wine of the month — 2025 Limited Edition 'Edward' Semillon - Best White Wine of NSW - 2025 Australian Small Winemakers Show

wine of the month — 2025 Limited Edition 'Edward' Semillon - Best White Wine of NSW - 2025 Australian Small Winemakers Show

wine of the month — 2025 Limited Edition 'Edward' Semillon - Best White Wine of NSW - 2025 Australian Small Winemakers Show

wine of the month — 2025 Limited Edition 'Edward' Semillon - Best White Wine of NSW - 2025 Australian Small Winemakers Show

Author: David White

The Best Places to Eat in the Hunter Valley: A Food Lover’s Guide

Posted on by David White

When people think of the Hunter Valley, wine is often the first thing that comes to mind. But beyond the cellar doors and vineyard views lies a thriving food scene that makes this region one of the top culinary destinations in NSW. If you’re searching for the best places to eat in the Hunter Valley, this guide will help you plan a delicious itinerary, from relaxed farm-style dining to refined degustation experiences, plus a unique vineyard breakfast at Latitude 32 Wines.

Whether you’re visiting for a weekend getaway or planning a day trip filled with Hunter Valley wine experiences, these dining spots pair perfectly with your cellar door adventures.

Four Pines at The Farm – Relaxed Dining with Country Charm

For a laid-back lunch in a beautiful rural setting, Four Pines at The Farm is a must-visit. Known for its craft beer and welcoming atmosphere, this venue offers hearty share plates, woodfired flavours and relaxed outdoor seating that captures the spirit of the Hunter Valley.

It’s an ideal stop between winery visits or a great way to settle in for a long lunch with friends. The casual vibe makes it accessible and family-friendly, while still delivering high-quality food and drinks. Pair it with a nearby Hunter Valley cellar door visit to round out the afternoon.

Jimmy Joans – Bold Flavours and Modern Vibes

If you’re after something vibrant and full of personality, Jimmy Joans delivers. With a menu focused on bold, flavour-driven dishes and modern Australian cuisine, it’s a standout option for lunch or dinner in the region.

The atmosphere is energetic and welcoming, making it perfect for groups, celebrations or a fun night out during your Hunter Valley stay. When planning things to do in the Hunter Valley, combining a memorable meal here with a day of wine tasting creates the perfect balance of food and wine indulgence.

Irongate Kitchen – A Brunch Favourite

A visit to the Hunter Valley often starts with a great coffee, and Irongate Kitchen is a local favourite for good reason. Known for its relaxed setting and consistently excellent breakfast and brunch offerings, it’s the perfect way to begin a day of exploring.

From fresh pastries and wholesome breakfast plates to quality coffee, Irongate Kitchen provides a welcoming start before heading off to discover Hunter Valley cellar doors. If you’re mapping out your itinerary of things to do in the Hunter Valley, this is an easy and satisfying first stop.

EXP. – A Refined Paddock-to-Plate Experience

For those seeking an elevated dining experience, EXP. offers a truly memorable degustation journey. Focused on seasonal and locally sourced produce, EXP. celebrates the best of the Hunter Valley through a carefully curated multi-course menu.

This is the place for special occasions, anniversaries, or visitors wanting to immerse themselves in the region’s premium food culture. Much like a Hunter Valley wine tasting, the experience here is thoughtful, intentional and designed to tell a story through flavour.

Breakfast in the Vines at Latitude 32 Wines

While the Hunter Valley offers incredible restaurants, some of the most unique dining experiences can be found at its cellar doors. At Latitude 32 Wines, we invite guests to begin their day with our Breakfast in the Vines experience.

Set amongst the vineyard rows, this relaxed breakfast offers a scenic and peaceful start to your morning. Enjoy a thoughtfully curated breakfast spread while taking in panoramic vineyard views and the fresh country air. It’s an experience designed to slow the pace and allow you to truly connect with the beauty of the Hunter Valley.

After breakfast, step into our Hunter Valley cellar door for a guided tasting. Our team will introduce you to our wines, share the story behind Latitude 32, and help you discover your favourites. Combining a vineyard breakfast with a cellar door experience is one of the most memorable things to do in the Hunter Valley, and a perfect way to begin a day of regional exploration.

A Culinary Destination Beyond Wine

The Hunter Valley is not just about exceptional wine; it’s about community, collaboration and showcasing the best of the region. Restaurants, cafes, breweries and cellar doors all work together to create an unforgettable visitor experience.

From relaxed farm dining at Four Pines at The Farm to refined degustation at EXP., casual brunch at Irongate Kitchen, bold flavours at Jimmy Joans, and vineyard breakfasts at Latitude 32 Wines, there is truly something for every taste and occasion.

When planning your next visit, don’t just book a wine tasting, plan a full culinary journey. Explore multiple Hunter Valley cellar doors, support local restaurants, and immerse yourself in the region’s thriving food culture.

What the Team at Latitude 32 Are Drinking – Volume 1: Adam’s Vintage Survival Kit

Posted on by David White

Vintage at a winery is a bit like a festival, a marathon and a logistics exercise all rolled into one… except it lasts weeks, everyone’s tired, and the stakes are very real.

So, this month, we’re starting the series with the person right in the thick of it: our winemaker, Adam.

And the truth?
During vintage, winemakers don’t just drink wine.

They drink whatever gets them through.

Adam’s Rule for Vintage Drinking
“Keep it cold. Keep it refreshing. Keep it simple.”

Vintage days start early, finish late and rarely go to plan. You taste constantly, fruit, ferments, tanks, barrels, so when it comes time to actually drink, the last thing you want is something heavy or overthought.

Right now, Adam’s fridge looks like this:

Beer (plenty of it)
Yes, really. It’s the unofficial fuel of vintage. After a day in the winery, something cold, fizzy and uncomplicated hits the spot. No analysis. No tasting notes. Just refreshment.

Hunter Semillon
Light, crisp, and perfect in the heat. It resets the palate which is exactly the point during vintage. And it’s the perfect

Rosé
Easy, bright, and made for end-of-day wind-downs when the team finally pauses for a minute.

Chilled reds
Hunter blends and lighter styles, straight from the fridge. Fresh, juicy and made for sharing around the winery once the pumps switch off.

Why Wine Isn’t Always the Star During Vintage
People imagine winemakers drinking grand bottles every night during harvest.
Reality check: they’re exhausted. Vintage is physical. It’s problem-solving. It’s long days, sticky floors, purple hands and constant decision-making.

You’re tasting wine all day already, sometimes hundreds of micro-decisions worth. When the day ends, what you crave is:

  • something refreshing
  • something social
  • something that doesn’t require thinking

That’s why beer quietly becomes a staple in wineries everywhere. It’s the exhale at the end of the day.

The Real Vintage Ritual
It’s not the first fruit arriving.
It’s not the first ferment kicking off.

It’s that moment late afternoon when the team finally pauses, someone opens the fridge, and everyone stands around for five minutes with a cold drink in hand.

That’s vintage.

Messy. Fun. Hard work.
And the reason the wines in your glass later matter so much.

Next edition, we’ll hand baton to another team member to see what’s in their fridge when the pace slows and the season shifts.

Vintage 2026 Wrap-Up: Mud, Magic & a Lot of Great Fruit

Posted on by David White

The fruit for Vintage 2026 is officially off our vineyards here in the Hunter Valley, and what a ride it’s been.

Harvest is equal parts chaos, adrenaline and magic. Early mornings. Late nights. Watching the weather like it’s a competitive sport. Living off coffee, beer (yes there was plenty of that consumed) and “we’ll eat later” promises. It’s messy, exhausting and completely addictive, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Because this is the moment the year’s work becomes wine.

Every vintage has its own personality, and 2026 kept us sharp from start to finish. Picking windows came fast. Decisions mattered. Instinct mattered. There were times we moved quickly, times we waited it out, and plenty of moments where experience quietly did the talking.

Out in the vineyard, all the hard work we put into soil health, cover cropping and regenerative practices paid off in spades. Healthy vines, balanced fruit and loads of flavour, exactly what we’re chasing at Latitude 32.

The whites are already bursting with freshness and energy. The reds? Deep, structured and full of character. It’s early days, but there’s a definite buzz around the winery about what 2026 is shaping up to be.

Inside, the pace has shifted. The rush of harvest has given way to the slower, more thoughtful rhythm of winemaking. Ferments bubbling. Barrels filling. Decisions made carefully, quietly, deliberately.

This is where science meets instinct… and a little bit of magic.

But the real story of vintage is always the people behind it. Our vineyard crew living and breathing every block. Our winemaker, Adam, guiding picking calls and ferments with calm confidence. Paul, our cellarhand, in the winery just getting it done, day in, day out. And Emma, our owner, often dressed more for a long lunch than a working winery in long colourful dresses, gliding between the vines and the winery, asking questions, lending a hand, tasting a few already-fermented wines from past vintages and calling it all part of “quality control.”

Our Marketing & Operations Manager turning up for 6am sunrise photo shoots, then back again in the afternoon checking tank temperatures and ferments, not exactly in her original job description, but very much part of how we work. And Sean, our Cellar Door Manager, holding the fort during the busiest time of year, pouring juice samples for guests, sharing the harvest story, then popping into the winery at the end of the day to see what magic was created during that day. All focus, all curiosity… Adam has never had this much company in the winery.

Everyone mucks in. Everyone shows up. Everyone pulls in the same direction.

It’s hard work. It’s physical. It’s relentless at times. But it’s also incredibly rewarding because wine isn’t just made to store in the cellar.  It’s made for tables. For celebrations. For long lunches, spontaneous dinners and those “just one glass” nights that turn into three.

That’s what drives us. Wines that feel alive. Wines that people actually want to drink. Wines with personality.

Vintage might look like the finish line from the outside, but for us it’s just the starting point. Now the juice starts to turn into wine, evolve and slowly find their voice before making their way into bottle and, eventually, into your glass.

And if the early signs are anything to go by… 2026 is going to be a seriously fun one to drink.

Breakfast in the Vines: Your New Favourite Way to Start the Day

Posted on by David White

Forget rushing to a café or grabbing something on the go. This is morning, vineyard-style.

Breakfast in the Vines is all about slowing down, soaking up the fresh Hunter Valley air and starting the day somewhere a little unexpected, right in the middle of the vineyard, surrounded by rows of vines and golden morning light.

It’s relaxed, it’s beautiful, and it’s designed for everyone. Families with kids. Non-drinkers. Couples. Friends. The “we deserve a treat” crowd. The “we’re on holidays so why not?” crowd. There’s no one way to do it,  and that’s exactly the point.

You’ll be welcomed with a generous breakfast hamper filled with fresh, local goodies,  a mix of sweet and savoury bites, seasonal fruit, pastries and a few surprises along the way. Think picnic vibes, but elevated. Comfortable, delicious and made to be enjoyed at your own pace.

For those who want to indulge, yes,  there’s wine. Because sometimes a morning glass in the vineyard just feels right. For non-drinkers, there are equally thoughtful options so no one misses out. And for kids? Space to explore, things to nibble on and the novelty of breakfast somewhere far more exciting than the kitchen table.

This isn’t a formal tasting or a structured experience. It’s about atmosphere. Sitting among the vines while the day wakes up. Birds overhead. Sun warming the rows. A sense that you’ve found a moment most people drive straight past.

Some guests come for a relaxed start before a day of exploring. Some come to celebrate a birthday, a visit from interstate or simply being together. Some just want a quiet moment, good food and a beautiful view. However you arrive, the experience meets you there.

And that’s the magic of it,  it feels special without being complicated. Easy without being ordinary. A little indulgent, but completely down-to-earth.

After breakfast, the day naturally unfolds. Wander back to the cellar door, for a tasting with our expert Host. Then head off to explore the region. Let the kids burn off energy. Or just sit a little longer and take it all in.

Because sometimes the best moments aren’t the big ones. They’re the simple ones done really well, good food, great company and a vineyard waking up around you.

Breakfast in the Vines isn’t just a meal. It’s a mood. And it might just become your favourite way to start the day in the Hunter Valley.

Press Release – Wonnarua Series

Posted on by David White
Latitude 32 Launches the Wonnarua Range of Wines: A Deeply Rooted Collaboration Honouring Country, Beginning with Land

Latitude 32 Wines has today announced the release of its Wonnarua Range, a new series of wines created in partnership with the Wonnarua People, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the winery stands in Pokolbin, Australia’s oldest wine region.

For Latitude 32, place has always been at the centre of its purpose. The winery is named after the 32nd parallel of the Earth’s equatorial plane on which the vineyard sits, anchoring its identity firmly to the land. Founder Emma White has long believed that understanding wine means going further than the region and its terroir, it’s about the fruit and the land it’s grown on.

This exciting collaboration aligns with the heart of Latitude 32’s philosophy: wine does not begin in the winery, wine begins in the soil. And the soil itself carries stories of thousands of years of Wonnarua custodianship.

“We always say that wine begins with fruit, and fruit begins with land,” White said. “But even that isn’t the full story. The land we farm today was shaped by the Wonnarua People long before vines were ever planted. Their care, knowledge and connection to Country, this is the real beginning of every bottle we make.”

“We’ve always believed that provenance is everything. At Latitude 32, we see wine through a consumer lens: the joy, meaning and connection people find in every bottle. For us, wine doesn’t begin with who planted the vines decades or even centuries ago, it begins with the land that made it possible. Fruit is key, the vineyard is where the magic happens, and we’re privileged to be caretakers of lands in Pokolbin which produce award winning wines. The Hunter Valley is special not because of us, or those who came before us, but because of Wonnarua Country. That’s why giving back to this community really matters to us.”

The Wonnarua Range of wines has been designed to honour this story of land and purpose. Ten percent of all profits from each bottle will be donated directly to the local Aboriginal Land Council, supporting cultural, environmental and community-led projects that strengthen Country and the people connected to it.

“The energy of this land, its spirit, its history, its rhythm, is present in every bottle we make. We’re not claiming that as something unique to us; every winery here in the Hunter Valley is ultimately shaped by the Wonnarua Country. But we believe acknowledging and recognising this matters. We are hugely grateful for the lands we grow and make wine on and want to give back to the people who have cared for it for thousands of years.”

At the centre of the range is a powerful collaboration between two influential women: local Wonnarua artist Brooklyn Burgess, whose artwork reflects the movement, energy and spirit of Country; and Emma White, founder of Latitude 32 whose wines are shaped by the very soil the artist is depicting.

Each label carries with it meaningful artwork which represents pathways, watercourses, landforms and cultural connections that existed long before viticulture. The back label shares Brooklyn’s artistic interpretation, ensuring her voice remains present on every bottle.

“This isn’t a grape-to-glass story,” White said. “That language stops too early. Our wines are really soil to the stores we share over every sip, a recognition that the ground beneath us holds history, culture and thousands of years of knowledge. When someone opens a bottle from the Wonnarua Range, they’re not just drinking a glass of wine. They’re honouring a lineage of care for Country.”

The start of our this exciting ongoing partnership, The Wonnarua Range launches with two wines: a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay, both sourced from fruit gown in their Duck Hollow Vineyard in the heart of Pokolbin, which was planted 46 years ago. These wines are available for purchase through the Latitude 32 cellar door and website: latitude32wines.com.

A Perfect Day Spent in the Hunter Valley: From Sunrise to Cellar Door

Posted on by David White

If you’re searching for the ultimate guide to things to do in the Hunter Valley, let us take you through the perfect day – from sunrise above the vines to a relaxing afternoon at a welcoming Hunter Valley cellar door. The Hunter Valley is more than just a wine region; it’s a destination filled with breathtaking landscapes, artisan producers, and unforgettable experiences that showcase the very best of our region.

Sunrise Over the Vines

Start your day early with a magical hot air balloon flight with Balloon Aloft Hunter Valley. Floating gently above the vineyards as the sun rises is one of the most iconic Hunter Valley wine experiences. From the air, you’ll see rolling vines, gum trees, and the Brokenback Range bathed in golden light, a peaceful and unforgettable way to begin your adventure.

After landing, many tours include a celebratory breakfast, setting you up perfectly for a full day exploring the region.

Morning Stroll Through Hunter Valley Gardens

Next, head to Hunter Valley Gardens, one of the region’s most loved attractions. Spanning 14 hectares, these beautifully themed gardens offer everything from formal rose displays to whimsical storybook settings. It’s a lovely way to slow the pace after your early start and soak in the natural beauty that makes the Hunter Valley so special.

The Gardens are perfect for couples, families, and groups of friends looking for relaxed things to do in the Hunter Valley beyond wine tasting. Seasonal events and festivals throughout the year make every visit a little different.

Indulge in Local Cheese

No Hunter Valley day trip is complete without sampling some of our incredible local produce. Stop in at Hunter Valley Cheese Company to taste handcrafted cheeses made onsite. From creamy brie to sharp cheddar, their range pairs beautifully with Hunter Valley wines and makes for delicious picnic additions.

Lunch in the Vines at Latitude 32 Wines

By late morning, it’s time to slow down and truly savour the region. Make your way to Latitude 32 Wines for a relaxed and memorable Hunter Valley cellar door experience.

Begin with a guided wine tasting inside our welcoming cellar door, where you’ll discover our story, our passion for winemaking, and the unique characteristics of our vineyard. Our team will guide you through a selection of our award-winning wines, explaining the flavour profiles and ideal food pairings. This is what a true Hunter Valley cellar door experience is all about – connection, education, and enjoyment.

After your tasting, it’s time for the highlight of your day: a Picnic in the Vines.

Collect your gourmet picnic hamper and wander out to your private spot nestled among the vineyard rows. Surrounded by sweeping views and fresh country air, you’ll enjoy a carefully curated selection of local produce — alongside a glass or bottle of your favourite Latitude 32 wine.

A vineyard picnic is one of the most relaxing and indulgent things to do in the Hunter Valley. There’s no rush, no strict schedule – just good food, great wine, and uninterrupted time to unwind. It’s the perfect way to connect with friends, celebrate a special occasion, or simply embrace a slower pace for the afternoon.

Afternoon Exploring Boutique Cellar Doors

Once you’ve finished your picnic, the afternoon is ideal for exploring more of what makes the Hunter Valley wine region so diverse. The beauty of the area lies in its mix of boutique and larger wineries, each offering something a little different.

Choosing a few nearby cellar doors to visit allows you to experience the variety of styles and personalities that make Hunter Valley wine experiences so unique. From Semillon to Shiraz, sparkling to rosé, every stop tells a different story.

A Relaxed Finish to the Day

As the sun begins to dip lower, you might choose to return to Hunter Valley Gardens for an evening event, enjoy dinner at one of the region’s award-winning restaurants, or simply take a scenic drive through the vineyards as the landscape changes colour.

What makes a day spent in the Hunter Valley truly unforgettable isn’t just one activity, it’s the way everything flows together. The sunrise adventure, the artisan stops, the welcoming cellar doors, and the long, lazy lunch among the vines all combine to create something special.

At Latitude 32 Wines, we’re proud to be part of this vibrant region. Supporting local businesses, collaborating with producers, and encouraging visitors to explore widely is at the heart of what we do. When you plan your itinerary around a mix of experiences, including a vineyard picnic and cellar door tasting, you’re not just visiting one winery; you’re immersing yourself in the entire Hunter Valley community.

If you’re looking for unforgettable things to do in the Hunter Valley, start your day with adventure, fill it with flavour, and finish it with a relaxed and memorable Hunter Valley cellar door experience at Latitude 32 Wines. We’ll have the picnic ready.