Our Little Black Book
These are the places, locations and little discoveries we'd happily share with our closest friends. The best recommendations are the ones passed from one traveller to the next, often over coffee, across a dinner table or while lingering at a cellar door.
If you’re only visiting one cellar door...
Lowe Family Wine Co. ~ A place where great wine, seasonal food and the landscape come together beautifully.
A killer coffee?
Gigi's if you're staying in, of course! Old Wheels Grind if you're heading into town and enjoy coffee and doughnuts! You can’t go past The Barn at Blue Wren.
Where we would spend a rainy afternoon...
Browse the Mudgee Arts Precinct, find a cosy cafe, watch the weather become part of the day. Unwind with an infrared sauna and float therapy at Jila Wellness, followed by handmade chocolate from Spencer Cocoa.
The one thing we’d always take home...
A bottle of local olive oil from Rylstone Olive Press. You’ll think of Mudgee every time you cook with it.
Remember to always pack...
A picnic rug in your boot.
One thing worth waking up early for?
Watching the valley slowly come to life over your first coffee.
Where to for golden hour?
Return to The Clairfield. A swim if the afternoon is warm. A treatment at Jila if rest is calling. Or perhaps simply a book beneath the trees, sipping on cocktails during happy hour with nowhere to be until dinner. These are often the moments guests tell us they remember most.
Where to as evening falls?
Let someone else cook. Order another bottle. Share dessert. Stay a little longer than you meant to. The best evenings in Mudgee rarely follow a schedule.
Our favourite time of day...
Just before sunset. When the vineyards turn gold and everyone sips on their glass of choice.
The best picnic spot?
Bunnamagoo Estate Wines with a hamper and a bottle of wine... that view!
Where do we linger the longest?
Around the table at Gigi’s.
The first place we’d take a first time visitor?
The Drip ~ Country roads, towering sandstone cliffs and a walk that rewards those who take their time.
Where do locals take visitors?
High Valley Cheese Co. ~ Pick up a few local cheeses, then find somewhere scenic for a picnic.
Our favourite drive?
The road to Rylstone.
The most underrated experience?
Talking to the person who made what you’re about to buy.
Travelling with children?
Head to Clover Cellars ~ Lawn games, open space and a relaxed atmosphere where little ones can play while the grown-ups enjoy a tasting. Honey Haven also has a putt-putt course & group tastings.
Before you leave...
Take the longer road home. Stop in Gulgong for coffee, wander the historic streets, browse an antique store or two and leave with something small to remind you of the weekend.
If you have…
ONE MORNING -
Start with breakfast at Gigi's, then wander into town while it's still quiet. Browse the bookshop, discover a gallery and let the morning unfold without a plan.
ONE MORE DAY -
Take the scenic drive to Rylstone. Linger over lunch at 29 Nine 99. Visit De Beaurepaire Wines. Continue on to Ganguddy for an afternoon by the water. Take the long way home.
ONE AFTERNOON -
Choose Rosby Wines & Gallery. Wander through the sculpture garden, enjoy a tasting and take your time. If the day allows, continue to Pipeclay Pumphouse for a long lunch overlooking the water.
