Pokolbin Wine Tours
The Pokolbin Wine District is one of seven that make up the Lower Hunter Valley Wine Region. A great place to combine a relaxing getaway with a Wine tour.
With a history dating back to the early 1800s Pokolbin offers an opportunity to taste heritage wines from some of the oldest vines in Australia. The Parish of Pokolbin was established in the 1880s in the foothills of the Brokenback Range with the village later forming at the junction of McDonalds Toad and DeBeyers. With a school, Hall, Churches, a Post Office and later a Telephone Exchange. Several vineyards were also established with several still operating today.
Award-winning wineries, elegant restaurants and a calendar packed with music, food, wine and loads of fun, you won’t be able to avoid the amazing heritage and modern innovation combined in the heart of the stunning Hunter Valley – Pokolbin, and all just two hours’ drive north from Sydney and 55 minutes from Newcastle Airport.
Amazing Things to Do, Places to See.
The Hunter Wine Theatre
For insights into the entire winemaking process from vineyard to the bottle are fascinating. You’ll watch a 30-minute film in the theatre before tasting wines. The wine experience takes just over half an hour in a dedicated theatre. Up on the big screen, learn a little of the Hunter’s wine heritage, Australia’s oldest wine area. See the grapes being harvested and being crushed at the on-site winery.
After the show, up come the lights and it’s down to the serious business of wine tasting. In front of each visitor is a bracket of the Hunter’s best wines.
Hunter Valley Wine School
The wine school is a two-hour tour, including a cellarmaster tutorial.
Hunter Resort offers the total ‘wine experience’. The onsite winery has the largest capacity in the Hunter Valley. The Hunter Valley Wine School commences daily at 9am and is an informal tutorial of wine education. Walk through the onsite vineyard of 40 year old Shiraz vines and discuss matters viticultural.
What is the history of wine? What is the difference between grape varieties? What is the Australian Wine Judging System? All these questions, and more, will be answered leaving one with a new-found knowledge of winemaking… and tasting!
At the conclusion, receive your personalised Wine Appreciation Certificate
Balloon Aloft Hunter Valley Day Tours
The 1-hour ride into the sky takes you over the Hunter Valley, a wine-producing region north of Sydney. Upon landing, you’re treated to breakfast a la carte and a glass of sparkling wine at Peterson House, a local winery.HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS
While encompassing a variety of activities to keep all generations happy, the Garden displays remain the focal point of Hunter Valley Gardens, to engage visitors all year round, the calendar includes horticultural talks, festivals and signature events, such as Snow Time and our Christmas Lights Spectacular. No matter what time of the year you visit, you will find 8 kms of walking paths trailing through 14 hectares of gardens. If you love counting over 6000 trees, 600,000 shrubs and over 1 million ground cover plants, plus waterfalls, statues, murals you will be truly fascinated. The ten individually themed gardens showcase the artistry of gardens around the world and use both native and exotic varieties of plants.
“Hunter Valley Gardens is a beautiful, nature based, experience for local, national and international visitors.”
For more information: http://www.hvg.com.au
The Hunter Valley Cheese Company
When the demand for regional produce which complimented the vibrant winemaking already established in the Hunter Valley, was recognised, a purpose-built operating cheese factory, maturation and tasting views were established.
Meet a Senior Cheese Expert and receive a tutorial of artisan Hunter Valley Cheese. Learn about the art of cheese making, interactive tasting notes, taste the delights of Artisan Hunter Valley Cheeses, regional fruit pastes, olives and breads. You can enjoy a simple cheese plate, or a sumptuous lunch or take-home cheese recipes.
Hunter Wine Country Markets
Held weekly on Saturday 9am -3pm at De Bortoli Wines, peruse a boutique handmade market showcasing local artisans, including fashion, food, jewellery, local produce, handmade soaps, candles, woodwork, pottery and much more. Pet friendly.
Special Events
HUNTER VALLEY WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL
Held from the beginning of May to the end of June, the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Festival showcases the region’s diverse wine and food culture. Held during winter, this festival will lift your spirits. Mixing with leading winemakers and chefs, guests have the opportunity learn new culinary skills in interactive classes or just relax enjoying the ambience of an open fire, a glass of wine and a chees plate.
For more information: http://www.winecountry.com.au/events/wine-and-food-festival
HUNTER VALLEY AIRSHOW
An annual event held in April, this is sure to make a great day of aviation and family entertainment!
Stunning aerobatic displays and see classic war birds and amazing vintage aircraft of yesteryear.
Make the most of the airshow by getting airborne in a selection of aircraft available to see the beautiful Hunter Valley from the air.
For more information: http://www.huntervalleyairshow.com.au
WINE MACHINE
Showcasing both the splendour of our nation’s most picturesque wine regions and the spectacular music artists borne from Australian soil Wine Machine is held annually in across a variety of wine regions with March the date for the Hunter Valley event.
For more information: http://wine-machine.com/
HUNTER CULINARY FOOD FIGHT
See the best chefs from the Hunter Valley take on those form the Southern Highlands as they battle it out in the annual Culinary Food Fight in April!
Established by the Hunter Culinary Association, the event is the signature calendar event. Four top chefs, prepare one lunch course, matching each course with a Hunter Valley wine. Guests will be tasked with voting for the dish they preferred at the end of the gourmet feast.
For more information: http://www.hunterculinary.com.au
WINERY RUNNING FESTIVAL – HUNTER VALLEY
Held over two days in July each year, the Winery Running Festival is a unique experience offering a full package of running, tourism and lifestyle experiences, including running through world famous international golf resorts and some of the most famous wineries in Australia.
With a huge selection of races, distances include a marathon, half marathon, 10-kilometre, five kilometre and two kilometres for kids. Watch out for new novelty races for 2019.
For more information: http://wineryrun.com/
CHEESE LOVERS FESTIVAL
Held over a weekend in June, the two-day festival pays homage to cheese in its all flavours, textures and forms. With a main stage with live entertainment, you can relax with a wine or beer, grab lunch and a sweet treat from one of the multiple food trucks or just share a cheese platter with friends.
Special events include: ‘Fancy’ Cheesecake Competition; Cheese, Beer and Wine Workshops; Classic Cheese Lunch and Dinner.
For more information: http://cheeseloversfestival.com.au/
BURNING OF THE BARREL
When Gourmet Traveller Wine names it as one of the TOP 50 Worldwide Wine Experiences you know you are onto a GOOD THING! Hosted by Glandore Estate Winery, the evening includes
massive bonfires, tasty wines, a fantastic menu from The Cellar Restaurant, tasty soups to keep you warm, great live music, fireworks and a cracking night out with the family.
For more information: https://glandorewines.com/event/2018-burning-of-the-barrel/
CONCERTS & FESTIVALS
Australian Vineyards have become The Venue for Music festivals, and the Hunter Valley is never one to miss the fun all year round. The world’s most famous performers, musicians and audiences alike can not resist the allure of Amazing vineyards, stunning wines and of course good old country hospitality.
To make sure you are “in the know” about which major concerts and festivals are touring the Hunter Valley checkout here –
Accommodation
Offering options to suit a range of budgets, from luxury resorts and vineyard retreats to villas, guesthouses and charming boutique B&Bs and cottages.
For bookings refer to:
Visit Destinations NSW
https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/hunter/hunter-valley/pokolbin/accommodation
Hunter Valley Wine Country
Dining Options
Pokolbin offers a variety of dining options from all day breakfasts and lunches to dinner choices. And includes everything from one of the State’s finest down to relaxed cafes and snack places. And a lot of the cellar doors have dining options too. The one thing they have in common is that the food is downright tasty.
Here are Trip Advisor’s Top 5 Restaurants in Pokolbin (There are many, many more)
Hunters Quarter
Located in the Cockfighters Ghost Vineyard of Pokolbin. Including a private terrace in the vineyards, it’s the perfect place to while away a few hours with family, friends and fantastic food. The team aim to incorporate high quality, fresh and local produce, passion and imagination to deliver a balance of pure flavours and textures to every dish.
Baume (pronounced bow- may)
Designed for sharing with family and friends, sourcing the best of local ingredients, guests can start with some small tasting plates to tempt the taste buds, enjoy shared signature dishes; a range of garden-fresh sides and salads. Also, on offer are delicious pastas or house made wood fire pizzas.
Finish your Amazing experience with hand-crafted desserts.
Muse Restaurant
With 2 locations within Pokolbin Muse caters to every dining experience, from the Fine Dining located within the grounds of Hungerford Hill, to the relaxed casual dining at Muse Kitchen, a regional European Bistro style restaurant that is situated in the picturesque Keith Tulloch Wines courtyard.
Ridge View Restaurant
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern inspired menu is designed, utilising on-site herb and vegetable garden, to entice the senses and enhance the flavour of own estate wines. With an outlook over our Little Gully vineyard, guests can dine in comfort all year round, next to the cosy indoor fireplace and heat strips on the veranda in Winter or under the cool mist fans in Summer.
RidgeView Restaurant will be closed from Saturday 5th January and will reopen 9am Saturday 12th January. Our Cellar...
Posted by RidgeView on Thursday, January 3, 2019
Restaurant Botanica
Located within Spicers Vineyards Estate, Botanica mixes modern Australian dining with a regionally distinctive style using fresh picked Hunter Valley ingredients creating seasonal dishes effortlessly matched with wines from the Hunter Valley. Botanica believes that “great chefs must be great gardeners”.
https://spicersretreats.com/restaurants/restaurant-botanica/
Checkout many more Amazing venues to eat, dine or just relax and enjoy the ambience.
TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurants-g255328-Pokolbin_Cessnock_Greater_Newcastle_New_South_Wales.html
Hunter Valley Wine Country
Vineyards and Wine Tasting
From big-name wineries to boutique beauties hidden away down country back roads, Australia’s oldest wine region has enough cellar doors to keep you occupied for weeks. Here in Pokolbin you can choose from large national wineries to small boutique family operated vineyards. Some are open 7 days, while others welcome visitors to their Cellar Doors on weekends and Public Holidays. Visit the following sites to download maps of the area and a detailed list of these amazing wine producers.
Visit NSW Destinations
Hunter Valley Wine Country
Combine these great experiences with the Hunter Valley wine region with a tour
A great way to enjoy the views and of course the sensational tastes of what the region offers is to book a wine tour with:
With pick-ups and drop-offs from your accommodation
Whether it’s for a corporate or social event, our Hunter Valley wine tasting tours are the perfect way to experience what the famous wine region has to offer.
Our tours are designed with our guest in mind, keeping it simple so that all you need to do is enjoy the day.
Since 2001, we’ve specialized in guiding small group wine tours through the Hunter Valley. We’re family owned and operated and are passionate about showcasing the beautiful Hunter Valley region and its wines, providing our guest with the ultimate wine tasting experience.
