Vinden Wines

Vinden Wines was founded in 1990 and is now under the guidance of the second-generation winemaker and viticulturist Angus Vinden. Since taking over in 2015, Angus has maintained the original label which possesses a traditional Hunter style as well as producing his offshoot label allowing a more experimental approach ‘The Vinden Headcase’; balancing tradition with innovation.

I believe it is my responsibility, just as O’shea did up on the old hill, to continually redefine and reinvent the Hunter Valley. Tradition is not stagnant; it should constantly be redefined as we learn from the previous generation. – Angus Vinden

The two vineyard sites are the Vinden Estate and old vine blocks at Somerset Vineyard in Pokolbin, where Angus was mentored under the late, fifth-generation grower Glen Howard.

Vinden Wines Vineyard was first planted in 1995 - the soil is heavy red clay; Shiraz, Mourvedre, Gamay and Alicante are grown here. Somerset Vineyard was originally planted in 1891, however during WWII the vines were pulled as demand for war time food outweighed grapes. Fortunately in 1965, replanting began to re-establish one of the great sites in the original Parish of Pokolbin. As a hillside site it has both fine sandy loam soils and boasts a limestone hillside with granular red volcanic clay; Shiraz, Tempranillo, Chardonnay, Semillon, Verdelho, Gewurztraminer and Chenin Blanc are grown here. Vinden Wines handcraft their wines with minimal intervention on-site from hand-picked grapes.

Recent Awards

• 22nd Best Winery in Australia | The Real Review, 2020 
• Top 50 Winemakers in Australia | Young Gun Of Wine, 2020
• 5 Red Stars | James Halliday’s Wine Companion, 2020
• Winner: ‘Best Accommodation, Hunter Valley’ - Gourmet Traveller Wine, 2020 Cellar Door Awards
• Rising Star of the Hunter Valley | Hunter Valley Wine Tourism Association, 2019

Cellar Door

• 138 Gillards Road, Pokolbin, NSW 2320 | 0488 777 493
• Cellar Door Opening Hours: Daily | 10am — 5pm
• The Cellar Door overlooks the vineyard and winery, and has both indoor and al fresco seating available. It is wheelchair accessible, and both child and dog-friendly. Bookings are essential on weekends, with walk-ins welcome during the week.
• Tastings cost $10pp (45mins) and are redeemable when purchasing a bottle of wine.