Dave's Wine, Gin And Lunch

Dave's Travel Group runs this 11.5-hour day trip from Sydney, pairing cellar door tastings with local gin and food stops in the Hunter Valley. It starts from $256 per person and carries a 4.8 rating across 237 reviews, with free cancellation available.

Overview

This full-day tour packs three boutique wineries and distilleries into one long outing from Sydney, with tastings of wine, gin, cheese and chocolate plus a one-course lunch. It runs about 11.5 hours in total, starting with an early coach departure from either Sydney Central Station or Circular Quay and ending back at the same end of town. You ride out with a local guide who stays with the group across every stop.

The shape of the day is simple. After a café break on the way up, you get a short guided look inside a production house, then tasting sessions at successive wineries: an hour of wine at the first, lunch with a drink at the second, a spirits session of 45 minutes, then a final round of wine with cheese, and dessert with more wine. Several travellers mention the samples at each stop are generous.

It suits visitors staying in Sydney without a car who want a structured introduction to the Hunter Valley in a single day. It is not a door-to-door service: you meet at a central point, and hotel pickup is not included. Bring ID and closed-toe shoes, and some cash or card space for bottles, since the tasting rooms sell wine worth carrying home.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Central Sydney pickupDepart from one of two meeting points: 812 George St, Haymarket, at 7:25am, or the Obelisk of Distances, Circular Quay, at 7:45am, depending on the option booked.
2. Coach to the ValleyA bus ride of 1.5 hours, then a 15-minute break at a local café, followed by a further hour of driving into wine country.
3. Vineyard guided tourA 15-minute guided walk through a production house to see how wine is made behind the scenes.
4. Wine tastingOne hour of guided wine tasting at the first winery.
5. Winery lunchA 1.5-hour sit-down one-course lunch with a wine, craft beer or cider included.
6. Spirits tastingA 45-minute gin and spirits session at a distillery stop.
7. Cheese and dessert stopsTwo further 45-minute sessions: wine matched with local cheese, then dessert with more wine.
8. Return to SydneyA coach ride of 2.5 hours back, dropping at 812A George St or the Obelisk of Distances.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will make the day run more smoothly, from footwear rules to how much wine actually gets poured.

• Footwear and ID. Closed-toe shoes are required and open-toed shoes are not allowed on the tour. Bring a passport or ID card as well.
• Generous pours. Reviewers often mention generous samples at every stop, and one said that by the final tasting they had reached their limit. Eating properly at lunch helps, and pacing across the afternoon is wise.
• A long day. With 11.5 hours total and 5 hours of coach travel, this is a big commitment. One reviewer noted it was a long day but still called it easy and memorable.
• Group travel. Reviewers describe friendly companions and guides who share stories and tips between stops.
• Shopping for bottles. Wine, cheese and chocolate beyond the included tastings cost extra, and the listing recommends coming prepared to buy a bottle. One reviewer said they ended up buying some bottles for later.
• Wildlife bonus. Several travellers mentioned kangaroo sightings on the drive. This is not a listed stop, so treat it as a lucky extra rather than a guarantee.

Common issues. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so travellers must make their own way to the central meeting point for an early start. Any extra wine, cheese or chocolate purchases are at your own cost. Some past feedback on the booking page mentioned lunch service feeling disorganized, with unclear portions and serving arrangements.

Choosing Your Tour