Top 10 places to visit in the Hunter Valley Wine area
Hunter Valley wine area is Australia’s oldest grape-growing region. It takes only about two hours drive from Sydney. These are challenging times, and we are all looking for a chance to get away from reality to find peace. There is no better place than the hunter valley wine region for a weekend escape. Find out about the best places to visit in Hunter Valley wine area.
The Hunter Valley Gardens
In the heart of the hunter valley wine country, lies the award-winning hunter valley gardens. These are 14 hectares of garden containing ten gardens each of them inspired by the gardens around the world. On top of that, there are waterfalls, murals and statues. In addition to the abundance of natural beauty, the hunter valley gardens offer tons of other things to do and see.
Exciting events are happening around the year. Christmas Light Spectacular, Rose Spectacular, and Snow Time Garden are upcoming events to look forward. Kids will enjoy fun rides such as Ferries Wheels, Superslide, Swing Chair, Garden Train and much more. Garden houses a great collection of cafe, restaurants and bars and you can also indulge in some retail therapy at the shopping village.
Hope Estate
Hope Estate is a working winery and brewery producing award-winning beer, wine and spirits. It houses Australia’s largest concert Amphitheatre. Be a part of their fascinating events, dinners, festivals, parties and much more. Gustation dinners offer a delicious set course menu and behind the scene brewery tour and is a quick one to sell out.
Cellar doors are open all week, offering 45 minutes of beer and wine tasting. Be sure to visit in time of festivals for more fun. Gin and Jazz festival, Cheese and Chocolate festival, beer and barbeque festival are some of the exciting festival coming up. The Great Cask Hall is the most popular and spectacular function spaces to host any personal event. They promise extravagant food, excellent wine and beer, and impeccable service.
Roche Estate
Roshe Estate is Hunter Valley’s leading concert venue. It is an ideal place to experience local gourmet produce, wines, and signature cocktails. Buy local and imported artisan cheese at Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop. Be sure to try Italian gelato. Tempus Two Cellar Doors offers a world-class wine tasting and its a must-do experience while visiting hunter valley. They serve handcrafted artisan wines all week. Relish Japanese and Thai cuisine at Oishii or head to Goldfish Hunter Valley for a fine-dining experience.
Hunter Valley Chocolate Company
Hunter Valley Chocolate Company is a popular attraction for visitors. They use only the finest Belgian couverture chocolate, together with Australian dried fruits and nuts, to make handmade chocolate products and fresh fudge. There a viewing window where you can watch the chocolate experts create this unique and delicious treats. Sit at the cafe to enjoy premium, rich chocolate flavoured beverages.
Pepper Tree Wines
The Pepper Tree Cellar Door provides a charming Hunter Valley wine experience. Established in 1991, Pepper Tree wine has now grown into a premium wine company. What makes it so different is grapes grown on carefully chosen soils by John Devis in four regions of Hunter, Orange, Coonawarra and Wrattonbully which gives the wine a different flavour. At wine tasting experience of the museum sample limited-edition premium wines.
Hunter Valley Distillery
Not a wine person? No worries. Hunter valley distillery provides you with high-quality organic spirit, gin, vodkas, Liqueurs, and Schnapps. Hunter Valley Distillery is the only certified organic distillery of hunter valley wine region. While you are here try the award-winning copperware distilled gin. It is open all week, from 10 am to 5 pm. For the Taste Tube testing experience, booking is essential.
Ivanhoe Wine Cellar Door
Built-in 1800, Vineyards of Ivanhoe Estate is the most picturesque spot in the hunter valley. It is famous for producing premium red and white wines. You can feel the love and passion of the owners, Stephen and Tracy. Ivanhoe Wine Cellar Door is the best place to enhance your wine knowledge. It does not matter if you are a beginner or a specialist, wine experts at the Ivanhoe wine cellar door will make sure to give you a full experience.
At Personal Tasting learn how to identify the individual characteristic of different wines that will help you through your hunter valley journey. To get your hands on the premium selection, museum wine, and limited edition wines book Masterclass Experience.
McGuigan Wines
Sample the award-winning wine at the newly renovated cellar doors of McGuigan wines. McGuigan offers premium wine tasting experience for a group tasting of up to 10 people which requires booking. 2020 rose celebration special is the latest experience with a complimentary cheese board and a free bottle of rose.
For a more advance experience, book Personal Reserve Package. It is a wine tasting accompanied by a guided winery tour and a bottle of wine to take home. McGuigan Zero is a range of zero-alcohol wines offering the experience of a full-strength wine for those who do not consume alcohol.
Hunter Valley Cheese Company
Hunter Valley Cheese Company is an operating cheese factory and cheese shop. Wine and cheese go hand in hand, so this Cheese Company like a cherry on top for Hunter Valley Wine Region. All cheese tasting experiences are available all day from 9 am to 5.30 pm and comes with a cheese expert tutorial. Crackers, fruit paste, chutney, olive, bread, and water cracker perfectly complement the cheese tasting menu.
The purpose is to make visitors more familiar with flavours of cheese and cheesemaking process. Cheesemaking appreciation 101 is to explore history and regionality of cheesemaking. You can learn about cheese care at home and how to choose the right cheese from senior cheese expert. See the action at factory viewing windows or participate in cheesemaking tutorial
Hunter Valley Zoo
Australia is home to a large number of unique wildlife, both native and international. Hunter Valley Zoo is the best place to encounter a wide variety of wildlife in Australia. It is about an hour drive from Newcastle and one of the best things to do with children in Hunter Valley.
Hunter Valley Zoo is nothing like any other zoo where you can only see animals from afar. They offer different animal encounters (Meerkat, Marmoset, Black and White Ruffed Lemur, Emperor Tamarin, Binturong.) that gives you a closer look at the wildlife. These encounters are of 20 minutes and you can take pictures with your camera and ask questions to zookeeper. At the interactive yards, you can feed kangaroos and birds with the food you can buy at the reception. At the picnic grounds, there are free barbeque facilities.