The Mudgee wine trail

It was a balmy late summer evening and perfect for a spot of wine tasting when Mudgee brought its regional cellar doors to Sydney’s city slickers.

Sydney foodies attending the NSW Food and Wine festival last month milled around Mudgee’s urban vineyard at Hyde park sampling the latest drops and best local produce, including artisan cheeses, honey, nuts, olive oil and wagyu beef.

The historic central western NSW town began cultivating grapes during the gold rush of the 1850s and became the first Australian chardonnay grower. It now boasts about 2500ha of vineyards and produces 14 million bottles of plonk a year.

It has 12 wineries and more than 38 cellar doors, ranging from some of the country’s most established names to micro-breweries that survive on a cult following.

Many of these had tents at Hyde Park showcasing Mudgee’s wide winemaking spectrum and proving the region is right up there with the other great wine areas of NSW.

Unfortunately, the city cellar door has packed up and gone back home. Fortunately, this provides a great excuse to get up and pay the region a visit.

Here’s a selection of Mudgee cellar doors (there are many more to discover) in case you go.

ROBERT OATLEY VINEYARDS

This is Mudgee’s oldest vineyard, established in 1858. It’s just a short drive from the centre of town and is on the banks of Eurunderee Creek.

Tastings and sales are available at the cellar door and when you’re done you can visit the Craigmoor Winery Wine Museum and Craigmoor Cricket Oval.

The Wild Oats Cafe is open for lunch at weekends or you can enjoy a packed lunch in the picnic grounds.

SHORT SHEEP MICROBREWERY

This quirky little winery takes its name from the miniature Babydoll Southdown sheep that arrived with the First Fleet and now graze among the vineyards, reducing the need for herbicides and managing vine undergrowth.

All wines are handcrafted in small batches using handpicked fruit from low-yielding vines.

Short Sheep produces shiraz, cabernet and merlot varietals on its 10 acre single vineyard.

Accommodation is available in a vineyard cottage.

FARMERS DAUGHTER WINES

Another of Mudgee’s small boutique vineyards. Literally named after the daughters of a farming family and established as a retirement project, the winery made its first plantings in 1995 and opened a cellar door in September 2000. It’s now racked up an impressive list of local medals and hasn’t looked back.

Guests can stay in cottages nestled among the grapes on the 40ha property.

GOOREE PARK

Historic Gooree Park was established 34 years ago by Filipino businessman Deuardo Cojuangco and is now a leading thoroughbred breeding ground as well as the largest vineyard in Mudgee.

The main cellar door is at the entrance of the property on the Castlereagh Highway.

Visitors can sample wine while watching thoroughbreds at play during a stud and wine tasting tour.

BUNNAMAGOO ESTATE WINES

Bunnamagoo’s wines were only previously available by mail order, restaurants or specialty shops but they can now be bought direct from Mudgee’s newest cellar door, which is about 6km out of town just past the Henry Lawson memorial.

MOOTHI ESTATE

A family-run boutique vineyard that takes its name from the Wiradjuri word meaning “nest in the hills” or “contented”. It’s one of the highest vineyards in Mudgee, on the northwest facing slopes of Mount Frome overlooking the Mudgee valley.

Production includes Semillon, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Viognier and special blends.

The cellar door, offering breathtaking views, opened in 2006.

IF YOU GO:

Mudgee is a 3.5-hour drive from Sydney via the Great Western Highway, four hours from Newcastle via the Bylong Valley Way, and five hours from Canberra via the Tablelands way.

For more information in cellar doors, visit mudgeewine.com.au

For information on Mudgee, visit visitmudgeeregion.com.au

* The writer was a guest of Mudgee Region Tourism at the NSW Food and Wine Festival.

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Mudgee vineyards