Top Things to do in Cessnock
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Top 10 Things to do Good for Big Groups in Cessnock, New South Wales
Nestled in the fertile Hunter Valley, Cessnock’s wine region is one of the oldest and most diverse in the world, making it a terrific destination for oenophiles. There are over 100 wineries in the area, and vineyard and cellar tours are among Cessnock’s most popular attractions. World-class golf courses, gourmet eateries, lush gardens and blissful spas round out the local appeal.
Restaurants in Cessnock
1. Waverley Estate
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 254 reviews
Waverley Estate is the only Aged Wine Specialist in the Hunter Valley. The philosophy of the estate is to achieve low yields of fruit which create intensely flavored grapes attaining high quality but small quantity. Waverley offers award winning Semillon, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sparkling and an amazing Vintage Port. No day in the Hunter is complete without stopping by Waverley where you will witness first hand aged Hunter wines and history blended together.
Reviewed By 59tanyan
Wonderful knowledge and service by the staff. Happy to accommodate and explain the process and history of each wine. Cheese platter to enjoy and the scenery and setting is just beautiful. The wines are just superb, even if you aren’t the biggest wine person. The explanations to accompany the tastings is fantastic. Definitely a must visit when in the area.
2. Ivanhoe Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 531 reviews
Premium Wines from a boutique Hunter Valley vineyard. Enjoy the exceptional service and stunning views. Ivanhoe's Covid-19 Strategy - Please be assured that our team at Ivanhoe are taking every precaution to ensure your health and safety. We have upgraded our hygiene procedures as necessary, we have implented Social Distancing, as we only accept small groups. The glasses, tables and chairs are cleaned thoroughly and often after every use. The same friendly and knowlegdeable service is given. Flatten the Curve.
Reviewed By raule4444 - Sydney, Australia
We would like to thank the team at Ivanhoe wines for making us feel so welcome our first time we were taken care of by sommelier Matt who was very knowledgeable and personable also brilliant with our doggie Archie, we became members! Second time Tracey owner/manger welcome us and we were so well looked after by Kirsty Paula and Nathalie and all loved Archie!! Ivanhoe will always be a great reason to come back to the Hunter Valley!!
3. Hanging Tree Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 172 reviews
The Hanging Tree Cellar Door (once a cow shed) warmly welcomes all with its rustic charm. If you are lucky, you might be greeted at the front gate by our welcoming party, Vodka, Muscat and Bundy – our residential golden Labradors! Check out our Homestead - a rustic resort style of accommodation, blending the comforts of modern living with the simplicity of yore. This luxury resort styled Homestead was completed in 2005 and takes a commanding position on the 40 acre vineyard. The Homestead comfortably sleeps 8 across the 4 suites. Our cellar door is open for tastings 7 days a week from 10 am to 5 pm. If you would like to book a tasting, pick up some authentic Hunter Valley wines, or simply find out more about our rural paradise, you can call our friendly team, or shoot us an email. We will get back to you as soon as we can!
Reviewed By 4alexnyc - New York City, United States
A beautiful property and some great wines including a very nice sparkling shiraz and an amazing "Blacksmith's Shiraz Cabernet". The staff are very friendly and helpful but beware they are very persuasive (or maybe we are) since we left with a lot more wine than planned! Fun visit and recommended
4. Ernest Hill Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 558 reviews
We are a family owned producer of premium Hunter Valley wine with a 5 Star James Halliday rating and multiple International award winning wines. Call in and meet the Wilson family and sample our delicious wines and friendly service
Reviewed By 1Lyf3_1W0rld
Lesley was fabulous (and the wine is fantastic too!!!) very generous tasting portions too which takes Ernest Hill tight to the top of my list of Hunter valley wineries
5. Ballabourneen by Binet Family Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 54 reviews
Located along McDonald's Rd, Pokolbin Binet Family Wines is home to the wine ranges from Winemaker Daniel Binet, Ballabourneen and Domaine de Binet. You can sample their wine ranges and partner them with gourmet cheese platters.
Reviewed By WhingingPoms - Melbourne, Australia
We were strongly advised to visit both Ballabourneen and Domaine du Binet and we are so glad we did! We have always preferred the smaller boutique wineries and this one is stand-out. Dan the winemaker is really pushing the boundaries in experimenting with different varietals and blends and boy is he good at it. We were guided through the current wines by Paul and the lovely Julia and their passion for this winery shines through. Our only issue was limiting the number of bottles we could buy due to lack of space at home. We also grabbed some of the chilli sauces on offer which all look amazing. We will be back for sure.
6. Leogate Estate Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 376 reviews
The beautiful Leogate Estate offers visitors an elegant and sophisticated cellar door, a beautiful restaurant serving dry aged angus beef and a truly magnificent wedding and function venue.
Reviewed By FarmerJohn45 - Singleton, Australia
Some friends came up from Sydney for a special occasion and we chose to go to Leogate for Lunch - what a great choice!! Our table was by a large window, looking out over lawns and the vineyard, with ducks wandering about and kangaroos in sight as well on the neat lawns. From the time we were seated the excellent service began, with water offered initially then the menus and drinks all seamless and unobtrusive. When our food arrived it all lived up to our expectations and was picturesque, tasty and filling, then the desserts--- O Boy! they were worth the visit in themselves, each of us received a work of art as well as a fantastic, flavourfull and generous platefull. Not cheap but certainly worth the money for a great lunch experience in wonderful surroundings.
7. Petersons Wines Broke Road
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 133 reviews
'Petersons Wines newly opened cellar door on Broke Road' Petersons Wines have been producing quality wines for wine lovers since 1981. Not much has changed since then - except we now produce a larger range of award winning wines. We would love for you to join us at any of our picturesque backdrops to laugh, relax, and unwind Petersons Wines is proudly family owned and operated since 1981
Reviewed By johnsO4882GW
My wife and I always stop in to this cellar door when in the Hunter, the experience is always friendly with good humour usually provided by Maureen and Cathy. The staff here really know their wines and can also help you with finding good places to eat in the area. This time we booked a tasting for 3 couples, following COVID registration we were seated outside. We tasted a range of wines The range of wines included bubbles, whites and some very satisfying reds. The tasting was quite relaxed and we weren’t being rushed in any way.
8. Harkham Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 415 reviews
Reviewed By 426kiml - Sydney, Australia
My favourite place to vist in the Hunter Valley. The wine is delicious and from now on I will need a constant supply of that amazing chocolate liqueur in my fridge. The staff are so friendly and down to earth - the recommendations they sent through after I made a cellar door booking was a really nice touch as well. Every other cellar door visit in the Hunter Valley was disappointing compared to this one.
9. Thomas Wines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 189 reviews
Thomas Wines are one of the Hunter Valley's most highly regarded winemakers, nationally and internationally acclaimed for their exceptional single vineyard semillon and shiraz. "Keep it simple" is our philosophy, producing small parcels of world class, uniquely regional wines from some of the most distinguished sites in the Hunter. Each single vineyard wine showcases its unique signature and personality, and expresses a true sense of place. Kiss shiraz and Braemore semillon sit at the top of an impressive range, many of which have become modern benchmarks for the Hunter Valley. Owner and winemaker Andrew Thomas now has three decades of winemaking experience in the Hunter Valley. It's the no compromise, attention to detail approach to his winemaking that has seen him twice awarded Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year, as well as contributing to an impressive mantle piece of wine show trophies and medals, and enviable critical acclaim.
Reviewed By Jenni_liu - Canberra, Australia
Thomas wines offers one of the best wine experiences in the Hunter Valley. Specialising in the classic Hunter Valley grape varietals, Semillon and Shiraz, Andrew Thomas delivers with every single wine. Special mention to our server Al who was delightful.
10. McGuigan Wines
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 267 reviews
Reviewed By Evi1507 - Sydney, Australia
Went with friends in December and this was the best winery experience out of the three we wineries we visited. Ben was a great host and very welcoming. There is no charge for wine tasting at McGuigans. Ben provided great information on the wines he offered us, was good fun to talk to and the cellar door wines are really nice and we ended up purchasing wonderful Limited edition Sparkling wine, delicious Pinot Grigio and Rose wine as well as their Non-alcoholic range Zero! Great visit - can highly recommend it!
