Oakvale Wines — Attraction in Pokolbin

I attended Oakvale in Nov 2020 as part of a wine tour. This was the 4th winery in our trip of 6, and before this trip I had maybe 2 sips of wine and had never enjoyed it. By this point in the tour, I was tired and had been pushed into a babysitter-style role of looking after our loudest (drunkest) members. After tasting so many wines and being put off from the variety of tastes, I was exhausted.

Aiden served us our drinks, and I had originally declined to taste after the previous wineries tastings. However after a sip of a friend's glass I changed my mind. Oakvale was the only winery I truly enjoyed, however I do not believe this was not solely due to the wines. Aiden was a spectacular host, he told his own stories about each wine, engaged the group, and overall was a wonderful host.

I can't be sure if it was the wines themselves, or the way Aiden weaved the flavour into his words, but to this day Oakvale are the only wines I enjoy drinking.

If you are having doubts about ordering these wines, don't! Their Semillon Demi-Sec is wonderful, as well as their Verdelho, Bellini and Apple Cider. While I personally am not a red or rose fan, the others in my group found these beautiful as well. Cannot recommend these...

Well where to begin, like some wineries Oakvale charges a tasting fee but it’s not for their own pockets it goes to charity. A good way to chase off those looking for a free piss up while rewarding the people doing genuine tastings, it certainly adds to the good feel vibe at the winery.

Now for the wines. Lots to choose from, lovely traditional wines (Shiraz,Chardonnay) but also some fun experimentation such as the Bellini bubbles, they’ve added a slight amount of peach juice to the mix before fermentation which smells divine and still holds onto its sparkling features alongside those peach flavours.

The venue is nice and small, a good number of outdoor seating give the place a wonderful local and small business feel, low volume music plays while you do the tasting either at the bar or at a table outside.

Best of all is the people though. We were in the wonderful hands of Johnny who was personable, knowledgeable and above all else FUN. He took care of us fantastically and we cannot wait to revisit...

Our visit to Oakvale Winery was a delightful experience! I stopped in with my husband, who doesn’t drink wine, but he was happy to enjoy a delicious chocolate milkshake while I savored their wine tasting experience. Oakvale is one of only three wineries in the Hunter Valley that offers organic wines, and their selection did not disappoint. The standouts for me were the Semillon “Demi-Sec” and their organic Shiraz, both unique and exceptional in flavor. I was also pleasantly surprised by their Apple Cider – it was incredibly refreshing and tasty!

The staff at Oakvale made our visit even more memorable. Joel was especially fantastic; he was attentive, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the wines, which really added depth to the tasting experience. I ended up purchasing some wine and apple cider to take home, and I’m already looking forward to coming back.

Highly recommend Oakvale Winery for anyone visiting the Hunter Valley – whether you’re a wine lover or not, there’s something for...