Hunter Valley, in New South Wales, about 2 hours drive from Sydney, is renowned for its wineries and it is the oldest area of wine production in Australia. There are many wine tasting tours that leave from Sydney and go to the vines of the region where you can experience the process of wine making. There is also some spectacular scenery to appreciate while you are are on holiday along with beautiful Hunter Valley accommodation to stay in.
The area has a population of approximately 650,000 with the majority being residents of the cities of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. The area is home to many family run wineries as well as some of the bigger, well known wine producers, the tours from Sydney take you to these estates where you can see the vineyards and learn about the process of producing wine and also see the volume of wine produced. New residential areas have been built to accommodate the areas cultural and economic growth.
As part of the tour, you will be given a pass for the cellar door. This will let you see what goes on behind the doors, maybe gain some more knowledge of the processes from crushing the grapes to the ready for sale storage of wine. You may learn how companies add that certain something that makes the wine theirs.
The tour guides are likely to be connoisseurs and experts of wine from local areas. They will be more than happy to explain the historical background of wine production. Samples of both local and Native Australian wines will be offered to you to try.
A major river in New South Wales runs through the region and at Newcastle it reaches the Pacific Ocean. The region is made up of several villages and small towns. As well as the production of wine, the area is also known for dairy and beef farming along with coal mining. The area is also the main place for breeding thoroughbred horses in Australia, with most of this taking place in the town of Scone.
The breathtaking scenery makes the region very attractive for weddings. The vineyards, mountains and valleys make a beautiful setting for wedding photographs. The tranquil surroundings also make the area a wonderful place for a romantic break, it could even be a relaxing second honeymoon.
The area is in the top ten most visited places in Australia and attracts more than 2.5 million tourists each year. Pokolbin is in the centre of the lower part of the region and is home to a large number of vineyards, golf courses and guesthouses as well as shops and restaurants. Other places in the region, also renowned for wine are Wollombi Valley and Broke.
You could also take a tour of the Hunter Valley Gardens. Here you could spend the day wandering through the awesome and colourful gardens, of which there are over sixty acres. These gardens are home to the biggest rose garden in the Southern Hemisphere, which is shaped like a corkscrew, incorporating the areas specialty of wine production. For younger visitors there is the storybook garden where you will come across topiary animals and teddy bears and characters from nursery rhymes. To help plan your activities, read more about the best Hunter Valley attractions.
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