Weekend Escapes: Hunter Valley

If you are looking for a place to explore, indulge and invigorate your senses, then Australia’s oldest wine region might be the perfect place for your next weekend escape. Profile shares our insights on the premium wines, delightful degustations and will take you up, up and away over the many vineyards of the Hunter Valley.

Saturday

A short flight from the easy-going Sunshine Coast Airport will have you landing in Port Macquarie for a short drive to the Hunter Valley. We do recommend you fly out Friday night to wake up fresh and maximise every moment you have around the untouched natural landscape that is home to the Hunter Valley. One of the best ways to get around is by hiring a car and heading winery hopping, but if you are planning a boozy day out then opt for a taxi. Start at Keith Tulloch Winery, where the family-owned vineyard grows Semillon, Marsanne, Chardonnay and Shiraz, all planted in 1968 on the ancient floodplains of Rothbury Creek. Enjoy a wine tasting and sit out on the balcony overlooking the abundance of grape vines. We recommend your next stop be Tyrrell’s Wines, which has been Australian family owned since 1858, for a cellar door tasting at the country homestead – well known for Australia’s awarded wine, Vat 1 Semillon. The Hunter Valley has all the ingredients for a gourmet getaway, with four SMH Good Food Guide hatted restaurants. We recommend an al fresco lunch in one of the nearby vineyards, or Two Fat Blokes gourmet kitchen for a casual bite. For your next stop, drive down the road to Matilda Bay Brewery. What better way to finish a hard day of wine tasting than with a cleansing beer?

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