A guide to the Southern Highlands Best Wineries

The Best Wineries to Visit in the Southern Highlands

Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, the Southern Highlands is one of NSW’s most beautiful cool-climate wine regions. With rolling vineyards, historic country towns, beautiful cellar doors and a growing community of boutique producers, it’s the perfect place to spend a day, or better yet, a weekend exploring local wine.

The region is home to more than 60 vineyards and a growing collection of cellar doors, each offering something a little different. From long lunches and grand estates to intimate tastings, sustainable vineyards and family-run wineries, there’s plenty to discover beyond the bottle.

Planning a Southern Highlands winery day?

One of the best things about visiting the region is that you don’t have to stick to one winery. Build your own wine trail and explore a few different cellar doors across Bowral, Mittagong, Berrima, Sutton Forest and Exeter.

Here are a few local favourites to add to your list.

Dawning Day Winery & Distillery, Exeter

Of course, we’d love to see you at Dawning Day.

Tucked away in Exeter, Dawning Day is a small family-owned winery, distillery and cellar door. We grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay alongside a collection of cool-climate wines made from grapes sourced across NSW.

Come for a relaxed tasting, stay for a glass of wine and a wander through the vineyard. Our cellar door is also home to small-batch spirits including gin, vodka and limoncello, with our resident wine dogs never too far away.

If you’re looking for something a little different, you can even stay overnight in our private Barn — making Dawning Day an easy addition to a Southern Highlands weekend.

Centennial Vineyards, Bowral

Just outside Bowral, Centennial Vineyards is one of the region’s best-known wine destinations, with an extensive vineyard, cellar door, terrace and restaurant.

The estate produces a broad range of cool-climate wines, from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling but most well known for Traditional Methode Sparkling and alternative varieties. It’s a great option if you’re looking to combine wine with a longer lunch or spend a few hours enjoying the views.

Bendooley Estate, Berrima

For a classic Southern Highlands country escape, Bendooley Estate is hard to beat. Set on a beautiful historic property near Berrima, the estate combines wine, food, gardens and the famous Berkelouw Book Barn.

Visit the cellar door for a tasting, settle in for lunch or explore the property before heading into Berrima village.

Artemis Wines, Mittagong

A family-run winery just outside Mittagong, Artemis Wines has been part of the Southern Highlands wine story for more than three decades and is particularly well known for Pinot Noir.

The rustic cellar door has plenty of character, with a relaxed atmosphere that makes it an easy stop on a Southern Highlands wine trail. Wood-fired pizza available on weekends makes it a perfect stop for a relaxed lunch.

Sondara Estate, Woodlands

For something more intimate, make a booking at Sondara Estate. This family-owned vineyard offers a personal cellar door experience where visitors can spend time with the people behind the wine and learn more about the property.

It’s the kind of experience that captures what makes visiting smaller Southern Highlands wineries so special, less about rushing through a tasting and more about taking your time.

Cherry Tree Hill Wines, Sutton Forest

Set amongst the rolling countryside of Sutton Forest, Cherry Tree Hill Wines is a boutique Southern Highlands winery known for its cool-climate wines and relaxed cellar door experience. It’s a lovely stop for visitors wanting to explore some of the region’s smaller producers and experience the more personal side of Southern Highlands wine.

Make weekend of it

The best way to experience the Southern Highlands wine region is not to rush. Pick a few cellar doors, leave plenty of time between tastings and make a weekend of it by exploring the villages, restaurants, gardens and countryside along the way.

Berrima, Bowral, Mittagong, Sutton Forest and Exeter all offer their own take on the region, and there are plenty of places to eat and stay between cellar doors.

For a complete list of local producers and cellar doors, take a look at the Destination Southern Highlands wine trail before you plan your route.

And if you’re heading our way, we’d love to welcome you to Dawning Day. Come for the wine, stay for the countryside and say hello to the dogs while you’re here.