This celebrated winery offers fantastic wines, fascinating history and charming accommodation all rolled into one!
Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard is not your average winery: along with the usual cellar door samples and rolling fields of vines, this estate boasts visitor accommodation, its very own museum and a captivating backstory.When Audrey Wilkinson’s father died, leaving him to run the family vineyards at the tender age of 15, no one could have predicted that, over 150 years on, the winery would be among the most respected in Hunter Valley, exporting top-class wine around the world. The youngster’s hard work and openness to new technology in the late 19th century made the business, which now carries his name, one of the pioneers of wine-growing in the Hunter Valley region. His philosophy of continuous improvement is followed to this day and is reflected in the winery’s cellar door recently being voted as among the top 10 in the country.Start your visit with some free samples at the top-class cellar door, where informative staff will fill you in on the processes that help them create the range of flavours and varieties on offer. Afterwards, pick up a bottle of the signature Audrey Wilkinson shiraz and enjoy the stunning panoramic views from the deck as you enjoy a glass or two.The winery’s very own on-site museum is where you can discover its fascinating history. The exhibition details the past and present of life on the vineyards with photographs, relics and the first-hand accounts of former workers. Trace the history of the estate, located in Australia’s oldest wine region, from the original vineyard to the modern production facilities which uphold Audrey’s legacy of top-class wine production.If you decide that a day isn’t enough to enjoy this historic winery, book into the estate’s quaint holiday-cottage accommodation. Wake up to exquisite vistas of the Brokenback Mountains and explore the beautiful surrounding countryside. Located just outside Pokolbin, at the heart of Hunter Valley, the best way to visit Audrey Wilkinson Winery is by car. However, there are numerous bus tours from Sydney and Newcastle that will bring you there too. Parking is free on site and the estate is closed on Christmas Day.
