10 must-visit wineries in the Southern Highlands

The closest wine region to Sydney, the Southern Highlands is home to more than 60 vineyards and a dozen cellar doors. With its high elevation and rich soil, it produces exceptional cool climate wines. Here are 10 of the best places for a tasting.

Bendooley Estate

Need to know: Open seven days a week from 10am – 5pm, with the last tastings starting at 3pm. There is a tasting fee of $15 per person or $30 per person for premium wines. Bookings are recommended.

Set on a beautiful 80-hectare estate on the outskirts of Berrima, Bendooley Estate can trace its history back to the early 19th century. Take a seat inside the cellar door or out by the firepit to try their acclaimed chardonnay, pinot gris and pinot noir. At night, it becomes a chic wine bar and dining destination. Also dotted around the estate’s grand gardens are a restaurant, luxury cottages, and the famous Berkelouw Book Barn, filled with thousands of new, second hand and rare titles.

Bendooley Estate, Berrima

Centennial Vineyards

Need to know: Open seven days a week from 10am – 5pm, with the last tastings starting at 4pm. The guided tasting experience is $15 per person, with $5 redeemable when you purchase a bottle. Bookings are essential.

Just outside of Bowral, Centennial Vineyards is an elegant Tuscan-style estate with some of the highest grapes in the Southern Highlands. With more than 30 hectares under vine, they grow everything from classics like chardonnay and riesling to boutique varieties such as albariño and grüner veltliner. The rustic cellar door has an outdoor terrace and large lawn that are both kid- and dog-friendly, so you can grab a blanket and relax in the sun with a glass of our favourite. Stay on for lunch at the excellent restaurant.

Couple enjoying a Pinot Masterclass experience at Centennial Vineyards in Bowral, Southern Highlands

Centennial Vineyards, Bowral

PepperGreen Estate

Need to know: Open six days a week (closed Tuesday) from 10am – 5pm, with the last tastings starting at 4pm. There is a tasting fee of $15 per person, with $5 or $10 redeemable when you make a purchase. Bookings are recommended.

You’ll find the cellar door for PepperGreen Estate just off the main street of Berrima in an historic sandstone cottage painted a rich red. The grapes are grown in nearby Canyonleigh, where the rugged terrain and distinct soil create a unique terroir. Their wines have won awards around the world, especially the rosé, pinot noir, riesling and tempranillo. You can also taste their olive oils, made using olives from their grove, or visit The Tasting Room restaurant for breakfast and lunch.

PepperGreen Estate, Berrima

Artemis Wines

Need to know: Open seven days a week from 11am – 4pm. The tasting fee is $20 per person with $10 redeemable against a purchase. Bookings are highly recommended.

Brothers Anton and Mark Balog have been running the boutique Artemis Wines for more than 30 years. They use a European style of growing that focuses on individual ripeness and flavour, and their winemaking technique blends methods from both Old World and New. The cellar door is clad in recycled red river gum and is surrounded by a large lawn with picnic tables. In winter, the best place to be is curled up by the fire with a glass (or two) and a woodfired pizza.

Artemis Wines, Mittagong - Credit: Artemis Wines

Dawning Day Winery and Distillery

Need to know: Open Thursday to Saturday from 11am – 5.30pm. The tasting fee is $25 per person, which is fully redeemable with the purchase of six bottles. Bookings are essential.

One of the newest wineries in the Southern Highlands, family-run Dawning Day has a micro vineyard of just over a hectare in Exeter. They grow chardonnay, pinot noir and gamay, producing small-batch wines that are a clear expression of their terroir. Relax by the fireplace or take a walk through the vineyard with the resident wine dogs. As well as vino, the distillery turns out vodka, gin and limoncello, and they even have gin-infused pickles made in house. If you can’t bear to leave the cosy cellar, book in to stay at the designer barn.

Dawning Day Winery and Distillery, Exeter - Credit: RZ Media

Sondara Estate

Need to know: The cellar door is an exclusive, appointment-only experience. Tastings are available from Thursday to Sunday between 10am and 12.30pm. There is a $20 per person tasting fee.

Sondara Estate promises a more intimate, personal experience than many other wineries. Take a seat in the rustic shed (beautifully decorated with antiques and vintage pieces) and chat with one of the owners or the winemakers as you sip their favourite drops. Pair them with a charcuterie and cheese board to see how the flavours work together. Outside, there’s a friendly winery dog as well as babydoll sheep and highland cows who are always eager for a pat. If you’d like to stay a little longer, book a private picnic at one of the picturesque spots around the property.

Sondara Estate, Woodlands - Credit: Sondara Estate

St Maur Wines

Need to know: Open Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am – 4.30pm. There’s a $5 tasting fee and bookings are highly recommended.

Originally a cattle and dairy farm, the Panizzutti family have been growing grapes in the rich volcanic soil of St Maur since 1998. They’ve stayed true to their Italian heritage and still hand pick all the pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes. The winery produces just 1,800 dozen bottles a year and many of their limited releases sell out immediately. The cellar door is inside a vintage dairy farm building and has been named the best tasting experience in the Southern Highlands by Gourmet Traveller.

Wine being poured for tasting at St. Maur Wines in Exeter, Southern Highlands

St Maur Wines, Exeter

Tractorless Vineyard

Need to know: Open Friday and Saturday from 19.30am – 2.30pm. The 90-minute wine tasting and sustainability talk is $35 per person. Bookings are essential.

Who knew sustainability could be this cute? The stars of the show at Tractorless Vineyard are undoubtedly the flock of black faced Hampshire Down sheep, which wander through the vines as solar powered, fertilising lawn mowers. You’ll learn all about the winery’s eco credentials during the talk that’s part of the tasting experience. The team are still in the middle of their regenerative journey, so different wine series will be produced using different methods, creating an ever-evolving flavour palette.

Tractorless Vineyard, Berrima

Eling Forest Winery

Need to know: Open Friday to Sunday from 10.30am – 4pm. A wine tasting is $20 per person and redeemable with the purchase of six bottles. Bookings are recommended.

A piece of Southern Highlands heritage, Eling Forest Winery is set on an historic 1820s estate in Sutton Forest that was one of the first land grants in the region. There are still convict-era buildings dotted around the grounds, including a cottage where you can stay. If you’re interested in history, book a tour with your tasting and be guided around the estate as you learn its stories. When it comes to the wine, they specialise in shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, with each bottle a celebration of the character and style of the grapes.

Eling Forest Winery, Sutton Forest - Credit: Eling Forest Winery

Cherry Tree Hill Wines

Need to know: Open seven days a week from 10am – 5pm. Wine tastings start from $15 per person. Bookings are recommended.

The Lorentz family has brought generations of Hungarian winemaking tradition to Cherry Tree Hill Wines in Sutton Forest. It’s a family-run operation, committed to creating top quality wines at affordable prices. The riesling is the star, winning awards at wine shows around the world. You may be lucky enough to meet current owner David at the cellar door, where he shares his passion for winemaking and whips up a mean lasagna. Stay warm by the firepit on the lawn when the weather is cool or soak up the sun in summer.