Hunter Valley Wine Region

This is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions. Some writers, including James Halliday, divide it into two regions,

• The Upper Hunter around Musselbrook, Aberdeen, Scone
• The Lower Hunter around Singleton, Cessnock and Maitland

These are not official regions, officially it is the Hunter Valley Zone which includes the Hunter Region. Broke Fordwich is a registered subregion.

History of the Hunter Valley Wine Region

In the years immediately after European Settlement, the rich agricultural land along the Hunter Valley was quickly developed to supply the nearby settlement of Sydney. In the early days of Colonial New South Wales considerable effort was made to find a commercial crop to move the colony from being entirely dependent on its status as an offshore prison. Viticulture was an obvious choice as the product was easily exported to the mother country. Under the influence of James Busby the Hunter Region became the focus of the emerging wine industry after the 1820s.

The climate in the Hunter Wine Region is warm and humid from a viticultural view, but generations of growers and winemakers have developed some distinctive wine styles. Gladstones believes that the region is able to produce table wines of higher quality than the heat summation data suggest because the temperatures during the last month of ripening are lower than those experienced in regions with similar heat summation.

The outstanding white wine of the region is Semillon, which was formerly known as Hunter Riesling. It was even marketed in a Riesling bottle. Hunter Semillon is a refreshing but unexceptional wine when young but develops into a complex and beautiful wine with age.

The Shiraz of this region is also known for its aging ability. The list of alternative varieties grown in the region is dominated by Chambourcin and Verdelho, both of which thrive in warmer climates, but there is quite some diversity available for those who are looking for something different.

Wineries in the Hunter Valley with Alternative Grape Varieties

Visiting The Hunter Valley Region

This region is easily visited as a day trip from Sydney. But there is so much to see and do that you may be tempted to stay a few days. There is plenty of quality accommodation available. Perhaps you can use Vinodiversity's Wine Country Hotel Booking Service to seek out the best deal.

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