NSW Wines Region

GoNSW3 years ago

Wine tourism in NSW offers experiences that are more diverse, engaging and immersive than traditional cellar door tastings alone. NSW is home to 14 incredible wine regions, each with their own distinct personality, varying topography, grape varieties and signature experiences. Travellers can not only taste and buy world-renowned wine but also try locally grown food, visit markets, explore historical sites, stay at luxury resorts and learn something new via a tour or masterclass and meet winemakers and chefs.

This practical toolkit highlights six key wine regions in NSW in 6 days and will help you understand each region.

Credit: VisitNSW

Scarborough Wine Co.

Established in the 1970s, this family-owned winery specialises in chardonnay and pinot. There are two cellar doors; Gillards Road and Scarborough on Hermitage. Guests can choose from a range of unique experiences, including tour and tasting experiences with food pairings, or try their hand at the Sensory Workshop, a fun and educational way to help identify aromas and flavours in wine.

Scarborough Wine Co.

179 Gillards Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320, Australia

Tulloch Wines

Over four generations and 125 years, Tulloch has been crafting wines and experiences that celebrate ‘the good life’ of wine, food, family and friends. Tours include a Chocolate and Wine pairing, a Mystery Wine Tour and the Museum Experience. Their newest experiences include Hunter Heroes & Global Flavours, where guests can immerse themselves in the history of the Hunter Valley by tasting the iconic Hunter wines and the Hunter Wine, Seafood & BBQ, a half-day experience that includes an afternoon at the cellar door tasting premium wines and cooking a decadent barbecue with the Tulloch chef.

Tulloch Wines

638 De Beyers Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320, Australia

McGuigan Wines

McGuigan Wines is a name synonymous with Australian winemaking. Steeped in rich Hunter Valley tradition, the wines are the product of four generations of McGuigan family winemakers who have become renowned for producing some of the finest wines in Australia. The Winery & Produce Tour provides guests with an opportunity to immerse themselves in McGuigan history and flavours and includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery, a horse and carriage tour of the vineyards and a selection of local cheese and chocolate to try with iconic McGuigan wines.

McGuigan Wines

447 McDonalds Road Corner of, Broke Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320, Australia

Wine House Hunter Valley

This one-stop cellar door and restaurant offers a choice of over 40 of the best local wines in the Hunter Valley. Wine House offers a range of tours including the Hunter Discovery Tasting and a Connoisseurs Wine & Chocolate Tasting. Visitors can book a table for lunch or enjoy The Grand Sensory Adventure that features four premium wines and food pairings.

Wine House Hunter Valley

426 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320, Australia

De Beaurepaire Wines

This single estate vineyard is a boutique producer of French-style wines. The historic cellar door is located in 170-year-old stables and offers sweeping views of the vineyards. In addition to wine tastings and grazing boards, experiences include A Sparkling Affair, with matched French-style sparkling wines and canapés; and Long Lunch in the Vines, an annual event which includes great wine, food and music.

De Beaurepaire Wines

182 Cudgegong Rd, Rylstone NSW 2849, Australia

Lowe Family Wine Co

Founded in 2000 by David Lowe, Lowe Wines produces premium small batch wines from a certified organic and biodynamic property. The cellar door is a beautiful spot to spend a few hours, with a wooded picnic area and access to Federation Hill with 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. Enjoy wine tasting, platters, and self-guided Farm Trail tours.

Lowe Family Wine Co

Tinja Ln, Mudgee NSW 2850, Australia

Mudgee

An easy three-and-a-half hour drive northwest of Sydney through the Blue Mountains, the Mudgee wine region is a favourite among nature and food and wine lovers for its beauty, heritage and world- class produce. Mudgee is situated on the Cudgegong River and is surrounded by rolling green hills. Rich in colonial history, this wine-producing area includes the towns and villages of Mudgee, Gulgong, Rystone, and Kandos. The region has a rich gold rush heritage and World Heritage wilderness including Wollemi National Park, home to the rare and prehistoric Wollemi pine. Mudgee is a bustling country town and offers high- end boutique accommodation, award-winning restaurants, colonial architecture and many outdoor activities. Mudgee’s altitude, continental climate and well-drained soil make it an excellent region for a wide range of varietals and is well known for shiraz and cabernet sauvignon.

Mudgee

Mudgee NSW 2850, Australia

Rowlee Wines

This estate makes wines exclusively from its single vineyard located in the foothills of Mount Canobolas. Rowlee Wines offers intimate tastings, wine and food pairings, picnics in the vines and luxury accommodation. Surrounded by vineyards, farmland and a conservation area, the winery dates back to the mid-1800s and includes the original homestead and outbuildings. Grapes are harvested by hand and crafted in small batches.

Rowlee Wines

19 Lake Canobolas Rd, Nashdale NSW 2800, Australia

Philip Shaw Wines

One of the pioneering winemaking families of Orange, the Koomooloo vineyard is home to Philip Shaw Wines and is one of the highest and coolest vineyards in Australia. The cellar door is located in a beautiful 130 year Bluestone barn, with stunning surrounding gardens where guests can enjoy a range of wine and food tasting experiences.

Philip Shaw Wines

100 Shiralee Rd, Orange NSW 2800, Australia

Orange

The pretty regional town of Orange is a food and wine lovers’ delight. This cool climate wine region is located three-and-a-half hours’ drive west of Sydney and is the perfect place to escape for wine, food and culture, offering highly acclaimed restaurants, fashionable cafes, growers markets, designer shopping, art galleries and more. Orange is also home to the annual Orange F.O.O.D Week, Australia’s longest-running regional food festival. Outdoor activities include hiking the track of Mount Canobolas and exploring nearby scenic national parks. Accommodation options range from trendy boutique hotels located in the centre of town to luxurious vineyard cottages.

Orange

Orange NSW 2800, Australia

See Saw Wines

Winemakers Justin and Pip Jarrett pride themselves on producing wines using low-impact, sustainable methods. All See Saw wines are organically certified and vegan. See Saw offers experiences throughout the year including tours, lunches and hot air balloon adventures with a Prosecco breakfast.

See Saw Wines

4 Nanami Ln, Cargo NSW 2800, Australia

Swinging Bridge

This family-owned winery specialises in premium chardonnay and pinot noir. It’s cellar door has been awarded Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine’s Best Cellar Door in the region. Guests can enjoy a sit-down experience with beautiful views of Mount Canobolas. Experiences include wine tastings, a picnic in the vines, or for something really special, the Sydney to Orange helicopter experience.

Swinging Bridge

701 The Escort Way, Orange NSW 2800, Australia

Tallagandra Hill Winery

This small, family-owned winery offers tastings at the cellar door on Saturday and Sunday. Its award-winning single vineyard wines include shiraz, tempranillo, vermentino, viognier, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. Choose from a range of wine and food tasting experiences, including Jacko’s Pizza Van on Sundays. There are three cottages to stay in at the winery too.

Tallagandra Hill Winery

1692 Murrumbateman Rd, Gundaroo NSW 2620, Australia

Lake George Winery

Established in 1971, Lake George Winery is the oldest winery in the Canberra District. The 150-hectare property is surrounded by the rolling hills of the Cullerin Escarpment. The cellar door is open from Thursday to Sunday and the onsite restaurant, The Westering, offers a rustic menu paired with award-winning Lake George wines.

Lake George Winery

Federal Hwy, Lake George NSW 2581, Australia

Shaw Wines

This beautiful, modern winery offers a private tasting room for group bookings, an open seated tasting room and a casual lounge where visitors can relax in an armchair with a glass of wine and a cheese plate enjoying the vineyard views. Open seven days a week, the winery also has an art gallery and onsite restaurant.

Shaw Wines

34 Isabel Dr, Murrumbateman NSW 2582, Australia

Canberra District wine region

Named after Australia’s nearby capital, the Canberra District is a cool climate region located 30 minutes from Canberra and three hours southwest of Sydney. This highly regarded and flourishing young wine region is one of Australia’s fastest- growing regions, with more than 140 vineyards and 30 cellar doors producing award-winning, elegant wines. The picturesque towns of the region include Murrumbateman, Gundaroo, Yass and Bungendore, which are perfect for food and wine lovers to explore. Visitors can discover the region by bike or car and enjoy local specialties such as cured and smoked meats, apples, olives and truffles in some of the village cafes and winery restaurants.

Canberra District wine region

Gundaroo NSW 2620, Australia

Cambewarra Estate Winery

Cambewarra Estate Winery lies at the foothills of the Cambewarra Mountain and features a cellar door, restaurant, studio apartment and a reception room with outdoor surrounds ideal for events. The child and pet friendly cellar door offers a high tea experience where guests can enjoy sweet and savoury delights with tea and sparkling wine set amongst the grape vines.

Cambewarra Estate Winery

520 Illaroo Rd, Bangalee NSW 2541, Australia

Shoalhaven Heads

Just two hours from Sydney on the NSW South Coast, the Shoalhaven Coast wine region offers visitors a gourmet paradise with sustainable seafood, fresh produce, elegant wineries and acclaimed restaurants uniquely situated alongside pristine beaches and spectacular national parks. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful Seven Mile Beach and go swim- ming, surfing or fishing, and have memorable animal encoun- ters, from kangaroos on the beach to dolphins and whales in the blue of Jervis Bay. Shoalhaven is one of Australia’s only wine regions located by the coast and is home to 18 vineyards with cellar doors. Shoalhaven Coast wineries have begun to feature regularly in national wine shows. The region’s signature French red grape chambourcin and other warm climate varietals such as semillon and sauvi- gnon blanc pair nicely with local seafood.

Shoalhaven Heads

Shoalhaven Heads NSW 2535, Australia

Cupitt's Estate

This pretty winery is tucked behind the hills of Milton and also boasts a brewery, fromagerie, restaurant and cottage accommodation, with beautiful views over the vineyard to Burrill Lake and the Budawang Ranges. The Tour and Taste Experience includes a guided tour of the property with Cupitt’s head winemaker and a sampling of wine, beer and cheese. Other experiences include a Sunset Winery Tour, Meet the Maker Tour, as well as masterclasses and workshops.

Cupitt's Estate

58 Washburton Rd, Ulladulla NSW 2539, Australia

Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands is located just 90 minutes south of Sydney and is a cool climate wine region with 17 cellar doors, ranging from elegant French provincial to contemporary architectural statements. It is a place to discover acclaimed restaurants, cool climate wines, classic country pubs and an abundance of local produce in one of Australia’s most highly regarded gourmet regions. For visitors, the Southern Highlands offers food festivals and events, sophisticated red wines, beautiful flower gardens, luxuri- ous day spas and country manors with challenging golf courses. Guests can enjoy exploring winding country roads or hire a bike and cycle through the vineyards. The Southern Highlands boasts many pretty villages, with antique stores to browse and museums and art galleries to see.

Southern Highlands

Southern Highlands, NSW, Australia

Tractorless Vineyard & Bowral Brewing company

With an urban cellar door that offers a fun and immersive experience for guests, Tractorless Vineyard embraces a combination of traditional knowledge and skills with new-world techniques, all guided by biodynamic principles. Visitors can have a guided wine, beer and cider tasting; get a guided tour of the vineyard and feed the winery’s sheep; enjoy a barrel tasting with the winemaker; or try grape stomping.

Tractorless Vineyard & Bowral Brewing company

11 Pikkat Dr, Braemar NSW 2575, Australia

PepperGreen Estate

PepperGreen Estate is a winery, restaurant, cellar door, tasting room and olive grove located in the historic town of Berrima. The elegant cellar door is located in an iconic building that once operated as a famous antique store. Experiences are hosted by charismatic and knowledgeable guides and include an interactive wine discovery paired with food in the premium private room at the Cellar Door. The Ultimate Vineyard Experience and Limited Edition Olive Grove Picking Experience (available during the picking times) includes a visit to PepperGreen Estate’s vineyard and olive groves in Canyonleigh.

PepperGreen Estate

13 Market Pl, Berrima NSW 2577, Australia

Centennial Vineyards Restaurant

Centennial Vineyards is located minutes from the historic township of Bowral and offers a premium restaurant, cellar door and function venue. Their vineyard is over 760 metres in altitude and produces award-winning cool climate wines. Centennial Vineyards offers visitors a range of experiences including a masterclass in the region’s signature grape variety, pinot. Centennial Vineyards Restaurant is known for its stunning setting amongst the vines and offers the perfect destination for a long lunch or a luxurious high tea.