Get a taste for the rich and varied wine-making traditions across New South Wales, where its wine regions represent an incredible diversity of climate and terroir. From cool alpine vineyards to warm coastal estates, you’re bound to find a tipple to appeal to your palate in New South Wales – as well as a fun new way to savour it.
Whether you’re a seasoned sommelier or a curious weekender, here’s your guide to discovering the people, places and pours that make NSW wine so special.
Weave between the vines in Mudgee
Join a guided wine tour for a relaxing journey through the picturesque food and wine hub of Mudgee, a 3.5-hour drive northwest of Sydney. Home to more than 30 cellar doors, Mudgee’s warmer days and cooler nights are great conditions for robust reds and riesling.
Less than a 10-minute drive from town is Lowe Family Wine Co, a certified organic and biodynamic vineyard and farm. Enjoy a seated tasting of small-batch wines (including their flagship Zinfadel) and explore the surrounding kitchen gardens and orchards. For a long lunch, book into The Zin House, the on-site hatted restaurant offering a seasonal set menu crafted from produce grown on the property.
Just a 15-minute from Lowe Family Wine Co you’ll find Robert Stein Winery, an award-winning winery with rich family legacy since 1976, which also features the renowned restaurant Pipeclay Pumphouse on its grounds. Spot pigs grazing happily in the surrounding pastures as you reward yourself with a fine-dining feast after a morning’s ride.
Try something different in Orange
On your return journey to Sydney, take a delicious detour to the cool-climate wine centre of Orange, around two hours from Mudgee. Australia’s highest-altitude wine region, Orange is known for its elegant cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir and shiraz.
Start at Rowlee Wines, where you can enjoy a guided tasting of single-vineyard wines or linger longer with a stay in the on-site luxury guesthouse. Just a short drive away is Swinging Bridge, a family-run estate with sweeping views of Mount Canobolas and a focus on premium cool-climate varietals.
For something unique, visit Printhie Wines, renowned for its award-winning Swift Sparkling range. Choose from experiences like the Sparkling and Oyster Tasting or the Private Fly Fishing Experience, followed by a degustation lunch with matched wine.
Check out Philip Shaw, where local cheeses elevate unconventional wine tastings, or relax at Heifer Station, where kids can delight in meeting friendly farm animals while you enjoy a shiraz in the adjacent tasting room. Otherwise head into town to visit Ferment the Orange Wine Centre, where you can ‘tour’ 19 cellar doors in one spot.
Fly high in Gundagai and the Snowy Valleys
Soar over the Snowy Mountains in style on a private Vine to Wine heli-tour with Truenorth Helicopters, revelling in the ruggedly beautiful alpine views as you buzz between the vines of one of Australia’s premier cold-climate wine regions.
In Tumbarumba, enjoy a seasonal lunch and tasting at Courabyra Wines, a family-run vineyard offering award-winning wines, mountain views and picnic experiences among the vines. Nearby, Tumblong Hills and Borambola Wines showcase the emerging Gundagai wine region, with estate-grown reds and warm country hospitality.
Between tastings, stretch your legs in Braymont Gardens, a hidden gem with a tree church, ponds and panoramic views. For those staying overnight, Kimo Estate offers off-grid EcoHuts with sweeping valley views, while Kestrel Nest EcoHut provides a secluded, stargazing-friendly retreat on a conservation property near Tumut.
Sip your way around the Riverina
Behold NSW’s largest wine-producing region, covering a massive stretch of land northwest of the Snowy Mountains. Renowned for shiraz, chardonnay and botrytis semillon, the Riverina has a rich Italian heritage, with most local winegrowers of Italian descent.
Centred around the hub of Griffith, cellar doors to add to your itinerary include the pioneering De Bortoli Wines and Calabria Family Wines, both founded by Italian immigrants and offering immersive tasting experiences where you can learn their fascinating stories.
Also worth visiting is McWilliam’s Wines Hanwood Estate, home to the iconic ‘big barrel’ cellar door and a long-standing name in Australian winemaking. For boutique charm, head to Yarran Wines, where small-batch wines are served with sweeping vineyard views and a relaxed, contemporary feel.
Float above the vines of the Hunter Valley
Soak up the spectacular setting of Australia’s oldest wine region, the Hunter Valley, on a romantic hot air balloon ride with the likes of Balloon Aloft, Beyond Ballooning and Hunter Valley Ballooning, marvelling at the panoramic views as the fog dissipates and the sun rises. After landing, indulge in a champagne breakfast before cruising around the valley, around two hours north from Sydney, where the warm and humid conditions are ideal for quality semillon and shiraz.
Dive deep into winemaking on an exclusive Soil-to-Cellar Experience at the iconic Hunter Valley vineyard Brokenwood Wines. Feel like a VIP with a personal host for the day, a private tasting in the Graveyard Tasting Room, an exclusive winery and vines tour, four-course degustation lunch and a bottle of the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz to take home.
Also worth visiting is Audrey Wilkinson, perched high on a hill with panoramic views and a reputation for exceptional semillon. You can also book an on-site cottage for the night. For something more intimate, head to Harkham Wines, a boutique natural winery known for its minimal-intervention approach and warm hospitality.
Pair wine with waterfalls in the Southern Highlands
Just 90 minutes southwest of Sydney, the Southern Highlands region offers a refreshing blend of cool-climate wines and natural beauty. Known for chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir, the region is home to a mix of boutique cellar doors and scenic picnic spots.
Compare local drops at renowned wineries including Bendooley Estate, where the cellar door sits beside a charming book barn with vineyard views; Centennial Vineyards, known for its sparkling and cool-climate varietals; and PepperGreen Estate in Berrima, offering estate-grown wines, olive oil and a stylish cellar door and restaurant.
Between tastings, take a detour to Carrington Falls in Budderoo National Park, or the nearby Belmore Falls or Fitzroy Falls, both offering dramatic lookouts and walking trails. It’ll literally whet your appetite for foodie stops in Bowral and a visit to boutique winery Artemis Wines in Mittagong, whose owners are known for planting the first pinot noir grapes in the region.
Discover charming winery dining experiences in the Canberra District
Just under three hours from Sydney, the Canberra District offers a refined cool-climate wine experience in beautiful vineyards around Murrumbateman, Gundaroo and Yass. It’s also home to some of the region’s most inviting winery dining spots, such as the stunning Shaw Estate, which has recently undergone a refined renovation.
Start at Four Winds Vineyard, where woodfired pizzas and relaxed outdoor seating pair perfectly with small-batch wines. At The Vintner’s Daughter, enjoy a boutique tasting experience and seasonal produce platters, while exploring the surrounding farm. Or visit the iconic Clonakilla Wines, a pioneer of the region’s signature shiraz-viognier blend, where tastings are matched with sweeping vineyard views and understated charm.
To make the most of your visit, hop aboard the Wine Hopper, a hop-on-hop-off shuttle that connects cellar doors across Murrumbateman - ideal for a leisurely day of tastings and long lunches.
Savour country charm in Cowra
Set in the lush Lachlan Valley, around four hours west of Sydney, Cowra is a warm-climate wine region known for its chardonnay, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, and a welcoming mix of boutique producers and farm-to-table dining.
Start your visit at Rosnay Organic Farm and Vineyard, where you can taste certified organic wines, pick seasonal olives and figs, and stay overnight in a restored 1910 farmhouse or glamping tent among the vines. Nearby, Windowrie Winery is one of the region’s pioneers, with 300 acres of vineyards and a working winery, as well as dog-friendly camping sites.
Round out your visit with a meal at Oak on Kendal, a modern Australian bistro in Cowra’s town centre, where seasonal produce is paired with a curated list of local wines and cocktails in a warm, elegant setting.
Taste bold reds and heritage charm in The Hilltops
Located in southern NSW, the Hilltops region is known for its vibrant shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and cherry orchards. With high altitudes and rich volcanic soils, it is an exciting, emerging wine district in NSW.
Ballinaclash Fruit and Wine allows you to pick your own cherries in season and taste estate-grown wines in a relaxed setting, and the nearby Grove Estate Wines offers sweeping views and a cellar door known for its award-winning Italian varietals. Bookings are essential at Barwang Wines, where their recently renovated cellar door offers intimate tasting by appointment as well as guided farm and vineyard tours showcasing the oldest vineyard in the Hilltops region.
Stay at the historic The Sir George, a beautifully restored 1852 inn offering luxurious accommodation in Jugiong, and call into The Cranfield, a stylish café and wine bar in Young showcasing regional produce and local wines.
Retreat to high-country heritage in New England
Set among rolling hills and crisp mountain air, the New England wine region offers a tranquil escape with boutique cellar doors and elegant cool-climate wines. Located around six hours north of Sydney, it may be the youngest wine region in the state but is home to award-winning wines and delicious fresh produce.
At Topper’s Mountain Wines, expect something a little different. Alternative varietals like petit manseng and nebbiolo thrive here, and tastings often come with a side of storytelling about the region’s unique terroir. In Armidale, Petersons Winery invites guests into a grand colonial homestead for tastings in a setting that feels more like a country estate than a cellar door.
For a stay that blends luxury with landscape, book into Goonoo Goonoo Station, a beautifully restored 19th-century sheep station near Tamworth, where glass-walled dining and heritage cottages offer a stylish base for exploring the region.
Cruise between cellar doors in The Murray and Perricoota
Set along the banks of the mighty Murray River, the Perricoota and Murray wine regions offer a relaxed blend of riverside charm and warm-climate varietals. It is the second-largest wine-producing region in Australia and grapes have been grown here for more than 130 years.
At Trentham Estate Winery, tastings unfold on a grassy riverbank where the vines meet the water. Arrive by car or boat and settle in for a meal with panoramic views. St Anne’s Winery offers a broad range of wines from fortified to sparkling, with a cellar door nestled among the vines, whereas at Morrisons Riverview Winery, you can enjoy a casual tasting followed by lunch in the restaurant overlooking the river.
For a memorable way to explore, book the Wharf to Winery Tour with Murray River Paddlesteamers, which includes a one-hour cruise aboard a historic paddlesteamer, a two-course lunch at Morrisons, and a tasting of their full wine range.
Savour coastal charm in the Shoalhaven
Just two hours south of Sydney, the Shoalhaven region blends coastal beauty with boutique wine experiences, making it a perfect weekend escape.
At Silos Estate sample estate-grown wines in a historic setting, meet the resident alpacas, or stay overnight in a vineyard cottage. Nearby, Crooked River Estate in Gerringong pairs ocean views with peaceful villas, live music, generous pours and a standout shiraz. Further south, Cupitt’s Estate near Ulladulla offers a full paddock-to-plate experience - winery, brewery, fromagerie and restaurant, plus boutique accommodation with outdoor bathtubs all with sweeping views of the Budawang Ranges.
Unwind in the Hastings River wine region
Nestled inland from Port Macquarie, the Hastings River region offers a relaxed blend of subtropical vineyards, creative cellar doors and coastal charm in Port Macquarie and Wauchope.
At Cassegrain Wines, French winemaking traditions meet Australian innovation. Sample award-winning varietals, or join a behind-the-scenes tour of the working winery, set amongst picturesque gardens.
For something playful, head to Bago Maze and Wine, where you can sip estate-grown wines after navigating through one of the world’s largest hedge mazes. Relax with a tasting paddle and a local cheese platter in the scenic hinterland setting.
Then drop into Long Point Vineyard & Art Gallery, where boutique wines, outdoor sculptures and a cult-favourite alcoholic ginger beer create a charming, creative stop among the vines.
