The best Hunter Valley wineries

Housed in the original Pokolbin Church built in 1905, Usher Tinkler Wines is a picture-perfect place to stop for a tasting and one of our favorite wineries in the Valley. At the back, glass doors and a striking glass window allow sunshine to pour through, showcasing the lush countryside in all its glory. Tinkler’s wines are funky, interesting, and blur the lines between traditional and contemporary winemaking, like the must-try 2022 Death By Semillon drop. The team also serves an excellent salumi and cheese platter.

If there was an award for the most picturesque winery in the Hunter, Audrey Wilkinson would win it hands down. Best of all, the wines inside the country-house tasting room stand tall as well. Soak in the breathtaking views of the Brokenback Mountain Ranges as you sip stand outs such as semillon, chardonnay and shiraz. The winery also produces an interesting Gewurztraminer that’s worth a look.

Vinden Wines, formerly known as Vinden Estate, was founded in 1990 and is now under the guidance of the second-generation winemaker and viticulturist Angus Vinden. The picturesque vineyard is a standout in the prestigous Pokolbin wine region. Having taken the reins from his father just a few years ago, Angus is reimagining his family's wine label with a string of exciting, modern wines coming out of his cellar, as well as putting the winery on the map as one of the most stunning function space in the area. Focusing on semillon and shiraz, Vinden Wines is an absolute must on your Hunter Valley hit list.

Margan Wines & Restaurant in Broke is a must-visit, with owners Andrew and Lisa Margan committed to sustainable winemaking processes. Kick things off with a tasting, then step outside and stroll around the kitchen garden. Once you've worked up an appetite, sit down to an incredible, fresh and bright vegetable-forward meal led by head chef Joey Ingram.

With a name that means ‘place of good view’ in the local Indigenous language, Bimbadgen has a beautiful backdrop to complement your tasting. The venue of many a great concert in the Hunter is another stop for eating and swirling amidst the century-old fig trees. The tasting rooms are spacious, the estate wines hit the mark – try the semillon, chardonnay, verdelho, shiraz and shiraz viognier, with the latter being one of the best examples of that blend in the Valley – and Esca restaurant serves a great mod-Oz lunch and dinner.

Natural wine has been all the rage for about five years now, and there’s a reason for that: it’s delicious. Harkham Wines in the Hunter Valley is one of our favourite producers, and it’s also one of the closest wineries to Sydney that produces natural drops. The best thing about Harkham? It has accommodation, so you can drink to your liver’s content, as there’s no need to drive anywhere afterwards.

Mount Pleasant Wines is home to some of the Hunter Valley’s oldest vines. Sip award-winning shiraz by highly regarded winemaker Adrian Sparks overlooking pretty lavender and a sprawling vineyard. The historic winery has recently undergone a luxe refurbishment, and now boasts bold artworks and colourful furnishings. If you’re looking for a pleasant time in the Valley with top drops, this winery delivers.

All hail chardonnay! Dating back to 1975, Brokenwood may be known for its Cricket Pitch red, but the real standouts are the award-winning chardonnays from Beechworth (Vic), Hunter Valley and Orange (NSW). Expect fruit-driven wines that have a good acidic balance. Opt for a casual, private or group tasting at the cellar door. While it can get busy on weekends, the staff are friendly and find a way to offer a pleasant experience even when there are hordes.

Look out for the magpie: that’s when you know you’ve found a gem of a boutique producer in Lovedale, known for its shiraz and semillon. The chardonnay is also a standout, as is the merlot. The small cellar door has the feeling of a country house and alongside serving samples of wine, gourmet products from across the Hunter are also on sale. Sample Gartelmann’s finest in their cellar door or opt for a tasting on the covered deck overlooking the dam. There’s also a café that’s open for breakfast and lunch.

Make your way through the Provencal-style gardens and into the cellar door where you’ll be pleasantly surprised by these all natural drops. This family-owned, biodynamic winery makes a cracker of a rosé from 100 per cent estate-grown vines. The basket press shiraz, semillon and chardonnay also all stand out at a winery where you could be mistaken for thinking you’ve journeyed to France.

The shiraz is the big star at Meerea Park, a winery known for its sandstone tasting cottage and its spicy reds. Don’t leave without having tasted the Alexander Munro Shiraz, named after the great grandfather of winemaker Rhys Eather. There’s a good range of single-vineyard wines alongside the Alexander Munro, and any wine lover would implore you to try vintages from the Aunts and Hell Hole vines.

First Creek Wines bottles 80 per cent of the Hunter’s vinos, but that doesn’t mean this large operation has lost its charm and soul, with their winemaker Liz Silkman being as good as it gets. Our top pick: First Creek’s bright and buttery chardonnay, which pairs just as well with a sunset as it does with a creamy cheese. First Creek Wines' cellar door is open seven days a week.

Founded in 1991, Pepper Tree has been producing award-winning drops for more than 30 years. Our picks are the single vineyard semillon and the shiraz blend. This Hunter Valley winery also lets you bring your pets along, so it’s good news for those of us who can’t stand to leave our furry mates at home. After a tasting, enjoy a grand dinner at the excellent Circa 1876 restaurant, where you can dine while watching kangaroos frolic among the vines outside.

Up on the hill and overlooking the Valley, you could be forgiven for paying too much attention to the view at this top cellar door. But you better sit down and taste some wine and get your beak into all the chardonnays Scarborough produces. Don’t skip past the shiraz, or the pinot noir rosé that’s a chilled red star at this family-run joint. 

The brainchild of the McGuigan winemaking family, Tempus Two has a strikingly-designed cellar door, tree-lined driveway and top quality wines. Look for the Copper series, complete with copper wine labels, led by the spicy gewurztraminer and Burgundian-style chardonnay. Next door, swing by Oishii Japanese restaurant or the Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop for something artisinal to complement the fine drops.

No Hunter trip is complete without a trip to Tyrrells, an Australian family-owned business dating back to 1858. The Vat series wines are world class, particularly the chardonnay, semillon and shiraz. There’s also a top-notch line-up of sparkling wines, alongside some fine tawny port that’s best enjoyed at a B&B amongst the vines during winter.