Nail your wine itinerary without missing a single superstar with our comprehensive round-up of the best vineyards in the Hunter Valley.

A guide to the best vineyards in the Hunter Valley is as diverse as the varietals this hot spot produces. Best known for shiraz, grown around the lower slopes of the Broken Back Range, semillon, chardonnay and verdelho, it’s a breeding ground for exceptional tasting experiences. That’s where I come in. Covering cellar door atmosphere and counter hospitality, to the finest culinary accompaniments, I’ve rounded up precisely where to steer your adventure. And if you’re looking to hop on a tour, we’ve also rounded up the best wine tours in the region.

In short

If you only visit one of the best vineyards in the Hunter Valley, make it Krinklewood Estate for its magical French-inspired, biodynamic vineyard that elegantly transports mind and spirit (sorry, body) to the Provencal gardens of France – and that’s before you taste their Spider Run range.

1. 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. I’m a chardonnay devotee, so the quality fruits of this vineyard’s labour aren’t lost on me either. A sun-splashed tasting room is family-friendly, popular with parents just like me who like to share giddy joy with little ones as they enjoy the team’s ‘kids’ zone’ complete with a giant chalkboard and lawn games. I also love this cellar door’s ‘Picnic for Two’, which includes three 100ml bottles of wine, cheese, crackers, dried fruits and two take-home glasses, best enjoyed on the grass watching said little ones between languid gazing over the region.

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

Where: 179 Gillards Rd, Pokolbin

2. Usher Tinkler Wines

It’s fitting that an old church in Pokolbin has become a gastronomic temple in the Hunter Valley. Wine tastings at Usher Tinkler Wines’ cellar door and salumi bar are accompanied by a platter of local cheeses, salumi, honey, house-made pickles and further delights. I know to always leave room for a solid feed ahead of my visits. You’ll choose from four options that start from $50 per person and arrive snack-size and extend to $180 per person for a chef’s selection of spoils. The whole experience of sampling wines here is an epiphany as Usher is a third-generation farmer whose wines are a blend of traditional and contemporary winemaking techniques.

Go for: Sipping wines while seated in a faithfully restored 1905 church

Where: 97 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

3. Krinklewood Estate

Squint at this French-inspired cellar door in Broke and you’ll find yourself in rural France – that’s my experience, and even before I started sampling. With its Provencal gardens, grand urns and fountains, elegant jumble of antique furniture and manicured hedges, Krinklewood Estate is dedicated to immersing visitors in the landscape. Everything here whispers of a wine tasting like no other. You can go at your own pace: picnic on the lawn, enjoy one-off events like bespoke banquets or embark on a premium tasting of wines, certified organic and biodynamic, right off an oak barrel. If you’ve got time, book a table at Cézan, the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant at Krinklewood that dazzles without pretension. Just make sure you drop in between Friday and Sunday because they’re closed otherwise.

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

Address: 712 Wollombi Rd, Broke

4. Molly Morgan Wines

An understated vineyard in the Hunter Valley that hides boutique villas among its charms, Molly Morgan Wines reopened its cellar door at the end of 2024 and has drawn consistent crowds ever since. It’s the warm hospitality (from wine pouring to bed fluffing) that keeps me going back, plus the wines are top shelf. Named after one of Australia’s first female landowners, former convict Molly Morgan, the winery strives to pioneer new takes on old vines as it pays homage to its take-no-prisoners muse. It’s open from Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm.

Go for: Kangaroo sightings as they often flock to the grass

Address: 496 Talga Rd, Lovedale

5. Ben Ean

My favourite one-stop shop when time is tight, Ben Ean is a gorgeous cellar door (the sexy timber fit out feels like a private wine cellar) that offers tastings of some of the biggest wine names in the game – think Savannah Estate, Lisa McGuigan Wines, Petersons Wines and even South Australia’s Penfolds. Small groups are welcome to a formal tasting which costs $20 per person and lasts for up to an hour, and if you’re hanging out to wrap your lips around Penfolds’ famed Grange, the team here is the only spot in NSW to offer samples. $65 will score you a 50ml taste, and the experience runs daily if you book ahead. Arguably even better are the on-site deli and patisserie that whip up cheese and salumi platters, plus homemade pastries, daily.

Go for: A handful of top drops in the one convenient spot

Address: 119 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

6. Margan Wines

Andrew and Lisa Margan are regarded as hospitality heavyweights in the Hunter Valley with good reason. Together, the dynamic duo runs Margan Wines, an outstanding vineyard, developing 100 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards while maintaining the status of a hatted restaurant and award-winning cellar door. The winery was also awarded five stars by James Halliday for more than a decade. 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. Wine tastings will set you back $25 per person and include five wines, plus you can add on things like a ploughman’s platter, a garden tour and additional wines.

Go for: Some of the most acclaimed winemaking in the country

Address: 1238 Milbrodale Rd, Broke

7. Piggs Peake

Travel for the pig puns (Hogwash merlot, anyone?) but stay for sensational hospitality and quality craftsmanship. Steve Langham at Piggs Peake is a legend in the NSW wine game, spinning delectable drops out of seasonal ingredients and cleverly handled grapes. Best of all, he’s a hoot on the wines himself (his wicked sense of humour has never left me) and welcomes guests with open arms. Tastings cost $32 per person (redeemable on purchased wines) and the experience lasts for roughly an hour.

Go for: Steve, alone, if he’s around – he’s a cracker of a storyteller

Address: 697 Hermitage Rd, Pokolbin

8. 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. Tastings cost $10 per person and include six wines.

Go for: The dreamiest of views

Address: 132 Lovedale Rd, Lovedale

9. Latitude 32 Wines

The cellar door at Latitude 32 Wines is contemporary and cool, so your vino obsession is coddled exceptionally here. Set against processions of vines as dramatic hills roll in the distance, the vineyard in the Hunter Valley boasts 40-year-old plantings and they just keep growing 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 a delightful Dumplings & Wine Pairing that arrives as five wines matched to five flavour bombs. It costs $35 per person.

Go for: Dumplings, a scarce treat in the Hunter

Address: 771 Hermitage Rd, Pokolbin

10. 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: Cnr Singleton and Nelson Sts, Broke

11. Ivanhoe Wines

See that dream homestead with a storybook-like verandah, mountain vistas and adorable little lake? It’s Ivanhoe Wines, one of the best vineyards in the Hunter Valley and always too enticing to ignore. 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 a surreal scene. Wine tastings start from $15 per person.

Go for: An unrivalled glorious setting

Address: 525 Marrowbone Rd, Pokolbin

12. Saddler’s Creek Wines

If you’re visiting the Hunter Valley during the cooler months, Saddler’s Creek Wines is a must for its multiple fire pits dotted around 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 wine tastings from $15 per person (which includes six wines) or step up your festivities with the extra-special 90-minute ‘Hunter Unsung Heroes’ wine and food pairing, which sorts lunch in the way of a degustation. Get there on Friday or Sunday to let live music set the scene.

Go for: Infectious good vibes

Address: 15 Marrowbone Rd, Pokolbin

13. Tamburlaine Organic Wines

Drawn to organic drops? Tamburlaine Organic Wines has your name all over it. One of the country’s largest producers of organic wines, this Hunter Valley stalwart has been impressing folks since 1966, growing vines that are free of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and synthetic fertilisers. Even the water is recycled, while the team compost used fruit to make the soil even richer. The cellar door offers wine tastings from $10 per person, and you can upgrade to include a guided tour of the grounds or cheese pairings.

Go for: Deliciousness that’s nasty-free.

Address: 358 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

14. Pokolbin Estate

If you failed to secure a babysitter, this one’s for you. Pokolbin Estate is a winner in my book for its extremely child-friendly cellar door, which dishes up a ‘Junior Tasting Pairing 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 we grownups settle for award-winning shiraz, riesling and semillon. All rustic at first glance, a surprisingly sleek, minimalistic fit-out impressed me once I stepped inside. These guys also stage one of the best Hunter Valley chocolate and wine pairings, plus a wine tasting matched with puff pastries, so there’s a treat for every taste bud.

Go for: An experience the kids will love

Address: 298 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

15. Boydell’s

Although Boydell’s is a relatively small boutique brand in the Hunter, the seven-hectare property run by Dan and Jane Maroulis packs quite the experiential punch. Planted with hectares of shiraz, pinot noir, merlot, verdelho and chardonnay, the property houses a cellar door built within an old slab hut and the results are Pinterest-worthy. The fine dining restaurant is refined yet warm, filled with seasonal plates while seated wine tastings cost $20 per person and equally endear, led by passionate staff. Don’t miss the Reserve Shiraz Pinot Noir, which dazzles a deeply rich purple in the glass.

Go for: A seat in the restaurant near its large, open fireplace

Where: 2 Green St, Morpeth

16. Brokenwood

There are plenty of wineries I commit to when cruising the Hunter Valley’s winding roads, and skipping Brokenwood would just feel wrong. One of the region’s heaviest of hitters, its cellar door tastings span straight forward and smashable to long and languid (a six-hour tour, meal and guided sampling reigns supreme). There’s also a ‘Soil to Cellar’ experience, priced at $1,320 per person, where participants enjoy a four-course degustation lunch and guided wanderings of the grounds, barrel hall and winery. It’s a wonderland for winos, to say the least.

Go for: Wine nirvana, no matter how you tackle the experience menu

Address: 401-427 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

17. Hanging Tree Wines

Take a moment to breathe in the countryside air at Hanging Tree Wines’ cellar door, housed within an old cow shed littered with antiques. Gaze out over the smooth folds of the Broken Back Range to really feel the synergy of this place which sits on a parcel of red loamy volcanic soil and clay. The cellar door offers two tastings that cover limited-release chardonnay, semillon, shiraz and cabernet sauvignons depending on what you go for, with the more basic option priced at $10 per person. Factor in a wander around the rose garden, too, where kids might shake paws with the winery’s resident labradors Muscat, Bundy, Kahlua and Sambuca.

Go for: Pet-friendly tastings

Where: 294 O’Connors Rd, Pokolbin

18. Briar Ridge Vineyard

A storied Hunter Valley drop-in, Briar Ridge Vineyard is exceptional due to its team’s overflowing passion and enthusiasm for winemaking. I found it unavoidably infectious. The location is also a drawcard as my shoulders softened the moment I peered outside to spy rolling hills laid out over the landscape like a patchwork quilt. I recommend sitting 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: A homely experience amid calming surroundings

Where: 593 Mount View Rd, Mt View

19. 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, making this lovingly restored winery a must-visit. The 130-acre property is home to 30 acres of premium chardonnay vines overlooked by the utterly majestic Yellow Rock Escarpment, making Winmark Wines a scenic spot for a tipple. Established on the former Pooles Rock vineyard, this place was named Hunter Valley Cellar Door of the Year for 2023. Wine tastings run for 30 minutes and include five wines, priced at $15 per person.

Go for: A splash of culture given there’s also a sculpture walk and art gallery

Where: 189-229 Wollombi Rd, Broke

20. Vinden Wines

Never judge a label by its cover – unless it’s from the Vinden Wines team. Trailblazing second-gen viticulturalist Angus Vinden took the reins of his family business and has never looked back, evolving his legacy into a haven of traditional Hunter-style wines in addition to experimental minimal-intervention wines. The estate presents like an idyllic Tuscan farmhouse to boot, and tastings are best enjoyed in the pebbled courtyard before retiring to the outdoor fire pit overlooking the vines. Tastings cost $15 per person.

Go for: Quality out-of-the-box wines

Where: 138 Gillards Rd, Pokolbin

21. Wild Ren Wines

See the familiar through fresh eyes at Wild Ren Wines’ ‘Wine Room’ cellar door, which presents more like a sophisticated bar than a country tasting room. Owner Renee Burton (ex-Gundog Estate and known as Ren, hence the label) and her team have nailed a chic space filled with picture-perfect navy cabinetry and halo lights and bottles adorned with arguably more beautiful design work. Ren sources her fruit from around the Hunter Valley and you can sample them via multiple tasting experience that start from $10 per person.

Go for: Serenity before exploring the wider Peppers Creek Village

Where: 1946 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

22. 1813 Wine

The cellar door at 1813 Wine is a must-do preferably early afternoon when the sun is bursting over the Yellow Rock sandstone escarpment. Linger all afternoon in the vineyard’s elegant steel-framed glass atrium, which is so close to the vines of Tinonee Vineyard Estate you could offer to help during the annual harvest. Feeling very much like you’ve fallen straight out of The Hamptons, the experience is elevated through extremely quaffable drops. Tastings cost $15 per person.

Go for: One of the more romantic Hunter Valley cellar doors

Where: 1273a Milbrodale Rd, Broke

23. Comyns & Co

Devote ample time to visiting Comyns & Co within Pepper Creek Village, run by Scott Comyns (winemaker) and his wife Missy (cellar door manager). Sit at the bar, linger in the lounge, or book a tasting around a table with friends to sample stellar Hunter Valley wines made from small-batch parcels of locally grown fruit. The Comyns have made their mark since opening in 2016 by producing vintages that are increasingly complex. Sample the Sparkling Grüner, Popsy, named in honour of the couple’s two daughters Polly and Topsy, by booking a tasting from $10 per person.

Go for: Impassioned discussions about Hunter Valley wine

Where: 1946 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

24. Mount Pleasant Wines

It’s impossible not to pause, in silent meditation, when standing in the Luchetti Krelle-designed space dedicated to sampling the goods at Mount Pleasant Wines. I’m not here to ogle the artworks, but if I was, this vineyard in the Hunter Valley would serve me as a gallery space with framed works by artists such as Bill Henson, Tracey Moffatt and Rosemary Laing. I recommend sinking into one of the zoned lounge spaces to fully appreciate the birdsong from resident bellbirds as sunshine floods the space, originally founded more than a century ago by Maurice O’Shea, a legend in modern Australian winemaking. Tastings start from $25 per person.

Go for: An idyllic rural setting

Address: 401 Marrowbone Rd, Pokolbin

25. Thomas Wines Hunter Valley

A winery dedicated to the Hunter Valley’s two signature drops – semillon and shiraz – Thomas Wines Hunter Valley offers a range of structured tasting experiences designed to showcase the true beauty in simplicity. Owner and winemaker Andrew Thomas, who runs the show with his eldest son, Dan, serving as assistant winemaker, has more than three decades of experience in the Hunter Valley and is known for championing top-shelf shiraz and semillon examples. Tastings start from $15 per person.

Go for: A fruit-forward semillon or the shiraz, which is perfect for cellaring

Address: 28 Mistletoe Ln, Pokolbin

26. Carillion Wines

It’s easy to be seduced by the magic of the Hunter when ensconced at Carillion Wines. Found at Tallavera Grove Vineyard, the space sees birds engage in aerial ballet as the weather shifts over a whitewashed sky. Go for a wander through the trees standing sentinel around the terraced vineyards before sampling boutique wines produced by a vineyard awarded 5 stars by Halliday Wines. The main lure of this cellar door? Perching yourself high above the vines, to feel stillness while overlooking the hills. Tastings start from $10 per person.

Go for: A prelude to lunch at the outstanding Bistro Molines, right next door.

Address: 749 Mount View Rd, Mount View

27. 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 their 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 watercourse it’s named after, which lies like a coiled serpent across the valley and feeds so many historic vineyards in the region. Tastings start from $10 per person.

Go for: Views over the valley from the cellar door

Address: 600 McDonald’s Rd, Pokolbin

28. Tyrrell’s

The Tyrrell family are titans of Australia’s wine industry with Tyrrell’s, 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 traditions laid 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". Tastings start from $15 per person.

Go for: An eye-opening history lesson

Address: 1838 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

29. De luliis

A Google search for ‘best vineyards in the Hunter Valley’ will always bring up De Iuliis, a pretty Pokolbin cellar door where visitors can follow the winemaking process from grape to glass. I advise purchasing a bottle and trotting back to The Winemakers House, 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 so you can expect tastings starting from $15 per person.

Go for: A ‘Limited Release Shiraz Experience’ to taste exceptional drops for $55 per person

Address: 1616 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

30. Bimbadgen

Its name derives from the local Wonnarua Indigenous word for ‘place of good view’ and Bimbadgen offers just that, positioned over a crumpled quilt of vineyards stained yellow, or green, depending on the season. One of my most frequented cellar doors over the years, this Hunter Valley vineyard offers tasting experiences, from $15 per person, in a grand production area where fellow delighted oenophiles sit shoulder-to-shoulder. The elegant space is filled with greenery that unfurls outward toward the tranquillity of the landscape, where vast swathes of red volcanic soil run through the entire district.

Go for: A post-tasting lunch at its famed fine diner, Esca Restaurant

Address: 790 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

31. Audrey Wilkinson

Olive groves, dairies, orchards and vineyards are dotted around the Hunter Valley. And while you can certainly go with the flow, bouncing between such gems, I recommend a solid session at Audrey Wilkinson — if you can land yourself a booking. One of the most popular vineyards in the Hunter Valley, and not just because of its hilltop vantage point, tastings book out weeks in advance to get in quick to lock something, anything down. A ‘Picnic Among the Vines’, priced at $95 per person, provides a wine masterclass in addition to a lavish spread, while the ‘Fortified and Fromage Experience’, priced at $80 per person, sees sampling straight from the barrel as cheese elevates every indulgence. Get back to basics with the 45-minute ‘Standard Experience’ priced at $15 per person.

Go for: The variety of experiences and selfie-worthy views

Address: 750 De Beyers Rd, Pokolbin

32. Hope Estate

While knocking on cellar doors is a non-negotiable in the Hunter Valley, Hope Estate does an exceptional job at hooking you a bit longer to drink amid bucolic scenery — particularly when one of their big gigs are on. The family-owned working winery, brewery, distillery and cellar door hosts several gatherings right off the grapevines, spanning past events like the Hunter Valley Beer & BBQ Festival and my personal Hope Estate memory, Elton John live. If you’re simply there to taste the wine, you’re looking at $20 per person for six sensational samples, and the price rises if you upgrade to extras.

Go for: Experiencing a Hunter Valley institution

Address: 2213 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

33. Peterson House

Peterson House is an experience that screams new and niche. Pairing gelato with booze is just one of the tasting experiences on offer at this beloved Hunter Valley pit-stop, which nails sparkling wine like nobody’s business. For that reason alone, it’s one of the most popular wineries for a girls’ weekend away in the Hunter Valley. If it’s your first time, go for the basic tasting priced at $15 per person which includes five varieties. You can level up to cheese platters and said gelato next time you drop in – this place is relentlessly inviting.

Go for: Bubbles of every description

Address: Cnr Broke Rd and Wine Country Dr, Pokolbin