Winter Wine Weekend: Wineries to visit in NSW and VIC

If your idea of a perfect winter’s weekend involves fireside chats, bold reds and rolling hills dressed in mist, then make tracks to Wandin Estate in Lovedale. Tucked in the heart of the Hunter Valley, this refined yet rustic escape captures the season’s quiet magic with sensory indulgence at every turn. Think supple Shiraz tastings with views that stretch into the gum-streaked distance, or a late afternoon grazing board enjoyed as the light dips and the cold air invites a second glass.

If you’re craving a mix of country air and town energy, McIntosh Estate gives you both. Originally bought for the view, this patch of 50-year-old vines now produces some of Mudgee’s most honest wines. Winter brings out its softer side: fireside tastings, slow sips and vineyard stories that warm more than just your hands. Their 1930s cottage in central Mudgee is made for cosy weekends, complete with local coffee runs, wine bar hopping, and curling up at day’s end with a bottle from the vineyard and a blanket that smells faintly of firewood.

With vines growing alongside olive groves and native flora, Oakdene feels more like a retreat than a vineyard. The vines may be traditional with rows of Shiraz, Pinot and Sauvignon Blanc, but the estate has a flair for the unexpected. From the artful landscaping to the cellar door housed in an upside-down building (yes, really), this is a winery that doesn’t take itself too seriously – except when it comes to what’s in your glass. Whether you’re bundled up and exploring the coast by day or curling up with a Shiraz by night, Oakdene invites you to slow down, warm up and savour the season.

255 Grubb Road, Wallington, VIC With vines growing alongside olive groves and native flora, Oakdene feels more like a retreat than a vineyard. The vines may be traditional with rows of Shiraz, Pinot and Sauvignon Blanc, but the estate has a flair for the unexpected. From the artful landscaping to the cellar door housed in an upside-down building (yes, really), this is a winery that doesn’t take itself too seriously – except when it comes to what’s in your glass. Whether you’re bundled up and exploring the coast by day or curling up with a Shiraz by night, Oakdene invites you to slow down, warm up and savour the season.

255 Grubb Road, Wallington, VIC With vines growing alongside olive groves and native flora, Oakdene feels more like a retreat than a vineyard. The vines may be traditional with rows of Shiraz, Pinot and Sauvignon Blanc, but the estate has a flair for the unexpected. From the artful landscaping to the cellar door housed in an upside-down building (yes, really), this is a winery that doesn’t take itself too seriously – except when it comes to what’s in your glass. Whether you’re bundled up and exploring the coast by day or curling up with a Shiraz by night, Oakdene invites you to slow down, warm up and savour the season.