Small Group, Lunch With Wine

A small-group Hunter Valley day out from Sydney with Daves Tours: cellar door wine tastings, a local gin tasting, chocolate and a relaxed lunch. Runs 11 to 12 hours, rated 4.8 from 313 reviews, from $285 per person.

Overview

Dave's Tours runs this full day out of central Sydney, picking travellers up and driving them into the Hunter Valley for a packed schedule of tastings. The day is built around three guided wine tastings at boutique venues, and the pairings set it apart: one tasting comes with cheese, another with artisan chocolate. A distillery stop adds a gin tasting, and a behind the scenes walk through wine production at a local winery shows how the stuff actually gets made.

Lunch is included, and reviewers describe it as wood fired pizza, accompanied by a local wine or beer. Bottled water and a light snack cover the drive. The vehicle is air conditioned, and the group is capped at 21 travellers, though one reviewer describes a group of 12 on the day.

It is a long day, roughly 11 to 12 hours door to door, with a drive each way that one reviewer puts at one to one and three quarter hours depending on traffic. The guide drives, narrates, and in several accounts pulls over so the group can photograph wild kangaroos in the paddocks. This suits travellers who want a structured, well organised introduction to the Hunter Valley without hiring a car, and who are happy sharing a minivan with strangers for a full day. Anyone under 18 will not be drinking, and the tour is not recommended for pregnant travellers.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Pickup in central SydneyReturn transport from central Sydney is included, in an air conditioned vehicle. The drive out to the Hunter Valley follows.
2. Hunter Valley stop, 1 hour 30 minutesFirst stop in the Hunter Valley, admission free. The listing does not specify which venue or activity comes first.
3. Hunter Valley stop, 1 hour 30 minutesSecond Hunter Valley stop, admission free.
4. Hunter Valley stop, 1 hourThird Hunter Valley stop, admission free. Across the day the tour fits in three wine tastings, a gin tasting at a distillery and a behind the scenes winery production tour.
5. Hunter Valley stop, 1 hourFinal Hunter Valley stop, admission free, before the drive back.
6. Return to SydneyDrive back to central Sydney, finishing a day the listing puts at 11 to 12 hours total.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points worth knowing before booking this one.

• It is a long day. The tour runs 11 to 12 hours, and reviewers call it a long day, though one says the drive flew by thanks to a midway break and clear commentary. Plan for a full day out with nothing else scheduled that evening.
• Closed toe shoes. The listing requires closed toe shoes for the behind the scenes production tour. Wear them from the start, since there is no practical chance to change mid day.
• Seated tastings. One reviewer describes a different format from the usual bar counter: guests sit at tables while wines are served and explained, with time to talk with the winemakers.
• Group feel. The cap is 21 travellers, and one reviewer describes a group of 12 on their day. Another mentions making new friends over the course of the tour.
• Food and drink. Lunch, three wine tastings with cheese and chocolate pairings, a gin tasting, water and a light snack are all included. Gratuities and any food or drinks beyond what is specified are not. Dietary requirements should be flagged at the time of booking.
• Kangaroo stops. Multiple reviewers say their guide pulled over so the group could see and photograph wild kangaroos in the fields. It is not a listed stop, so treat it as a bonus rather than a guarantee.

Common issues. It is a long day out of Sydney, and the tour is not wheelchair accessible and not recommended for pregnant travellers. The minimum drinking age is 18. One reviewer was disappointed that chocolate could not be purchased at the final venue. The experience also needs a minimum number of travellers to run; if that minimum is not met it can be cancelled, with a different date or a full refund offered. Cancel yourself at least 24 hours before start time for a full refund, otherwise nothing is refunded.

Choosing Your Tour