Around Hermitage WINE & FOOD TRAIL Hunter Valley

Around Hermitage Wine and Food Trail brings together cellar doors, restaurants, cafés, produce outlets and other experiences across Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley. Set against the Brokenback Mountains, the trail is known for its scenery and relaxed approach to matching food and wine. It is less than an hour from Newcastle and under two hours from Sydney, making it a practical option for a day trip or a longer wine-country stay.

Wine is central to the trail, with boutique producers offering cellar-door tastings and, in some cases, the chance to meet the owners or winemakers. The website highlights Hunter varieties including Semillon and Shiraz, along with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Verdelho and Riesling. Visitors can also find locally made beers, vodkas and gins, as well as cheese tasting and produce such as olives, olive oils, tapenade, artisan chocolates and other regional goods.

There is plenty to do beyond tasting. The Hermitage Road cycleway provides a leisurely way to travel between cellar doors, while the wider trail includes an art gallery and sculpture garden, antiques, locally made produce, golf, horse riding, day spas, wine and cooking schools, and wine-tasting tours. Cooking experiences, Italian long lunches and twilight dinners are also listed among the region’s offerings. Dining ranges from casual bistros and cafés to restaurants with mountain and vineyard views, giving visitors options for a relaxed stop or a more considered meal.

The area also caters for overnight trips, with accommodation ranging from resort-style hotels and self-contained cottages to pet-friendly, family-friendly, adults-only and large-group properties. That variety makes the trail workable for couples, groups and families, while solo visitors can build a day around tastings, cycling, produce shopping or a single meal. With a Google rating of 4.8 from eight reviews, Around Hermitage is a useful starting point for exploring the food, wine and leisure experiences concentrated around Hermitage Road and Pokolbin.