Pokolbin Wine Tasting: Handcrafted Hunter Valley Wines

Learn to taste wines while sitting among the vines that grew them

A boutique wine tasting at McCaffrey's Estate in Pokolbin, where you sit down to taste handcrafted wines grown on the family's 11-acre vineyard and hear stories of life in the Hunter Valley. A live English-speaking guide teaches you how to swirl, sniff and sip, and pairs each wine with food suggestions. Children from age 1 can attend with their parents. The minimum drinking age is 18.

The experience

McCaffrey's Estate is one of the smaller producers in the Hunter Valley, and the wines you taste here (Sparkling, Semillon, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Rosé, Merlot Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and Fortified) are not available in bottle shops. The vineyard sits on 11 acres under vine, and the tasting happens seated, relaxed, with the guide walking you through the fundamentals of how to approach each glass.

You'll learn how to swirl, sniff and sip, and the guide offers food pairing suggestions for each wine you taste. The experience centers on stories of life lived among the vines. The kind of detail that comes from a family-owned operation where the people pouring the wine are the people who grew it. The whole tasting runs about an hour.

What’s included

• Wine tasting.
• guidance on how to taste and pair wines.
• stories from the family owners about life in the vineyard.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (1 to 12 years)

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcome

Operated by McCaffrey's Estate Cellar Door

Is this one for you?The seated format suits anyone who wants to learn the basics of wine tasting without rushing through multiple venues. You stay in one place, taste at your own pace, and absorb the detail the guide shares. Bring children from age 1 if you want them there. Anyone 18 or older can drink.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 12 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What wines will I taste at McCaffrey's Estate?

McCaffrey's produces Sparkling, Semillon, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Rosé, Merlot Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and Fortified Wine. All of these are handcrafted on the family's 11-acre vineyard and not sold in bottle shops.

How long does the tasting take?

The experience runs about an hour, with seated tasting and stories from the guide about the vineyard and the Hunter Valley.

Will someone teach me how to taste wine properly?

Yes. The live guide in English teaches you how to swirl, sniff and sip, and offers food pairing suggestions for each wine you taste.