
Some wine lovers enjoy a bold shiraz by the fire, while others require a citrusy semillon while they picnic among the vines. The best season to visit the Hunter Valley will depend on your sommeliere style.
Summer is for those sunflower types who want to ride bicycles through the fruit-laden vineyards, stopping off for picnics, a dip in the river and wine rehydration. Things get pretty steamy in the hotter months, with the mercury regularly hitting the high 30s and thunderstorms flashing through sunsets. It’s also when you’ll get to don your festival glitter and head to the huge annual concert Grapevine Gathering.
Conversely, winter is a more subdued affair. The weather is comfortably cool, the grapevines dormant and the fire roaring. From June-August your focus will be food, and luckily enough that's when the Hunter Valley Food and Wine Festival kicks into gear.