Fortified Wine, Fromage Platter

An hour at Audrey Wilkinson's Pokolbin cellar door pairing fromage with fortified wine, from $80 per person and bookable with free cancellation. Rated 4.8 across 115 reviews.

Overview

This hour-long experience at Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard in Pokolbin pairs a local fromage platter with premium wine tasting and barrel tastings, plus a fortified wine element that gives the session its name. Guests check in with the team at the cellar door on arrival at the De Beyers Road property, then the tasting runs for one hour at the vineyard.

The inclusions are specific: snacks in the form of a local fromage platter, alcoholic beverages covering the premium wine tasting and barrel tastings, and a take-home bottle of fortified wine, with one bottle provided between two people. Nothing about transport is included, so travellers make their own way to the vineyard and back.

The experience suits anyone wanting a short tasting with food alongside, and reviewers repeatedly praise both the wines and the setting. One reviewer described a host who shared the history of the area and the winery, while one couple liked the visit enough to return the very next day after a standard tasting. With a cap of eight travellers, the group stays small enough for conversation with the host.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Arrive at the vineyardMake your own way to 750 De Beyers Road, Pokolbin, as hotel pickup is not included.
2. Check in at cellar doorSee the team at the cellar door on arrival and they will get the experience started.
3. Tasting and fromage platterOver the course of the hour, enjoy a premium wine tasting with barrel tastings and a local fromage platter.
4. Take-home fortified wineAt the end, receive one bottle of fortified wine to take home, provided between two people.
5. Finish at meeting pointThe experience ends back at the same spot where it began.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you plan the hour, from getting there to what you leave with.

• Getting there. Transport is not part of this experience, and the listing states hotel pickup is excluded. You drive or arrange a transfer to the De Beyers Road address in Pokolbin yourself.
• Short session. The whole thing runs for one hour, so it fits easily between other Hunter Valley plans. One reviewer mentioned being able to taste at their own pace.
• Small group feel. The listing caps the experience at eight travellers. Several reviews highlight attentive, knowledgeable hosts, so there is room to ask questions throughout.
• Food and drink. The fromage platter is the food component and it is included, as are the wine and barrel tastings. If you want a full meal, plan it separately, since only snacks are listed.
• Photos and setting. One reviewer called the views beautiful, and several praise the setting overall. A camera or phone is worth having to hand for the vineyard outlook.
• Sharing the bottle. The take-home fortified wine is one bottle between two people. Solo travellers or odd-numbered groups should factor that in when booking.

Common issues. There is no hotel pickup, so anyone without a car needs to organise transport to Pokolbin and back. The fromage platter is a snack rather than a meal, which may not suit anyone expecting lunch. Cancellation is strict inside 24 hours, when no refund is given and changes are not accepted. Booking confirmation can also take up to 48 hours and depends on availability.

Choosing Your Tour