Sydney is a food and wine paradise, but those wanting a more serious guzzle of the latter should head to nearby Hunter Valley.
Located less than two hours’ drive north of Sydney’s city centre, the wine region is a veritable playground for oenophiles both budding and experienced.
There is a long history of winemaking here. The first Australian vineyards were planted in Hunter Valley during the early 1820s, making it the country’s oldest wine region – beating out Swan Valley in Western Australia (established 1829) by almost a decade.
Many wine tourists make a beeline for Tyrrell’s, which was established in 1858 by Edward Tyrrell, an Englishman who began planting shiraz and sémillon vines over 320 acres (130 hectares) in Hunter Valley. The grapes for his first vintage were harvested in 1864.
Tyrrell’s today is managed by the fifth generation of the family, has more than 11 vineyards that are over a century old, and owns eight of the 11 oldest vineyards in New South Wales. It also boasts the region’s oldest surviving vines, with its Old Patch Shiraz dating to 1867.
With multiple grand tasting rooms that are steeped in history, Tyrrell’s is the place to taste plenty of award-winning drops. Among our flight was the 2018 Vat 1 Sémillon, made with fruit from the winery’s best old vines, including the Short Flat Vineyard, which dates back to 1923.