The flavours of Mudgee
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to go on a long weekend in the region of Mudgee with three of my girlfriends: Elodie, Elena and Sophie. I had never heard of this place until just a few weeks before planning the getaway. It turns out it is one of the best (if not THE best) wine region in the state of New South Wales. It is located about 4 hours west of Sydney, right after Wollemi National Park. We didn’t get really lucky with the weather, but the whole point of this trip was to indulge in great food and wine - which we did!
Nature
Before I start talking about all the awesome vineyards you can find in the area, let’s start with a few amazing spots you can find in nature. Trust me, you’re going to want to go on a few digestion walks after ingesting so much food.
Drip Gorge
This one is by far the most popular walking path in the area. It is located just 40 minutes from Mudgee, and the walk takes about 1 hour return. It is best to visit after a few days of rain.
Ferntree Gully
I really liked this one, as it is quite different from everything else in the area. It is located 20 minutes just outside Rylstone and takes about 1.5 hour return. As you start your decent into the gully, you’ll quickly notice the change of scenery. The micro-climate of this rainforest is definitely something I didn’t expect to experience in the area.
Dunns Swamp & Pagoda Lookout
We had to drive on a a dirt road for a little while to get to this one. Just make sure you type in ‘Ganguddy-Dunns Swamp campground’ as your Google Maps location, NOT Pagoda Lookout. From the campground parking lot, you can access both the swamp and the starting point of the walking track that goes to the top of Pagoda Lookout. This place is honestly so peaceful and beautiful, and I wished I had seen it under the sunlight. The hike to Pagoda Lookout takes 1 hour return, but you will surely want to spend some time up there to enjoy the view!
Putta Bucca Wetlands
Last but not least is Putta Bucca wetlands. This place is a short 5-min drive from the centre of Mudgee and I’d suggest going there during the late-afternoon. It’s apparently a good place to spot wild birds and if you get lucky, you might even get to see a platypus.
Historic Villages
The area has 3 main towns in the area, and they are all home to some beautiful historical buildings that are worth a visit!
Gulgong
This one is probably the most remote of all three; it is very old. There are +130 National Trust-listed buildings in Gulgong and you can see some of my favourites below. There are a few events happening in Gulgong every year, including the Henry Lawson Heritage Festival in June and Gulgong Folk Festival in December.
Mudgee
The town of Mudgee is super cute, and is definitely where I’d recommend staying if you want to be right in the heart of everything and enjoy some nice bars and cafés. I’d definitely recommend doing the Heritage Walk to see all those beautiful and colourful historical buildings. There are also a few cafés and bars that I really liked including Alby & Esther, the Coffee House, Althea by Zin and Artisan on Lewis for breakfast, Cade Kitchen for dinner as well as Eltons and Roth’s bars if you’re looking to go have a few drinks at night.
Rylstone
I’d suggest pairing your visit to Rylstone with at least one of these two short hikes: Ferntree Gully and Dunns Swamp. Rylstone is the perfect place to browse boutiques and arts & crafts shops. Just like the two other towns, it also has plenty of beautiful old buildings and it’s worth wandering around the streets. Rylstone is also home to French winery De Beaurepaire, which I unfortunately didn’t have time to visit but would have liked to.
Wineries
Now let’s face it, you probably all clicked this link to learn everything about the best wineries in the area so here they are, in no particular order. Please note that I highly recommend that you make a booking, whether it’s just for a wine tasting or to have a full meal. Most of these wineries are quite small and get fully booked very quickly.
Robert Stein Winery
My friends and I went to Robert Stein’s restaurant, Pipeclay Pumphouse, for a late lunch. We didn’t really know what to expect and were literally blown away by the whole experience. The food was absolutely divine: a 6-course seasonal menu composed of all things delicious. Kingfish crudo, beetroot gnocchis, duck magret… you name it! Because it was only lunch time, we only shared one bottle of wine, but it was a really good one: Robert Stein 2019 Reserve Riesling. Highly recommend!
Logan Wines
I think this winery is my personal favourite when it comes to white wine. I really enjoyed their riesling and left with a few bottles. If you decide to go there for a wine tasting, I highly recommend that you get their cheese plate too: an explosion of flavours in your mouth. The honey (from the Honey Haven) and macadamia nuts really added something special.
The Cellar by Gilbert
The perfect place for a lunch on a beautiful terrasse. This place also makes the best rosé in the area. Definitely get their grazing board to accompany your wine. All ingredients are locally sourced and taste amazing.
Moothi Estate
A beautiful spot to go to for some sunset drinks. The vineyard is located on a small hill which gives it a stunning look with a beautiful view on the valley.
Pieter Van Gent winery & vineyard
This place is probably the one that’ll give you an experience as close as what you would get in Europe, in the middle of those beautiful barrels. They do not serve any food nor take reservations - only walk-in tastings. They make a really good tawny.
The Olive Nest & 1838 wines
We went there not for the wine, but for the olives!!! We were looking for a bit of a change and thought we’d go for some olive oil tasting instead. Note that they also produce their wine and offer both types of tasting.
Yeates Winery
Located just a few minutes from Mudgee, Yeates offers stunning views on their vineyard & the architecture of their cellar is absolutely stunning! Their wines are delicious and affordable, and the service is great! It’s a nice spot to go spend an afternoon!
Lowe Family Wine
Last but not least is this beautiful location, perfect for some afternoon/sunset drinks. I highly recommend trying their premium wine tasting for $30. They’ve also got an amazing restaurant, Zin, which we didn’t get to experience as it was fully booked, but I’m hoping to be able to test it out during my next visit. PS: their cellar door gets covered in beautiful wisteria flowers in the spring.
Update: I managed to visit Zin restaurant, and the whole experience was absolutely incredible. It’s a small restaurant and they change the menu every day based on the seasonal products they’ve got available.
