いつもは一人でワインティスティングをすることが多いのですが、今回のハンターバレーの訪問は、家族3人でティスティングすることができ、お互いに意見を交換しながら楽しく試食することができましまた。 ティスティングで次々にワインを試していく中で、自分が美味しいと思うワインを家族も同じ意見であったり、また違うこともあったりと、それぞれの意見を言い合えることが、何よりも楽しかったです。 こちらのワイナリーは、ハンターバレーの、また、オーストラリアにある数々のワイナリーとは、趣向が違います。(過去、数はそんなにも多くはありませんが、オーストラリア以外の世界各国のワイナリーに行ったことがありますが、その何処とも違う、新しいジャンルのワイナリーと言えると思います。) ブティックワイナリーと言う言葉がここまでぴったりな所も無いと思います。 ここの特徴を例えて言うなら、オシャレで高品質なオーガニックの麻シャツのような感覚のワイナリーです。(わかりにくい？) まず、ここのワインは昨今日本でも人気のナチュールワインで、全てハンドビックされた葡萄でつくられています。 また、樽も使いふるされた物を使っているとのことですが、わたしはそこまでワインに精通しているわけではないので細かな説明はできませんが、その樽の影響か、とても優しく、そらでいてフルーティーな味のワインが多いと思いました。そしてティスティングをする建物においては、ほかの多くの大手ワイナリーとは違い、どちらかというと、街角にあるビストロ やワインバーのようなつくり。 また、ワインの説明をしてくれた彼は、ワインバーでワイン談義をしているかのような、気さくでいて正直、それでいて、的確な意見を言う人でした。 こちらが、もっと知りたいことを質問すると丁寧に説明してくれ、一方、こちらが好みのワインでなかったと分かると、さらりとした説明と、会話の距離感が心地よい、そして、なんとも楽しい気持ちにさせてくれるティスティング体験ができる場所でした。 また、ワインの説明をしてくれた彼に、ティスティングしているワインの飲み頃について質問をしたときに「飲みたいときに飲めばいい、良いことがあれば飲み頃は今日だし、明日楽しいことがあれば、明日飲んでもいい」とアドバイスしていただきました。まさにワインの原点であり、それがオーストラリアワインバーの良さだと思います。 気取らず、それでいて誠実な姿勢が伝わってくる、かなりの良質なワイナリーだと思います。 次回訪問の際、こちらのレストランを拝見するのが楽しみです。 This winery is different from many wineries in the Hunter Valley and in Australia. (I have been to a few wineries in the past, but not many, and I have been to many other wineries around the world, but this is a new genre of winery.) I don't think the term "boutique winery" fits this place as well as it does. If I were to use an analogy to describe the characteristics of this winery, it would be that it feels like a fashionable, high quality organic linen shirt. (Is it hard to understand?). First of all, the wines here are naturals, which are very popular in Japan these days, and are made entirely from hand-picked grapes. I am not that familiar with wine, so I can't give you a detailed explanation, but I thought the wines tasted very gentle, soft and fruity, probably due to the barrels. The building where the tasting was held was different from many other major wineries, and was more like a bistro or wine bar on a street corner. The man who explained the wines to us was friendly, honest, and yet gave us accurate opinions, as if we were having a wine discussion at a wine bar. When I asked him what I wanted to know more about the wine, he explained in detail. On the other hand, when he found that the wine was not to my taste, he explained in a casual manner and the distance of the conversation was pleasant and made the tasting experience very enjoyable. When I asked the man who explained the wines to me about the best time to drink the wines we were tasting, he advised me to "drink when you want to drink, if something good happens, the best time to drink is today, and if something fun happens tomorrow, you can drink it tomorrow. This is exactly the origin of wine, and that is the beauty of Australian wine bars. It is a excellent quality winery that is unpretentious, yet sincere. I look forward to seeing this restaurant on my next visit.

Visited Harkham Estate on a whim. Was looking for a new (to me) Hunter winery, just to try something new and hopefully interesting. Bryce who let us taste the wines was great, the wines were delightful and the tasting room setting is a pleasure. We bought a dozen wines, of various varieties, and we’ll be back for more.

My experience at Harkham wines was truly wonderful. From the moment we arrived we were struck by the stunning view of the countryside. The beauty of the surroundings was matched by the beauty of the wine bottles themselves. Every bottle was a work of art and it was clear great care had been taken with the design and presentation of the wines. I was blown away by the depth and complexity of each of the tunes. Each sip was a new revelation and I found myself wanting to try every variety they had to offer. The service was exceptional, with friendly staff and lots of knowledge to share. They were happy to answer any questions I had and offer recommendations based on my tastes Overall the experience at Harkham wines was unforgettable. I highly recommend this winery to anyone looking for a great wine experience.

Harkham has to be the face of modern day Hunter Valley experience. You feel the unique vibe right when you enter. Add to that some incredible wines and wonderful staff. I got into the winery thinking "who plays country music in a winery?" but, it all made sense as soon as Bryce poured the Semillon - the first wine on the tasting list. It was the best Semillon I ever tasted. The wines that followed kept getting better and better. I bought a 2021 Alchimie Rose (my first Rose bottle in years) and a hark Angel Shiraz. I am definitely returning

A true highlight for everyone visiting the Hunter region looking for something a little different. With so many cellar doors, these guys have truly nailed the format to stand out. Great looking cellar door with an edge, fantastic service and some approachable and delicious natural wine. In fact, I'd even say their Old Vines Shiraz was a stand out of our entire trip. We will definitely return.

Excellent winery and tasting experience. This is a smaller winery but we always have a great time here tasting wine, very relaxed and the information they share is also very useful. Would recommend to anyone who is looking for a laid back, fun and engaging wine tasting experience. You also have to try and buy a bottle of their chocolate liqueur, so yummy!