Exploring the Hunter Valley, Australia’s Wine Country Near Sydney

Go World Travel is reader-supported and may earn a commission from purchases made through links in this piece.

If you’ve ever heard of Australian wine, you’ve probably heard of the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Yet, the birthplace of winemaking in Australia is the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.

In the Hunter Valley, more than 2,300 hectares are under vine, and there are more than 150 cellar doors. Vineyards date back to the 1830s.

Many varieties of grapes are grown in the Hunter Valley, but the Crown Jewel is Semillon. This is a dry white wine known for its citrus flavors, refreshing acidity, and potential for aging.

An Australian’s First Visit

I am an Australian (a Melburnian, to be precise). I am a wine lover, but I had never been to the Hunter Valley. I recently took my first trip there, and I drank and ate my fair share of local produce.

Driving in along aptly-named Wine Country Drive, I marveled at the cobalt blue sky, the deep green vines, and the inquisitive kangaroos who were surveying the cars.

The Hunter Valley or “The Hunter” (we Australians like to shorten our words and phrases!) is northwest of Sydney. More than five million people live in Sydney, and although my heart belongs to Melbourne, where I have lived all my life, I can’t deny the beauty of Sydney and the better weather!

In my opinion, a tourist to Australia (or any Australian for that matter) should go to Melbourne but must go to Sydney. Why stop at Sydney, though, when the beautiful Hunter is just a two-hour drive away?

No need to panic if you don’t drive or you aren’t game to drive on the left-hand side of the road, you can easily access the Hunter via train or bus.

Where Did I Stay?

I stayed at Degen House Estate for two nights. This is a large and luxuriously-appointed house with two cottages, accommodating up to twenty people in total. There is a pool overlooking the fifty-four-acre family vineyard and a huge dining table perfect for large gatherings.

It is an ideal venue for a small wedding or wedding party accommodation or a milestone birthday or corporate gathering. For cuteness and Australiana overload, kangaroos bound around the property in the morning.

Later in the week, I had two nights at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort where I attended a Conference. The rooms are set amidst the trees on three hundred acres. There were more resident kangaroos there plus an excellent eighteen-hole golf course.

Both Degen House Estate and Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort are centrally located, so you can easily access wineries and restaurants.

Which Wineries Did I Visit?

I met the owners of McCaffrey’s Estate, Declan and Danielle McCaffrey, and did their wine blending experience in their brand new, purpose-built lab. It was lots of fun swilling and blending my own bottle of wine and then sharing it with family when I returned home.

The ninety-minute, hands-on experience is called “Be a Winemaker.” At Thomas Wines, I tasted wines whilst having a tutorial on the Hunter Valley “dirt” and the different grapes that grow better in different soil. I learnt that different soil types ripen the fruit differently.

The wine highlight for me at Thomas Wines was the Braemore Semillon. The 2024 vintage is the twenty-fifth consecutive vintage from their flagship “Braemore” vineyard which was planted way back in 1969!

At Pepper Tree Wines, the Winemaker, Nick Kruger, took me on a tour of his wines. This winery is set in stunning gardens along with The Convent accommodation and restaurant Circa 1876. Special mention is given to the gorgeous surroundings and the flagship red, the Coquun Shiraz.

Harkham Wines is a multi-pronged business of cellar door, bar, restaurant, and accommodation. Richie Harkham has been making organic, small-batch wine for almost twenty years.

It was hard to go past the 2022 Hark Angel Shiraz as a portion of its annual proceeds are dedicated to funding the projects of Richie’s charity, the Hark Angel Foundation.

The mission is to work with poor communities to build schools. The bold vision is to build one hundred schools in places the world has forgotten, such as Cambodia.

Another multi-faceted business is Gartelmann Wines and the Deck Café. The Australian Rules football team I have supported all my life is the Collingwood Magpies, so I especially loved their logo and slogan – “Gotta Love The Magpie.”

Where Did I Eat?

Dinner one night was hosted by Sasha Degen and cooked by her French husband, John, at the Degen Estate Cellar Door. What a treat to eat such delicious food and then stroll to bed across the lawn!

Dinner on another night was at the magnificent Circa 1876. A historic homestead and a home until the 1970s, it is no wonder that Circa 1876 hosts a lot of weddings and features in romance reality shows.

When I dined at Circa 1876, I first toured the kitchen garden (no pesticides used in this garden) and I also watched the resident chickens run around. Whatever is growing in the garden influences the menu. My dinner with paired wines was magnificent.

I had some delicious lunches, namely at Our Italian Table and at Harkham Wines. Our Italian Table at Nicita Estate is operated by Jen Nicita. A slice of Tuscany in the Hunter, Jen teaches you to cook in a group capped at ten people.

After the “hands-on” lesson, you eat what you cook. The kitchen and dining areas are set up to take advantage of the spectacular views over the mountains, valley, and vineyard.

Harkham Wines has opened a brand new, sharing-style restaurant. Everything in the restaurant is created from scratch and seasonal. Plate after plate of food was incredible. From caviar bumps (a first for me!) to meatballs, this menu had it all!

Breakfast bites and barista-made coffee one morning were at the Deck Café. After breakfast, the Deck Café becomes a tapas bar. The owner, Matt Dillow, is passionate about food and people (and magpies!)

VAMP Wine Rooms was imagined, built, and owned by local wine royalty Lisa McGuigan. It is a venue worth visiting just to see the internal decorations – think chainmail, gladiatorial costumes, swords, and a custom-made oyster bar!

Much care was taken with the construction and decoration, and now much care is taken with the food and wine. If you visit, look for the border collie “Maggie.” She was named after the magpie who was on site every day during construction. As I said, I do have a special spot in my heart for anything related to magpies!!

Last but not least, I called into Binnorie Dairy and sampled some of their award-winning goat and cows’ milk cheeses. If you’re staying locally and have indulged (over-indulged even) during the day, a wine, Binnorie cheese, and some bread or crackers may be all you need for dinner.

So, Why The Hunter?

With wonderful wine, delicious food, beautiful natural scenery, kangaroos in the wild, magpies (!!), and only a couple of hours from Sydney, the question is, why not the Hunter?

In a few days, I only scratched the surface of cellar doors and restaurants. Now, I need to find another window to go back to the Hunter and see more!

Helpful Links If You Go:

The writer traveled as a guest of the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association and with the assistance of Oaks Cypress Lake Resort

Inspire your next adventure with our articles below:

Author Bio: Leonie Jarrett lives in Melbourne, Australia with her Husband of more than 3 decades, 2 of her 4 adult children and her 2 Golden Retrievers. Leonie is a lawyer who has owned several businesses. Now that she is semi-retired, avid traveller Leonie loves writing about her travels and her experiences.