Hunter Valley Wine
European settlement began in the 1820s in the Hunter Valley region and by 1823 approximately 20 acres of vineyards had been planted in the Dalwood/Gresford area. These vines were planted from cuttings brought over predominantly from France and predate grape growing in all other Australian wine regions.
The Hunter has typically hot summers and cool winters with sufficient breezes from the coast and cloud cover during the growing season to allow the grapes to ripen gently. It is one of the hottest wine regions in Australia and the keen observer will note most vineyards are aided by irrigation that drip feeds the vines to assist through the dry spells and periods of drought the Hunter is renowned for.
The grapes that are most widely grown in the Hunter are:
- Shiraz (red) – typically medium bodied red with red and dark berry notes, hints of spices and pepper
- Semillon (white) – think Pinot Grigio – fantastic with seafood and even better aged in the cellar for a few years to develop nutty flavours and a golden hue.
- Chardonnay (white) – commonly oaked, exhibits stone fruit characteristics with hints of vanilla. Enjoy it by itself or pair it with chicken dishes and cheese platters
- Verdelho – typically made into fortified wine in Portugal, Verdelho is an unsung hero of the Hunter with delicious fruit salad notes including pineapple and ripe nectarine
Today the Hunter Valley boasts around 160 cellar-doors plus many fine dining restaurants, cafes, breweries and distilleries and also many new varieties in addition to those listed above. We look forward to showing you around our beautiful and historic valley and with this much to see, there’s always a reason to come back!
