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Couple sits in vineyard drinking wine.
Photograph: Supplied

The best Hunter Valley wine tours

Experience NSW's most popular wine adventures on these five tours of the region

Maxim Boon
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Maxim Boon
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If you've been hankering for a drop of crisp sauvignon blanc straight from the source or you just want to finally know what the hell tannins are, it’s high time you went on a wine tour.

And in NSW, the Hunter Valley is the place to do it. There are more than 150 wineries dotted over the rolling green hills of the region and collectively they’ve accumulated 180 years of experience in growing, smooshing and fermenting grapes to make our favourite reds, whites, rosés.

In the region? Here is our pick of the best wineries to visit across the Hunter Valley. 

Don't just want wine? Here's our ultimate guide to how to (properly) spend 48 hours in the Hunter Valley. 

The best wine tours in the Hunter

A trot through the vineyards in a horse-drawn carriage might be the quaintest way to experience the Hunter Valley. Meet your guide and trusty steed at the Small Winemakers Centre, before trundling to cellar doors, and getting to know the region’s produce, tasting olives, cheeses and chocolate. You can make it a private experience or join an open group and meet more wine (and horse) enthusiast friends. A full-day tour (from 10am to 4pm) costs $220 per adult, and needs a minimum of six people for the tour to commence. 

This private tour with Tastes of the Hunter does transfers as far as Newcastle, Maitland and Singleton, as well as local round-trips running Sunday-Tuesday. The coolest thing about this option is that it is completely customisable. You'll get to call the shots from your pick-up location, whether you choose wine, beer or chocolate (or more), and where you go for lunch. It can be as affordable as you like, and you can choose between a bus that fits a maximum of either 13 or 24 passengers. 

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An afternoon tour in the Hunter Valley is always a good time, and it's made even better on this degustation tour. With this iHop Hunter Valley excursion you’ll head off at 3pm, starting your boozy voyage off at a local distillery where you'll be taken through a guided tasting of their signature, housemade spirits. After that, you'll head to a boutique cellar door for a guided wine tasting and scrumptious cheese plate. The final stop is all about artisan chocolates at another cellar door, where you'll eat a range of perfect sweets that are perfectly paired with their own local, artisan wine. The iHop vehicles will ferry to and from local accommodation for this five-hour experience – for just $129 per guest. 

The guys at Two Fat Blokes want to showcase more than the Hunter region's wine. They show off the region’s chefs and local produce at day-long or multi-day excursions ranging in price from $219 for an Uncork the Hunter day tour, to $670 for a two-night romantic getaway in the midweek. There are also tours that explore the Hunter's breweries, half-day Snapshot tours for just $95 and private adventures with customisable options for between $440-$880 for your entire group. Hungry? Try the Cheese and Wine experience, where you can sample nine carefully curated bites with paired wins for $33. 

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The founder of Wine Country Tours Richard Everret will share more than 40 years experience as a winemaker on this city-to-vineyard experience. After your Sydney pick-up, you’ll arrive in the Hunter to a morning tea at around 10am. Richard will then introduce you to the area’s renowned long-ageing dry semillons and other regional varieties, conducting all the tastings personally at various wineries, vineyards and a working wine cellar. Lunch is served at either Muse Kitchen or Esca at Bimbadgen, but not included in the $200 bill for Sydney transfers or the $125 for guests staying locally. Sydneysiders can expect to get home around 7.30pm. 

Hit the open road

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