ULTIMATE WINERY EXPERIENCES AUSTRALIA
The holidays are just around the corner and Easter means autumn. We’re celebrating this special time in the vines launching our new video After Sunset. Watch here to be inspired about ways to stay on in some of our most iconic Ultimate Wineries. And for more details, we’ve drawn on this article about our eight top picks for winery stays in 2022.
Audrey Wilkinson, NSW
The sandstone and timber building tips its hat to the history of the Audrey Wilkinson vineyard in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. Wander through the museum, displaying a curated collection of original vats and wine and barrel making equipment, and go beyond the cellar door for a behind-the-scenes winery tour.
The winery offers three self-contained guest cottages on the property. Mulberry Cottage is a spacious modern country house with 3 queen sized bedrooms and 1 king sized bedroom, all with their own ensuite and can comfortably accommodate up to 4 couples or entire families. Oakdale Cottage is a three-bedroom guest house set high on the historic vineyard, while The Dairy Cottage is a two-bedroom, self-contained cottage featuring 360 degree views of the Hunter Valley and the magnificent Brokenback Ranges.
Gemtree Wines, McLaren Vale SA
Gemtree is a family-owned winery dedicated to producing organic and biodynamic wines. The Gemtree Biodynamic Hut, located at the cellar door, provides guests with a deeper understanding of biodynamic viticulture, with the one-kilometre Gemtree Ecotrail meandering through regenerated natural bushland, offering an immersive connection to the surrounding land that inspires Gemtree’s guiding philosophies.
Stay on the property in an off-grid, self-contained CABN, surrounded by breathtaking bushland, beneath towering ancient gums. Spend a summer evening watching the sunset in guilt free opulence as you relax in the outdoor bath, sunken into the deck, sipping Gemtree wine. The CABN features a king-sized bed, fireplace, indoor and outdoor kitchen, bathroom and floor to ceiling windows.
St Hugo, Barossa Valley SA
Located in the world-renowned Barossa Valley, the Home of St Hugo honours the visionary leader; Hugo Gramp who successfully built Gramp & Sons winery into an industry pillar, inspiring progress across future generations of the Gramp family.
The St Hugo experience starts as soon you enter the driveway, surrounded by one of only a few plantations of cork trees in Australia. Planted over 50 years ago by Colin Gramp (son of Hugo Gramp) they are a fitting welcome to St Hugo.
Situated within walking distance to the St Hugo wine lounge and fine dining restaurant, Jacob’s Estate Cottage offers stylish, contemporary accommodation for up to six people, with three bedrooms and two gorgeous bathrooms. The fully restored original 19th century Barossa settler’s cottage is surrounded wide verandas, beautiful gardens, and an alfresco dining area.
Pizzini Wines, Victoria
Family-owned Pizzini Wines in the King Valley wine region of Northeast Victoria specialises in the production of Italian wine varieties such as Pinot Grigio, Arneis, Prosecco, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo.
The Pizzini Vineyard Guesthouse is a charming two-bedroom guesthouse nestled in shady gardens adjacent to Pizzini Cellar Door and only two kilometres from Whitfield township. Rosetta’s Garden Guesthouse is a gorgeous 4 bedroom home situated opposite Pizzini Cellar Door. Simply meander to the cellar door for a wine tasting, behind-the-scenes experience or a delicious coffee and enjoy all that the King Valley has to offer.
Owned by the Pizzini family since 1995, the nearby Mountain View Hotel is set amongst beautiful established gardens, and surrounded by Jessie’s Creek, offering a unique experience through the warm professionalism of its staff and its modern, European influenced menu.
Dominique Portet, Yarra Valley VIC
Experience a slice of Bordeaux in the Yarra Valley, where award-winning Australian wines are crafted with a French sensibility. Set amongst rolling hills reminiscent of the French countryside, Dominique Portet is a young winery steeped in European history. Explore the estate and discover 10 generations of winemaking legacy with an intimate tasting, savour delectable classics paired with impeccable wine at the French Bistro or go beyond the cellar door to learn the story behind the family name and the secrets of the thriving vineyards.
Set amongst the vineyards, five minutes from the bustling village of Healesville, The House in the Vines has plenty of space for a large family or a group of friends, with six bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Enjoy easy access (even walking or biking) to some of the best wineries and restaurants the Yarra Valley has to offer and the rustic luxury of the house, including a fully equipped kitchen and lounge with AppleTV, wifi, a wood fire and plenty of books and games.
Sirromet, Queensland
Located just 45 minutes from both Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Sirromet Winery’s state of the art facilities provide food and wine lovers with a variety of immersive experiences, set against breathtaking natural scenery overlooking Moreton Bay.
Lush onsite glamping accommodation Sanctuary by Sirromet, is cradled by paperbark and giant scribbly gum trees, featuring luxurious tented glamping pavilion offering elegant comfort and style. Escape the everyday, re-connect with nature and experience everything the winery has to offer.
Mandoon Estate, WA
Located beside the magnificent Swan River just 30 minutes from Perth, Mandoon Estate has developed a reputation as one of the Swan Valley’s best wineries and most popular destinations.
As well as the cellar door, Homestead Brewery and fine dining restaurant, Wild Swan, the estate also features luxury accommodation, The Colony, where 32 spacious, luxuriously appointed rooms and suites overlook a beautiful section of the Swan River and the property’s original verdelho vineyard, planted in 1895.
Moorilla at MONA, Tasmania
Moorilla at MONA offers a rare and exciting combination of wine, food, art, and luxury accommodation. Small quantities of boutique cool-climate wines are produced on the estate, which shares a site with the infamous Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), housing Australia’s largest private art collection.
Stay in the high-tech and luxurious MONA Pavilions, each one named after Australian architects and artists. There’s an array of dining choices on site, from the French-inspired cuisine of The Source Restaurant, shared plates in the Moorilla Wine Bar and more casual MONA café.
That’s it for now. We’ve been on the road for the last two months visiting our wineries so if you have any questions about our 100+ Ultimate Winery Experiences, just give us a call.
