Australia – This is a tasty and memorable trip
Celebrate food, wine and your favourite people in New South Wales wine country, where gourmet experiences can easily be paired with memorable stays with room for all your loved ones. Get inspired to share your next milestone moment in one of these dreamy locales within easy reach of Sydney.
Raise a glass in the Hunter Valley
Relish the ease of escaping to the Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest wine region, for a special-occasion getaway just a two-hour drive north of Sydney. Check into a stylish room for two at the elegant Spicers Guesthouse in Pokolbin, or seize the opportunity to share the charming, self-contained four-bedroom cottage on the property with a small group. Fuel up with a hearty breakfast before a sensational day of winery-hopping, capped off with a sumptuous evening meal at onsite Italian restaurant éRemo.
Delight your travel companions with a memorable outing at nearby Usher Tinkler Wines, which offers indulgent wine tastings paired with gourmet meats and cheeses in a renovated church overlooking verdant vines. Then round out the festivities with a celebratory meal at Muse Restaurant at Hungerford Hill winery, a local icon renowned for its culinary creativity.
Cosy up in the Blue Mountains
Take your time getting to the wine country of the Central West by staying a night or two in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains, just 90 minutes west of Sydney. Alongside rugged bushland and charming villages, the mountains are also home to a sprinkling of wineries of its own. Get the party started on an indulgent day out with Western Wine Tours, which will guide you to the neighbouring vineyards of Megalong Creek Estate and Dryridge Estate, a 30-minute drive from Blackheath in the lush Megalong Valley.
Continue the celebrations over a high tea and stirring panoramic views of the Megalong Valley at the historic Hydro Majestic hotel in Katoomba. Served in the opulent Wintergarden restaurant, this indulgent afternoon treat includes petite sandwiches and fluffy scones — add on a glass of sparkling wine for a special treat.
Wind down with your posse at the Old Leura Dairy in Leura, where you can choose from a characterful collection of six cottages sleeping between two and 11. Relax together in the property’s communal hot tub fashioned from a milk vat before gathering for a meal at Blaq in nearby Blackheath. Anchoring the chic Kyah Hotel, a fine choice for a festive getaway for two, Blaq’s menu showcases hyper-local produce in hearty dishes, often deliciously charred or grilled. With a wine list exclusively celebrating the diversity and terroir of NSW wines, take pleasure in sipping your way around the state without leaving your seat.
Embrace farm life in Mudgee
Treat your nearest and dearest to a taste of Country NSW luxury at Peppertree Hill in Mudgee, a 3.5-hour drive northwest of Sydney, or two hours from Blackheath. This luxe farmstay offers nine cottages and a converted woolshed sleeping two to six as well as a spacious homestead. Book the entire property or perhaps just the Stags Head Retreat homestead, which sleeps up to 15, where sweeping views are part of the package and wood fires inside and out offer cosy places to gather with your crew.
Come together for a sumptuous feast at Pipeclay Pumphouse at Robert Stein winery, where the six-course degustation menu celebrates the region’s abundant produce, with simple but considered cooking techniques allowing the freshness of the ingredients to shine.
Or delight in sampling one of Mudgee’s newest culinary offerings at The Barn at Blue Wren Farm, a venue transformed by new owners Sophie and Nick Storey into a relaxed dining experience where the menu is guided by sustainability and seasonally available produce.
Celebrate in style in Orange
Uncover an ideal base to relax and rekindle with friends or family in the cool-climate wine region of Orange, a 3.5-hour drive west of Sydney, at The White Place on Casey. It’s a beautifully appointed mid-century cottage with four bedrooms, full kitchen and living room, polished floorboards and a fireplace. Love the décor? Similarly to older sister-property, The White Place on Byng, which also has four bedrooms, the furnishings come from homewares, fashion and lifestyle boutique The White Place, and you can purchase everything you see.
Begin a memorable trip with a relaxed brunch at Scandi-chic Groundstone, a sociable space on Byng Street where fresh and seasonal flavours enliven your palette. Or reserve your appetite to savour the freshness of home-grown and locally sourced ingredients that elevate long, contemporary lunches at the elegant Sisters Rock Restaurant at Borrodell Estate. Be tempted to extend your winery experience by checking into one of the estate’s one-bedroom suites and a pair of three-bedroom cottages.
