Around Hermitage, home of alternate wine varieties
Yes, you’ll find classically trained winemakers and lots of the varieties that you already love, but what makes Around Hermitage so special, is our adventurous spirit and the enthusiasm to push the boundaries with exciting alternative varieties and new winemaking techniques. It only takes a few minutes in one of our cellar doors to see first-hand the passion and personality that goes into small batch premium wines.
Some of our best-known wines
Shiraz
Hunter Shiraz is typically medium bodied with a lower alcohol content than the big gusty reds of the Barossa. Elegant and with the capacity to age into wines full of complexity. Our shiraz tends to be more European in style: think of the Rhone Valley with its savoury style shiraz. The beauty of most Hunter shiraz is that it’s wonderful to drink while young, but also rewards cellaring.
Semillon
We dare you to find a better summer seafood matching wine anywhere in the world than our crisp, fresh, Hunter Semillons. The citrus notes and richness to the mid palate make them approachable as young wines which reward with cellaring. Over time you’ll find those crisp, high acid and citrus driven properties melt into a rich, golden wine with wonderful complexity and warm honey notes.
Chardonnay
The Queen of White Grapes, Chardonnay is certainly a Hunter Valley Wine staple and you'll find some of the Hunter's oldest Chardonnay vines Around Hermitage. Grown on the perfect sandy loamy soil these world class wines are a perfect representation of Hunter Valley Chardonnay. Truly the winemaker's wine, Chardonnay is a real representation of place, winemaker and one of the most versatile wines you'll ever find. Discover Chardonnays from crisp and light through to complex and buttery. Take advantage of the many winemaker led tours and tastings to really understand the nuances of this special wine.
Rosé
Inspired by the Rosés found in the southern regions of France, you’ll discover tantalising, light, dry style rosés at plenty of cellar doors along the Hermitage Food & Wine trail. Why not take yourself on a tasting trail to compare Rosés made from tempranillo, merlot, shiraz, and grenache merlot.
Fiano
Thankfully, sustainable winemaking is something plenty of our growers and makers hold close to their hearts, which has meant an increase in the popularity of Fiano. It turns out that in the Hunter Valley, we have the perfect climate and environmental factors for this delicious Mediterranean grape variety. Fiano’s hallmarks are a crisp texture, rich fruit and honey characteristics making it an incredibly popular wine to enjoy with food or on its own. You’ll find Fiano ready to taste at Glandore Wines, Mercer Wines, Piggs Peake, Hunter Wine Lab, and Peter Drayton Wines.
Hunter Wines History
Some of the oldest vines in the Hunter Valley grow on the land around Hermitage Road, some even dating back to 1908!
