wine Co. does a great job of presenting the Hunter Valley as a family-friendly destination.

The sun-splashed tasting room is popular with parents who like to toast their good fortune that their children are happy playing giant Jenga and chess and kicking a ball about while they sample Scarborough Wine Co’s very best.

Go for: The tutored sit-down tasting with Mr Obsessive himself, Ian Scarborough.

Where: 179 Gillards Road, Pokolbin

10. Boydell’s

Although Boydell’s is a relatively small boutique brand in the Hunter, the seven-hectare property run by Daniel and Jane Maroulis dates back to 1826. The small-scale vineyard located in East Gresford, near Maitland, is planted with hectares of shiraz, pinot noir, merlot, verdelho and chardonnay.

Discover which wines best suit your palate at the cellar door housed in an old slab hut in Morpeth or at Boydell’s rustic restaurant next door (which made it onto our list of best Hunter Vallery restaurants). Our personal favourite is the Boydell’s Reserve Shiraz Pinot Noir 2020, which is a deeply rich purple in the glass.

Go for: A truly memorable wine tasting in Boydell’s restaurant near to the large, open fireplace.

Where: 2 Green St, Morpeth

11. Brokenwood

Brokenwood is our Hunter Valley crush pad of choice. There’s a cellar door experience, a restaurant, a wine bar, live music and winery tours. You can bunker down at a tasting pod hosted by the cellar door crew.

Enjoy a seated wine and food flight with bite-sized canapes matched with Brokenwood wines. Or you can go behind the scenes as the vigneron rolls out the barrel for a bespoke tasting.

There’s also a soil-to-cellar experience where participants can level up on their knowledge of ‘Icons of the Hunter Valley’ during a four-hour premium food and wine flight. The excursion is punctuated with tutored tastings.

Go for: Sign up for a behind-the-scenes tour with the Ultimate Winery Experience, which includes a pre-release tasting of wine straight from the barrel.

Address: 401-427 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

12. Hanging Tree Winery

Take a moment to breathe in the countryside air at Hanging Tree Wines’ cellar door, which is housed within an old cow shed fitted with antiques. Gaze out over the smooth folds of the Broken Back Range to really feel the synergy of the place which sits on a rich parcel of red loamy volcanic soil and clay.

Visit the pet-friendly cellar door to taste the terroir in a range of hand-picked, limited-release chardonnay, semillon, shiraz and cabernet sauvignons. Factor in a wander around the rose garden where you can enjoy a picnic or tastings by the fire in winter. Visiting the Hunter Valley with the kids? Take them for puppy cuddles with the resident labradors Muscat, Bundy, Kahlua and Sambuca.

Go for: A picnic or a local cheese platter paired with wines and olive oils produced at the Hanging Tree Wines’ estate.

Where: 294 O’Connors Road, Pokolbin

13. Briar Ridge

Call ahead and ask cellar door manager Steven Pike to curate your own tailor-made tasting experience at Briar Ridge, the storied Hunter Valley estate voted No. 12 in Australia as the Best Value Winery. The cellar door staff’s passion and enthusiasm for showcasing the Briar Ridge wines is palpable and the playlist they’ve curated is inspired.

The location is also a real draw: you will feel your shoulders soften while looking out over the rolling hills laid out over the landscape like a patchwork quilt. Sit on the bright and breezy wine deck to enjoy a picnic pack or kick back on one of the outdoor lounges in the Wine Garden.

Go for: The Briar Hill wines and stay for a tasting paired with a gourmet Binnorie Dairy cheese platter.

Where: 593 Mount View Road, Mt View

14. Winmark Wines

Winmark means ‘Fields of Wines’ in Danish, the native tongue of owner Karin Adcock. And, wines aside, there are a lot of stories that intertwine with Karin’s heritage and make this lovingly restored property worth a visit. The 52-hectare property is now home to 12 hectares of premium chardonnay vines overlooked by the buttery-hued Yellow Rock Escarpment, making Winmark Wines a top spot for a tipple.

Winmark Wines, established on the Pooles Rock Vineyard property, was named Hunter Valley Cellar Door of the Year for 2023 and Shortlisted for Best New Winery 2024 in the Halliday Wine Companion. The 2019 Winmark Rusty’s Run Chardonnay is a great example of the subtly oaked classic Hunter Valley fruit the estate is dedicated to producing.

Go for: The wines, rose garden, sculptures, art gallery, and cellar door housed in rustic wine storage sheds.

Where: 189-229 Wollombi Road, Broke

15. Usher Tinkler Wines

It’s fitting that an old church in Pokolbin has become somewhat of a gastronomic temple in the Hunter Valley. Every wine tasting at the quirky Usher Tinkler Wines cellar door is accompanied by a platter of local cheeses, salumi, honey and house-made pickles.

Next-gen winemaker Usher Tinkler pushes the limits when it comes to winemaking, blurring the boundaries between innovation and tradition. The whole experience of sampling wines at Usher Tinkler Wines is an epiphany. Usher is a third-generation farmer whose wines are a blend of traditional and contemporary winemaking techniques.

Go for: The experience of sipping on wines in the faithfully restored church, built in 1905, or the VIP tasting room.

Where: 97 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin

16. Vinden Wines

Never judge a wine label by its cover unless of course, it falls under the umbrella of the Vinden Wines brand. Trailblazing second-gen viticulturalist Angus Vinden has taken over the reins of the family-run business and given it a refresh under the Vinden Wines label, which produces traditional Hunter-style wines as well as more experimental minimal-intervention wines under the Headcase and lignée labels. The estate presents like an idyllic Tuscan farmhouse, albeit one run by real-deal Hunter Valley hipsters.

Go for: Wines that are an evolved expression of the Hunter Valley accompanied by a killer cellar door playlist.

Where: 138 Gillards Road, Pokolbin

17. Wild Ren Wines

You will see the familiar through fresh eyes at Wild Ren Wine Room cellar door, which presents more like a sophisticated bar than a cellar door in the country. Owner Renee Burton (ex-Gundog Estate and known as Ren to her friends) couldn’t resist branching out in this evocative sandstone building in Peppers Creek Village.

The chic space, which has new navy cabinetry and halo lights, is matched by the bold and beautiful designs splashed across each label. Ren sources her fruit from around the Hunter Valley and collaborates with winemaker Kiri Irving who operates production out of Tyrrell’s Winery.

Go for: The experience of popping in and out of all the dinky boutique businesses dotted around Peppers Creek Village.

Where: Peppers Creek Village, 1946 Broke Road, Pokolbin

18. 1813 Wine

The 1813 Cellar Door is one of the must-dos when it comes to Hunter Valley wineries. Arrive here in the early afternoon when the sun is bursting over the Yellow Rock sandstone escarpment and linger all afternoon in the elegant steel-framed glass atrium, which is so close to the vines of Tinonee Vineyard Estate you could offer to help out during the annual harvest. The cellar door feels like it fell straight out of The Hamptons via Manhattan and, as well as producing quaffable drops, is a dreamy destination in its own right. All wines are estate grown and the 1813 Reserve Shiraz The Governor, is the flagship.

Go for: The romance of lingering at a Hunter Valley cellar door with a difference.

Where: 1273 Milbroadale Road, Broke

19. Comyns & Co

Devote an entire weekend to visiting the cellar door at Comyns & Co, a Hunter Valley winery run by Scott Comyns (winemaker) and his wife Missy (cellar door manager and self-appointed ‘positive vibes manager’). Sit at the bar, linger in the lounge, or book a tasting around a table with friends to sample Comyns & Co’s stellar Hunter Valley wines made from small-batch parcels of locally grown fruit. The Comyns have made their mark since they first opened in 2016 by producing vintages that are increasingly complex. This cellar door is one of the sexiest in the Hunter Valley. Sample the Sparkling Grüner, Popsy, named in honour of the couple’s two daughters Polly and Topsy.

Go for: The impassioned discussions about wine in the stylish and contemporary cellar door, which is filled with local artworks.

Where: 1946 Broke Road, Pokolbin

20. Mount Pleasant Wines

It’s impossible not to pause, in silent meditation, when standing in the Luchetti Krelle-designed space dedicated to sampling Mount Pleasant wines. We’re not here to ogle the artworks, but if we were, this Hunter Valley winery doubles as a gallery space with framed works by artists such as Bill Henson, Tracey Moffatt and Rosemary Laing. It’s a lot to take in so you might need to sink into one of the leather chesterfields to fully appreciate the experience. The cellar door at Mount Pleasant Wines is one of the most civilised in the Hunter Valley. Enjoy the birdsong from the resident bellbirds. Feel the warmth of the sun flooding into the space. And immerse yourself in the history of the vineyard established more than a century ago by Maurice O’Shea, one of the founding fathers of modern Australian winemaking.

Go for: A tasting of food and wine in an idyllic rural setting.

Address: 401 Marrowbone Road, Pokolbin

21. Margan Wines

Andrew and Lisa Margan are regarded as hospitality heavyweights in the Hunter Valley with good reason. Together, the dynamic duo have built a five-star winery and developed 100 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards while maintaining the status of a hatted restaurant and award-winning cellar door. The winery has been awarded five stars by James Halliday every year since 2009 and the passionate couple are justifiably proud of their achievements.

The cellar door is just one part of the experience here as wine enthusiasts consider Margan Restaurant as somewhat of a clubhouse for their quaffing. Sit on the terrace of the rammed earth restaurant to look out over the parcel of land that informs and inspires the award-winning wine label and restaurant.

Go for: The pleasure and conviviality of a degustation menu paired with wines made with environmental concerns front of mind.

Address: 1238 Milbrodale Rd, Broke

22. Thomas Wines Winery

However you choose to spend your day in the Hunter Valley, make sure you allow some time to visit the Thomas Wines Cellar Door. The winery is dedicated to the Hunter Valley’s two signature drops – semillon and shiraz – and has a range of structured tasting experiences designed to showcase the range.

Owner and winemaker Andrew Thomas has more than three decades of experience winemaking in the Hunter Valley and is known for championing top-shelf examples of shiraz and semillon, the Hunter Valley’s signature varieties.

Go for: The fruit-forward semillon, an easy-drinking wine, or the shiraz, which is perfect for cellaring.

Address: In Estate Tuscany, Corner Hermitage Rd and Mistletoe Lane, Pokolbin

23. Running Horses Wines

Get a taste of the good life at Running Horse Wines overlooking the iconic Yellow Rock escarpment and undulating folds of the Broke Fordwich Valley. The striking architecturally designed cellar door made from shipping containers provides ringside access to a property that is dedicated to caring for wine and thoroughbred horses in equal measure. The intent of second-generation winemaker David Fromberg is to combine his two loves of horses and wines at the secluded property without compromising on the integrity of either. Learn about Fromberg’s commitment to producing highly vigorous vines at the property with minimum intervention, which results in fat, flavourful grapes and exceptional small-batch wines.

Go for: The intimate experience of tasting wines at a boutique cellar door that reflects Fromberg’s minimalist approach to winemaking.

Address: 1133 Milbrodale Road, Broke

22. Krinklewood

Squint at this French-inspired cellar door in Broke and you could be in rural France. With its formal Provencal-style gardens, carefully placed urns and fountains, elegant jumble of antique furniture and manicured hedges, the aim at Krinklewood is to immerse visitors in the landscape. Everything here whispers of a wine tasting like no other.

You can taste at your own pace. Picnic on the lawn. Enjoy one-off events such as an exquisite bespoke banquet. Or embark on a premium tasting of wines certified organic and biodynamic. There are cheese and charcuterie platters and sorbets available to purchase with your tasting.

Go for: A cheese platter and wine tasting in the sun-dappled courtyard replete with strutting peacocks.

Address: 712 Wollombi Road, Broke 

24. Carillion Wines at Tallavera Grove Vineyard

It’s easy to be seduced by the magic of the Hunter Valley’s charms when ensconced at Carillion Wines at Tallavera Grove Vineyard. Watch birds engaged in aerial ballet. Watch the weather shift over a whitewashed sky. And go for a wander through the trees standing sentinel around the terraced vineyards. The boutique winery was awarded 5 stars by Halliday Wine Companion 2023 for producing wines of “exemplary quality and typicity”. That may be so. And it’s a stellar reason for working your way through the list of best Hunter Valley wineries. But the main lure of the cellar door perched high above Tallevera Grove Vineyard is feeling the stillness of the region while overlooking the picturesque hills.

Go for: A wine tasting over lunch at the celebrated French restaurant Bistro Molines.

Address: 749 Mount View Rd, Mt View

25. First Creek Wines

First Creek Wines was one of only 10 wineries shortlisted for 2024 Winery of the Year, which is a testament to its founders Greg and Jenny Silkman who bought the property back in 1998. Layers of tradition have since been laid down by the family, who remain anchored to the landscape after three decades of tending to the vines: Liz Silkman joined the business as chief winemaker in 2008 and brother Shaun is onboard as chief operating officer.

The parcel of land abuts the important watercourse it’s named after, which lies like a coiled serpent across the valley and feeds so many historic vineyards in the region.

Go for: The views over the valley from the cellar door and a tasting of the signature Silkman Chardonnay.

Address: 600 McDonald’s Road, Pokolbin

26. Tyrrell’s Wines

The Tyrrell family are titans of Australia’s wine industry with Tyrrell’s Wines, established in 1858, woven into the fabric of the region. Over the past 160 years or so, the family have been instrumental in establishing semillon and pinot noir as two of Australia’s favourite varieties.

While the fifth-generation winemakers in the Tyrrell family have a deep respect for the traditions laid down by their forefathers, they also rely on state-of-the-art technology and innovation. The family, who own eight of the 11 oldest vineyards in NSW Wine Country, are ever guided by Edward Tyrrell’s motto: “Nothing is great unless it is good.”

Go for: The Ultimate Winery Experience Australia offers a Vat 1 exploration of Tyrrell’s that includes a winery tour and vintage vertical tasting.

Address: 1838 Broke Road, Pokolbin

27. De luliis

Hit up your mates and head off on a road trip to the Hunter Valley to sample flights of small-batch and handcrafted wines at De luliis. A search of ‘best wineries Hunter Valley’ will always bring up this pretty Pokolbin cellar door, where visitors can follow the winemaking process from grape to glass.

Purchase a few bottles and then stagger back to The Winemakers House at De luliis, a Hunter hideaway located just 30 metres from the cellar door. Wine has been a tradition in the De luliis (pronounced dee-you-lee) family for generations. Immerse yourself in the De luliis environment at a tutored tasting or head slightly further afield to attend various Hunter happenings and events.

Go for: Sign up for the Signature Shiraz Experience to taste exceptional shiraz from the 2019 to 2004 vintages.

Address: 1616 Broke Road, Pokolbin

28. Bimbadgen

The name Bimbadgen stems from the local Wonnarua Indigenous word that means ‘place of good view’. And the cellar door at Bimbadgen offers just that overlooking a big, crumpled quilt of vineyards stained yellow, or green, depending on the season. Sign up for a tasting experience in the winery production area at Bimbadgen where fellow oenophiles are seated shoulder-to-shoulder at the cellar door. The elegant space is filled with greenery and unfurls outward toward the tranquillity of the landscape, where vast swathes of red volcanic soil run through the entire district.

Go for: A Day on the Green, one of the premier live music events in the Hunter or the Homegrown Markets.

Address: 790 McDonald’s Road, Pokolbin

29. Audrey Wilkinson

Olive groves, dairies, orchards and vineyards are dotted around the Hunter Valley. And while you can certainly go with the flow, and bounce between such gems, we’d recommend having a more singular focus to squeeze every last drop out of your weekend in the Hunter Valley.

The Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia offers an array of unmissable experiences at Audrey Wilkinson. You can Picnic in the Vines, get your fill of Fortified and Fromage, and take part in an exclusive Twilight Tasting at sundown once the cellar door shuts up shop. Audrey Wilkinson planted the first vines in Pokolbin, so it makes sense to start your wine education here, at one of the best Hunter Valley wineries. 

Go for: The cellar door, housed in part in the original sandstone and timber building.

Address: De Beyers Road, Pokolbin

30. Hope Estate

The Hunter Valley is an easy two-hour drive from Sydney. And while knocking on cellar doors is one of the most obvious things to do while visiting NSW’s Wine Country, you’ll want to bask a bit longer and drink in the bucolic scenery at one of Hope Estate’s annual events.

The family-owned working winery, brewery, distillery and cellar door also plays host to a number of gathos near the grapevines, from the Hunter Valley Beer & BBQ festival to The Big 80s Party.

Go for: The mass karaoke sing-along at The Big 80s Party.

Address: 2213 Broke Road, Pokolbin

31. Peterson House

There are a lot of cellar doors jostling for attention for the title of best Hunter Valley winery. But the blind gelato tasting paired with sparkling wine at Peterson House is an experience that screams new and niche. While it’s not the only tutored tasting on offer at Peterson House, the sensory experience makes for an even more indulgent escape to the Hunter Valley.

Get your bearings with a balloon ride before enjoying gelato with the gang paired with sparkling wine. The pick of the bunch is the Premium Sparkling Wine Tasting which celebrates some of the best wines in Australia.

All up, there are five premium sparkling wines on offer as part of the package; it’s one of the most popular wineries for a girls’ weekend away in the Hunter Valley.

Go for:  Champagne and oysters at the oyster bar adjacent to Restaurant Cuvee.

Address: Cnr Broke Rd and Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin

For more insider tips and must-do experiences, read our Hunter Valley travel guide.

This article was originally written by Carla Grossetti and updated by Kristie Lau-Adams

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