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January 20, 2024

Autumn Eating Out Guide

As the leaves start falling from our vines and our winery team busy themselves creating #Vintage21, Autumn provides the perfect opportunity for visitors to enjoy the Hunter – with cooler days, lazy afternoons and crisp fresh evenings – it really is ‘the good life’ in the Hunter Valley.

The Hunter Valley is not only synonymous with great wine experiences, it’s also a region brimming with premium dining options – with something for every budget. The Hunter is home to a plethora of awarded establishments, as well as a wide variety of family-friendly and casual options.
Check out a few of our favourites open this Easter Long Weekend……

TWINE RESTAURANT
Offering a modern Australian menu, showcasing local produce, picturesque views, Hunter Valley wines and fantastic service – Twine will be sure to be a hit with families this Easter! An action-packed schedule awaits for Easter Sunday. Bring the whole family! Activities include; a delicious la carte Breakfast from 8am – 10:30am, Easter Egg Hunt – 10:30am, Easter bunny meet & greet from 10:30am, fantastic seafood specials plus our regular lunch menu from 11:30am, family fun lawn games and live music – 12-3pm. Booking for breakfast or lunch is essential.

HUNTERS QUARTER
Located beside our very own Cockfighter’s Ghost/Pooles Rock cellar door is Hunters Quarter (HQ).
HQ is a relaxed and elegant dining destination, with a dining space with something for everyone – whatever the occasion, come and discover a contemporary dining experience with welcoming service in a unique and beautiful setting. HQ are open all this long weekend except Easter Monday, and serving up delicious items such as their warming Marinated Lamb Loin, with carrots, preserved Lemon, cavolo nero and crisp pepita. Why not book in to enjoy before or after your tasting with us.

VOCO KIRKTON PARK – LA VOCO
Taste and celebrate the Hunter Valley’s incredible regional produce at signature restaurant Locavore, located at the opulent Voco Kirkton Park. Savour locally grown and sourced pastas, field mushrooms, beef cheeks and triple cream Binnorie brie. Enjoy our nourishing degustation menu every Saturday (including Easter Saturday night!) in the Hunter Valley, paired with our award winning Audrey Wilkinson wine range – the perfect ending to a perfect day in the Hunter! Book your table today….

éREMO RESTAURANT – SPICERS RETREAT
Modern contemporary Italian created by a talented team. The ethos of éRemo Restaurant is all about connecting with local producers and trialling one of a kind dishes making the éRemo experience, exceptional. That experience comes together in our Avido menu, which means “greedy” in Italian. The menu is complemented by a well-travelled wine list, including some of the Hunter Valley’s best vintages and a selection of those from further a field. Be sure to book in your table before arrival.

November 23, 2023

The Perfect Hunter Escape

Escape to the Hunter Valley, where world-famous wineries, acclaimed restaurants, delicious local produce and luxurious hideaways are in abundance. Surrounded by magnificent natural beauty, and only two hours from Sydney, the Hunter Valley is the perfect destination to visit and is stunning any time of the year. Here are our top picks to create the perfect itinerary that will delight couples, groups and families alike;

Stop 1: Set on the crest of a hill, the Audrey Wilkinson cellar door has 360-degree views of the picturesque patchwork of vines and paddocks of the Hunter Valley. The sandstone and timber building suggests the deep history of the vineyard, with vines first planted by the Wilkinson family in 1866.

Best outdoor wine tasting in Australia, Audrey Wilkinson

One of the most popular cellar doors in Australia, Audrey Wilkinson is a must-visit when in the Hunter Valley region. The homestead-style cellar door is encircled by an expansive verandah, the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine while soaking up the breathtaking views.

Cheers to a beautiful picnic among the vines at Pooles Rock

With a variety of options available to enjoy such as our marquee ‘Picnic Among the Vines’ experience, indulgent ‘Fortified & Fromage’ experience, or simply the joy of tasting some of the Hunter Valleys best wines in the most beautiful vineyard in Australia. Be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment.

Stop 2: Equally as beautiful vista, the Pooles Rock cellar door is housed in a stunning architecturally designed building, perched on the edge of a picturesque dam – it boasts views of lush green vines and the impressive terrain of the Brokenback mountain range encircles the vineyard, a stunning setting to enjoy a premium wine and food experience.

Pooles Rock was founded over 40 years ago and quickly built a reputation for classic, full-bodied Hunter Valley Chardonnay. Pooles Rock wines is now synonymous with the very best of the Hunter Valley Classics – Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz. The wines continue to be made in a classic style, showcasing single vineyard sites of exceptional quality and reputation. In particular, the Post Office Vineyard in the sub region of Pokolbin with Shiraz vines over 120 years old and the Soldier Settlers Vineyard in the sub region of broke footage with both Chardonnay and Semillon vines reportedly over 100 years old.

Stop 3: Located conveniently beside Pooles Rock, Hunters Quarter (HQ) is a relaxed and elegant dining destination, perfect for lunch or dinner. A classic dining space with something for everyone – whatever the occasion. Discover a contemporary dining experience with welcoming service in a unique and beautiful setting. With a private terrace in the Pooles Rock vineyards, it’s the perfect place to while away a few hours with family, friends and fantastic food. Come in and settle into a chair in our restaurant and dine on a fresh seasonal dish or two.

Interior of the Audrey Wilkinson tasting room in Pokolbin, Australia

Stop 4: Take a moment to settle into your accommodation – there’s an array of first-class options spread throughout the Hunter, depending on what your group fancies. For a charming cottage conveniently located in the vineyard at Audrey Wilkinson or Pooles Rock, choose from a range of picture-perfect self-contained cottages that sleep between 2-8, all located a stone’s throw from the cellar doors of Audrey Wilkinson or Pooles Rock.

Exterior of the Audrey Wilkinson Cellar Door

Or for a more hotel-style stay, you can’t go past the luxurious Voco Kirkton Park. Set on 70 acres of manicured gardens with rolling countryside views and the Brokenback Ranges in the distance, wake up in elegant and stylish rooms and suites with picturesque views every day of your stay at voco™ Kirkton Park Hunter Valley.

Exterior of the Audrey Wilkinson tasting room with water fountain

Stop 5: End your day with dinner at local favourite Twine Restaurant – Offering a modern Australian menu, showcasing local produce, picturesque views, Hunter Valley wines & fantastic service.  The Twine menu is vast and matched with a stunning array of local wines.

Bottle of Audrey Wilkinson Rosé and charcuterie

And while the Hunter Valley is best known for it’s plentiful wine and food options, there are also some other wonderful activities you might consider enjoying while you are there – try a class at Our Italian Table. Located in the beautiful Nicita Estate nestled amongst the vines, with views in all directions. Jen and her team have a passion to provide guests with a food and wine experience you’ll remember for time to come. Book your cooking class ahead here.

Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard in Hunter Valley, Australia

Or feel like some pampering after a full day of wine’ing? Give the lovely team at Heavenly Hunter Massages a call. Heavenly Hunter Massage offers divine massages, skin care treats and healing Reiki Treatments from their Mini Day Spa at the Mercure Resort, Hunter Valley Gardens as well as mobile treatments.