THE GRAPEVINE BLOG

Looking for the latest news, stories, tips and local knowledge to help plan your trip? Discover what is happening on the Hunter Valley Grapevine.

Celebrating 15 years of regional dining: Winter Dinner series at Muse Restaurant

This winter, Muse Restaurant invites guests to celebrate 15 years with a special Winter Dinner Series.

How to make the most of a weekend away for a concert in the Hunter Valley

Rally the troops, claim your patch of ground at one of our big name estates, and celebrate the greats of all music genres where there’s space to dance up a storm and seriously good wines to enjoy. April calls for a jam-packed live music lineup w... More

10 family friendly things to do these Autumn School Holidays in the Hunter Valley

The Autumn school holidays are hot on the horizon, and what better place to seek adventure and make memories with the family than the Hunter Valley! With a myriad of activities and plenty of accommodation offerings to suit your tribe, book your Autum... More

Sublime Summer Semillons

As the temperature rises, it's time to cool down with refreshing, easy-drinking wines, ideally served chilled over ice. And what better poolside companion for your glass than a Hunter Semillon? Often hailed as the white icon of the region, our pionee...ring producers have developed a style of Semillon that has been dictated by the climate. Hunter Valley's Semillon is celebrated for its youthful, light, lemon-citrus profile that transforms into a highly intricate, nutty, and toasty style with a touch of ageing. Here are some of our recommended Semillons for your summer sips in the warm weather. Young, fresh & vibrant 2023 Tamburlaine Reserve Hunter Semillon RRP $39.00A cool Hunter vintage has resulted in lifted citrus and lemon pith with a fresh acid drive behind some salivating yeast lees texture. Simply delish! 2023 Bimbadgen Growers Hunter Valley Semillon RRP $28.00A superb Semillon perfect for early drinking or cellar for up to five years to see it become more complex. Pale straw in colour with vital aromas of lime and lemongrass. Zippy palate of zesty grapefruit, filled with crunchy acidity on the long finish. Drink now with fresh oysters or cellar for up to 5 years. 2023 De Iuliis Wilderness Road Vineyard Semillon RRP $45.00Elegance with intensity, starting with a lifted lemon & Kaffic lime bouquet that seamlessly moves onto a palate welding lemon zest & grapefruit. The minerality and acidity blend into a single stream of mouth watering flavours. 2022 Glandore Wines Oakey Creek Semillon RRP $80.00Glandore’s classic wine making approach has resulted in the creation of an award-winning Semillon, sourced from the prestigious Oakey Creek Vineyard. Showing almost no colour you would be forgiven for thinking there was water in the glass though the abundant aromas of lemon pith, fresh cut orange and delicate wet grass from a wet year, will soon change your mind. Clean and lively, these characters are what we are looking for in great Semillon. 2022 Tintilla Angus Semillon RRP $33.00The grapes were handpicked, destemmed and pressed with minimal skin contact to avoid bitterness and only the free run juice is used. The must is cooled before undergoing a controlled fermentation in a stainless steel tank and early bottling to harness this wine's freshness and vitality. This wine is unoaked in the classic Hunter tradition. 2022 Parched Crow Wines Semillon RRP $30.00This Semillon displays a delightful floral & crisp nose with a delicately zesty palate. Expressing length and fine structure, you can relish this Semillon for another 10 years. 2022 Stomp! Semillon RRP $28.00 Drunk young, an orchard of fresh, zesty, citrus fruits drive the palate. With cellaring the strong acid backbone will soften and it will mature gracefully developing toasty, honey characteristics. Off Dry, perfect for those with a sweet tooth 2022 Wild Ren Wines Off Dry Semillon RRP $30.00Aromas of candied citrus and tropical fruits with crisp apples on the palate. A balance of acidity and sweetness with a refreshing finish. 2022 Thomas Wines Six Degrees Semillon RRP: $25.00Vibrant pale straw/green colour in the glass, the perfume immediately affirms a wine of vitality and freshness. The aromas are of Thai spice, citrus blossom and green apple, while flavours rush across the palate with refreshing acidity dragging crisp, gently sweet citrus fruit flavours along for the ride. The balance of acidity and gentle sweetness make for a wonderfully (and rapidly!) drinkable wine, set for warm days, good times, and spicy foods. 2022 Gundog Estate Off-Dry Semillon RRP $25.00This is a modern style of wine that serves to illustrate the versatility of Hunter Valley Semillon. The wine strikes a fine balance of acidity, alcohol and sweetness to offer an amazingly refreshing semi-sweet, low alcohol alternative. 2022 Pokolbin Estate Off-Dry Semillon RRP: $29.00Semillon being known for its high citric acidity can create aromas and flavours of lemons and limes. With a combination of residual sugars on this off-dry style, the wine can be left with a lemon sherbet presence that lingers on the palate. 2023 Scarborough Offshoot Off-Dry Semillon RRP $20.00 Slightly sweeter in style, the Off-Dry Semillon has tropical aromas of pineapple and crushed oranges with a hint of Cavendish & Harvey mixed fruit drops. The palate is rich and round with tropical fruit and hints of lemon spritz, finishing with summer pudding ripeness. 2022 Brokenwood Late Picked Semillon RRP $25.00Beautiful green/yellow colour with aromas of fresh apple and tropical fruits. These carry to the palate and are given a bit more prominence due to the slightly riper grapes. The sweetness is balanced by the fresh apple acidity that runs through to the finish. With just under 10.0% alcohol, this is a refreshing and easy drinking wine. 2023 THÉLÈME Off Dry Altre Semillon RRP $30.00This wine is an off dry style Semillon that displays pale lime colour, really fresh citrus nose, – grapefruit. Citrus/apple on the palate with a subtle hint of sweetness, retains a very fine structure and finish. Subtle acidity. Aged & Matured 2014 Bimbadgen Signature Palmers Lane Semillon RRP: $65.00A wine designed to age - this will cellar well for the next decade or more. Pale, quartz with green hues. Lifted perfume of white flowers, lemongrass and green apple. The palate is defined by juicy lemon lime acidity, framing a chalky minerality. 2016 Keith Tulloch Wine Hunter Valley Semillon Museum Release RRP $65.00Aromatic elements swirl with Meyer lemon and fresh cut apple, lifting with accents of white flower and traces of lemon curd. The palate echoes the aroma, a primary fruit nucleus of juicy lemon and white honey with lifted supporting notes of mint fresh finger lime. Extremely long and delicious flavour persistence, quite remarkable and so youthful, with many years of potential in the cellar to see its ultimate peak. 2017 Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Cellar Aged Semillon RRP: $36.00Sourced exclusively from the Lovedale vineyard, Elizabeth has been a quintessential Hunter Valley Semillon since the early days. Aged for 5 years before release the wine is released in its optimal drinking window. The wine is fine, tight and pure. Reflective of the aromas, the wine tastes of fresh lemon and limes. The texture is light, bright and pure with a fresh line of acidity along the palate. The finish is fresh, dry and seamless. 2017 Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon RRP $100.00At 6 years of age on release, the colour is just starting to show some development with yellow tints complimenting the green edges. Lifted lemon curd and floral notes heading to beeswax, brioche and toast. Lively Tahitian lime juice characters are backed by a superb, zesty acidity. The magic of Hunter Valley Semillon on display with texture, fruit weight and great length from a wine that sees no oak. The ILR Reserve Semillon is released only from the best years and the 2017 is a beauty 2017 Thomas Wines Cellar Reserve Braemore RRP $70.00Brilliant medium lemon colour with a vibrant green hue. An elaborate nose of fresh citrus and stone fruits and hints of dandelion tea, flint, toasted sourdough and grilled nuts. The palate is just entering the realm of bottle age complexity. The flavour delivers waves of barbequed lemon and lime, ripe pear and starfruit alongside lemongrass, roasted cashew nuts and buttered toast, just to name a few. Its seductive and saline texture is balanced by a soft yet lively acidity. More

Honouring Hunter Valley Shiraz on International Shiraz Day 2021

wine country

Wine

22 July is the day to shine for one of the Hunter Valley's most popular varietals. Step forward, Hunter Valley Shiraz.To honour International Shiraz Day, we sat down this week, in the birthplace of Shiraz in Australia, with Andrew Thomas of Thomas Wines.Andrew, award-winning Hunter Valley winemaker, shared with us his expert knowledge on Shira...

Preserving history: Take a deep dive into our new Hunter Valley Heritage Cairn Trail

wine country

Wine Explore Wine Industry

As the oldest commercial wine region in Australia, it's no surprise Hunter Valley Wine Country is filled with historical landmarks. Honouring the importance and significance of our region, the recently launched Hunter Valley Heritage Cairn Trail follows those landmarks which have influenced the course of, or made a significant contribution to, the...

A taste of the best of the Hunter - The Distinguished Dozen, Thomas Wines

Winsor Dobbin

Wine Explore

Thommo and Andy sound like a comedy duo, or a breakfast team on local radio. Winemaker Andrew Thomas from Thomas Wines and chef Andy Wright from Pokolbin Catering Co. are, in fact, deadly serious about food and wine and their collaborations are some of the hottest tickets for June's Hunter Valley Wine and Food Festival.Join them to explore 12 vinta...

Three generations make Scarborough Wines a family affair

Winsor Dobbin

Wine Explore

Not only are three generations of the Scarborough family actively involved, but the tasting room is in the old family homestead on Gillards Road in Pokolbin.The recently renovated facility is set up for groups large and small and you'll almost certainly meet a Scarborough, whether that be founders Ian and Merralea Scarborough, winemaker son Jerome ...

Stress-free stays. Different ways to explore the Hunter Valley with our tour guide experts

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Wine Explore

Ditch the designated driver arguments – the secret to a stress-free getaway is to book a local tour guide to give you an insider's guide to the Hunter Valley. We have hop-on, hop-off buses, small group tours, individual tour guides, horse carriages, helicopters – you name it! We have done the hard yards for you with our top picks below. Sit back, r...

Countryside Delights: Hunter Valley’s Top Outdoor Activities

Jordan Fuller

Explore Pokolbin Lovedale Around Hermitage Family Friendly Golf

As officials have laid out a three-step plan to reopen Australia after the coronavirus crisis, there are hopes that the third step could be achieved as early as July. Each state and territory is anticipating when they can be moved from one step to the next, and the Hunter Valley will certainly be an active destination once the doors open.With a hos...

Romantic retreats you'll fall head over heels for

Guest

Stay

There's nothing quite like a dose of country air and rural charm to set a romantic scene. Add a snug hideaway, delicious wine and quality alone time together and it's lights, camera, action. Hands-on action! These places to stay get the big tick for passionate pampering with beautiful vineyard and bushland backdrops. But don't despair if they're ...

5 Restaurants tailor-made for group dining

Guest

Dine

Getting the gang together for a long lunch or delicious dinner is super-easy in the Hunter Valley with 50 plus fabulous eateries. You can break bread amid the bustle of the main dining room, which is always fun, but if you want to spoil yourself with a discreet outing away from the crowd we've got that covered too. Here are five favourites that of...

Wine-tasting with a view: 10 Insta-worthy cellar doors you won’t want to miss!

Guest

Wine Explore

If you're on a mission to find first-class vinos and views, look no further. Here are 10 sensational spots with cinematic views that are every Instagrammer's dream come true… with lip-smacking Hunter wines to sample and snap too. AUDREY WILKINSON VINEYARDThe panoramic views from this historic Pokolbin cellar door has made it one of the most like...

The wedding trends to know when you're getting hitched in the Hunter

Guest

Weddings

Planning your dream destination wedding? Then you'll want to know what the biggest wedding trends in the Hunter are right now, so we asked three local wedding specialists what people are pumped about when tying the knot. CHRIS ELFES – PHOTOGRAPHY ON HERMITAGEChris Elfes also says the trend is for more casual, informal weddings."Most couples want ...

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