The Perfect Getaway to the Hunter Valley
Updated: May 29, 2020
Can you believe that the oldest wine region in Australia is only a two hour drive away from Sydney?? Hunter Valley is the perfect weekend destination away from the big city, or even great for just a day trip! We have taken several trips to the Hunter Valley and love the rustic beauty of this region! There are so many great wineries to visit and fantastic restaurants! We're sharing the best Hunter Valley wineries to visit, places to stay, and of course, the best Hunter Valley restaurants!
Getting to Hunter Valley:
There are many tours that leave from Sydney to Hunter Valley for day trips, but we enjoyed driving ourselves so we could stop at any wineries we wanted to. It's an easy two hour drive along the highway from Sydney to Polkobin, which is the center of the Hunter Valley.
If you're interested in a day tour to Hunter Valley, click here to book with Klook.
Wineries to visit:
The wineries in Hunter Valley can be hit or miss depending on your wine palate. The top varietals of wines in this region are a white Semillon and a Hunter Valley Shiraz.
Audrey Wilkinson
The views from Audrey Wilkinson are absolutely stunning! This tasting room is perched on top of a hill overlooking miles of vineyards! If you're lucky, you can even spot some kangaroos having a snack in the fields! The wine tasting here is $5 per person to sample 6 different wines. The view alone is worth the visit to this winery. Click here to visit their website for more information.
Location: 750 De Beyers Road, Pokolbin (Hunter Valley) NSW 2320
Tyrell's Wines
One of the oldest wineries in the Hunter Valley, this family winery has become a powerhouse in the Hunter Valley. We especially enjoyed their 2014 Vat 8 Hunter Shiraz Cabernet. WOW! It was tasty! Tastings can range from $5-$10 per person depending on what tasting you want to do. For more information about visiting, click here.
Location: 1838 Broke Road Pokolbin NSW 2320 Australia
Margans Restaurant & Winery
Most wineries in the Hunter Valley are more laid back and have a more rustic feel. Margans was very sophisticated. The entrance to their winery was absolutely beautiful! Surrounded by mountains and vineyards, this winery is located in Broke, NSW. The wines had a very full bodied taste and could easily be paired with a meal. Tastings here are $10 per person. We have also had a meal at the restaurant and it was incredible! Margans has their own garden and grows almost everything on site for the restaurant. Click here to view the Margans website.
Location: 1238 Milbrodale Road, Broke, NSW, Australia
Krinklewood Winery
Walking up to Krinklewood Winery, you are immediately transported to a rustic vineyard in France! With vines growing along the side of the tasting room, there is such a charming atmosphere here. The wines are all biodynamic and there is a wide variety to taste. The best part? The wine tasting here is absolutely FREE! There are tables for everyone to sit at as they enjoy their wines. We especially enjoyed the Sparkling Shiraz-a specialty to Australia. Stay and enjoy a fantastic cheese plate for $27.50. You may even spot the peacock that likes to roam the winery! Click here to view their website.
Location: 712 Wollombi Road Broke NSW 2330
Peterson's House
Every time we visit Hunter Valley, this is a MUST stop! Peterson's house specializes in premium sparkling wine and they are delicious! In our opinion, some of the best sparkling wine in Australia! The real gem here is the restaurant connected to the winery! Peterson's House does THE best brunch in the Hunter Valley! Try the big breakfast served with a glass of sparkling wine. There is no better way to start the day!
Location: Broke Rd & Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin NSW 2320
Petersons Wines
This winery has the most beautiful selection of wines! Whether you're interested in red, white, or sparkling, Petersons Wines has it all! Enjoy a tasting in their wine cellar. Petersons Wines has two cellar doors in Hunter Valley. Their cellar door at Mount View is their prime location and has the most beautiful views. If you're wanting a tasting with some food, their location on Broke road is connected to the restaurant Baumé.
Location: 552 Mount View Road, Mount View NSW 2325
Brokenwood Winery
This state of the art tasting room has been newly renovated and is absolutely beautiful! You must try their flagship wines, the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz and their ILR Reserve Semillon. Tastings can range from $10-$25 per person. Their wine cellar is open daily. They also have a nice patio to sit at during some nice weather. Some evenings they even offer live music.
Where to eat:
Baumé
We had the most incredible meal here! An Italian restaurant with an Aussie twist, this restaurant had outstanding food! The plates are designed to be shared, so they are larger portions. Once we ordered our food, we could go to the tasting room to sample some wines and order a bottle for dinner! It was so unique to be able to try out a couple of wines before picking something to go with our meal! Make sure to try the Zucchini Blossoms! They were delicious! For more information, click here! Make sure to call and make reservations in advance as they do get very busy!
Peterson's House
As mentioned above, we always enjoy a nice breakfast here at Peterson's House. The restaurant overlooks such a beautiful view of the vineyards. It's the perfect spot to indulge in a glass of bubbly and a big breakfast. Now, we can't start the day any other way when we're in the Hunter Valley! Click here to view their menu!
The Smelly Cheese Shop
If you're looking for something to nibble on in between meals, we highly suggest visiting the Smelly Cheese Shop! This shop has a huge variety of cheeses, crackers, fresh breads, sauces, and also ice cream and some sweets! It is always packed as the food in this shop is so good! We always say we will just get one cheese to share and walk out spending $50 and 2 cheeses, a baguette, and some sauces later.... it's a great stop! Click here to view their website!
Where to stay:
Hunter Valley can be quite expensive for accommodation. Our favorite place to stay is Starline Alpacas! It's a fun little apartment-style resort in Broke, NSW. The best part? When you check in , the receptionist gives you feed to for the alpacas! They really are such funny animals! It's a really relaxing atmosphere.
If you're visiting Hunter Valley as a group, Spicers Vineyard Estate has the best luxury houses to stay at. Enjoy your stay overlooking the vineyards. They even have your own private pool. If you get hungry, enjoy a meal at the Botanica restaurant on site. It's incredible!
The best time to visit:
We have visited Hunter Valley at many times of the year. We would suggest visiting in February when all of the vineyards are super green and the grapes are still on the vines. Every view is stunning! We also loved visiting between late April and early June when everything is orange. Autumn is in full bloom there!
Like this post? Pin it for later!
