THE HEART OF WINE COUNTRY

Famous for its award-winning wines and beautiful scenery, Hunter Valley is the place you visit to get away from it all. Though its biggest contribution to the Australian economy is coal, the Hunter Valley’s claim to fame is the more than 120 wineries that call this part of Australia home, as well as its thriving Thoroughbred horse breeders. Even if you aren’t a fan of fragrant wines and beautiful horses, the scenery alone is breathtaking, and there is plenty to do in the historic towns that dot the region. Since it takes only two hours to get there from Sydney, there’s no excuse not to go see this beautiful part of New South Wales.

WINE TASTING

Hunter Valley is home to an incredible amount of wineries, and many of them offer wine tastings of their products. Though wine tasting has been around for as long as its production, it wasn’t until the Middle Ages that wine tasting became formalized around a set of four stages. The appearance of the wine, the aroma of the wine in the glass, the taste of the wine as you swish it around in your mouth, and the taste you get from the wine afterwards all contribute to the determination of whether or not a wine is considered a good one. These are also called the “five S” steps: see, swirl, sniff, sip and savour.

Visiting some of the cellar doors of the region and sampling their wines can be quite a fantastic, if not relaxing, experience. Some family wineries have been making wine for centuries, and their expertise shows in the Semillons and the Shirazes that the region is so famous for. A wine tasting is the perfect way to decide which wine you prefer, as well as the perfect way to decide whether or not you’d consider getting a bottle for yourself.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

WINE TASTING TOURS

A wine tasting tour is the ultimate in pampering and luxury, whisking you away for the day to sample some of Australia’s best products. Many of the wine tasting tours are done in small groups, allowing you to have a much more personal experience.

For a full listing of Hunter Valley wine tours, look up “Wine Tasting” under Style after choosing the “Hunter Valley” destination in the widget to the left.

HOT AIR BALLOONING

A hot air balloon tour is the perfect way to see all of Hunter Valley in one go. From the balloon’s lift-off at sunrise there’s a wonderful view no matter which direction the wind is coming from. After four hours you are safely back on the ground enjoying a champagne breakfast.

Balloon Aloft’s Hunter Valley Balloon Flight

SOMEWHERE TO STAY

If you’re planning on visiting the Hunter Valley, a good place to stay is actually in Sydney, which is only a few hours away; many wine tasting tours actually depart from and arrive back at Sydney, and getting transportation in and out of Sydney is far easier than getting transportation in and out of some of the small towns in the Hunter Valley. For accommodations in Sydney, search using the keyword “Sydney” or any of its suburbs listed on the widget to the left.