Looking for a top spot to catch live music with vineyard views, while savouring a glass of the Hunter's finest wines? Or perhaps get your own weekend away off to a great start.
Step inside the world of Wine Country locals, where it's an end-of-week ritual to enjoy some great vino and vibes with a smooth soundtrack to boot.
Here are five Hunter wineries offering tipples and tunes every weekend.
Bimbadgen
Loads of locals like to kick-start their weekend with a sunset session at Bimbadgen Pizzeria on Fridays. From 4.30-8pm they fill the alfresco tables in the Tuscan-inspired courtyard, snacking and sipping Bimbadgen wine while enjoying the smooth sounds of local artists. There are cheese plates, charcuterie boards and half a dozen lip-smacking wood-fired pizzas with beer, cider and a range of wines by the glass or bottle. Happy hour is from 4.30-6pm, which means 50 per cent off wine purchased from the Hunter Valley range. It's also dog-friendly and kid-friendly with a grassy area where the littlies play while the adults enjoy sweeping views over The Vintage golf course and surrounding countryside.
790 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin
Saddler's Creek Wines
TGIF is also celebrated at Saddler's Creek with Twilight Friday Wine & Chill. Every Friday there's live music from 4-7pm so you can chill out with a glass or bottle of boutique wine listening to some toe-tapping tunes. It's weather permitting as the gigs are outdoors in front of the picnic tables but there's also a covered verandah and deck and, if the weather is stormy, they can move inside the cellar door. If you love wine with a bit of age, you'll be pleased to know they have a good selection of back vintages you can try and buy. During spring the Saddler's Creek food truck has a South American-themed menu, which includes casual eats such as cheesy jalapeno bites, Cubano sandwiches, tacos, burritos and more. It's a fun weekend fiesta that's family friendly and pet friendly, so it's the whole enchilada.
15 Marrowbone Road, Pokolbin
Brokenwood Wines
Brokenwood is another popular spot to listen to live music when the weekend rolls around with soloists on the Terrace Wine Bar every Friday and Saturday from 3.30-6.30pm. The Terrace is covered so it's an all-weather event with a different performer each day and there's a large range of wines by the glass, bottle or magnum and the option to have a trio tasting flight of some of Brokenwood's iconic wines, including Graveyard Shiraz. Nibbles include Sydney rock oysters, cheese and charcuterie grazing boards as well as a specials board each weekend, which often features pizzas. Children and your four-legged friends are welcome here too. They also offer free bus transfers within the Pokolbin local area, but as you'd expect, bookings are essential.
401-427 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin
Glandore Estate Wines
Each Saturday from 12.30-4.30pm the tempo ramps up at this stylish cellar door with local artists offering a relaxed playlist to unwind amid the vines. You can savour a glass of Glandore's finest wine with a cheese and charcuterie board or opt for a regular tasting of the wine range if you prefer. Alongside the Hunter classics, they have a good selection of Mediterranean varieties, including fiano and a very tasty tempranillo and nebbiolo. You can listen to a rotating group of Hunter-based musicians with a majestic mountain backdrop. Kids and canines are allowed too. To add to the sweet tunes, you can also treat yourself to a chocolate and wine tasting experience with six Glandore wines paired with six Adora chocolates. 1595 Broke Road, Pokolbin
Briar Ridge Vineyard
It's all about #SundayFunday at Briar Ridge with live music from 12.30-3.30pm every Sunday. You can spend a lazy afternoon tasting wine on the covered deck or sprawl on a picnic rug on the manicured lawns listening to local musos while tucking into a cheese plate. There's also the onsite Osteria if you want a more substantial meal, offering Italian-inspired pizzas, pasta and lasagne, along with home-style meals including Caesar salad, soup and quiche. It's a relaxed vibe where you can bring all the family, including the furry members who can enjoy a pooch platter of treats including lamb liver, kangaroo and more. There's a different artist each week with acoustic guitarist Mark Henderson booked in for a Sunday sesh on October 30.
593 Mount View Road, Mt View
Other options
If you fancy a pub, Harrigan's Irish Pub in Pokolbin, Huntlee Tavern, The Mighty in Nulkaba and Wollombi Tavern also have live music on weekends as do several restaurants/bars including Jimmy Joans on Rothbury Road, Lovedale Bar & Grill at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley and Epoch Bar at Voco Kirkton Park on Oakey Creek Road.
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