Belford: Vineyards and Highland Cow Experience

Belford in the Hunter Valley combines winegrowing with a rural setting of gently rolling fields, vineyards and ponds. Visitors can enjoy a range of experiences here: a tour of the vineyards and winery, insights into grape varieties, and a bookable Highland Cow Experience. This mix makes Belford an appealing choice if you want to plan your stay not only around accommodation but also around specific experiences in the area.

Experience and discover winegrowing

At Ziliotto Wines, a tour takes you through the vineyards and winery. You can walk between the vine rows, learn about Italian grape varieties such as Nero d’Avola, Negroamaro and Pecorino, and taste the wines. Tours are offered on Saturdays and Sundays; a booking enquiry is part of the planning process. David Hook Wines takes a different approach to describing its wines: the winery produces single-vineyard wines from Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz, the Hunter Valley’s traditional grape varieties, as well as emerging Italian varieties such as Pinot Grigio and Barbera. In Belford, regional classics meet Italian varieties, while the Ziliotto tour combines a walk through the vine rows with a tasting.

A booked animal encounter

At Squire’s Vineyard, you can feed and brush Pablo and Donnie if you book in advance. The Highland Cow Experience also includes a guided wine tasting and a platter of small bites. The animal activity is weather-dependent; closed-toe shoes or boots are required to access the paddock. So, when planning this experience, consider not only the tasting but also the weather and your footwear.

Landscape and vineyard history

Squire’s Vineyard is a private, 100-acre estate with gently rolling fields, vineyards and ponds. The property also provides a setting for destination weddings; you should confirm availability for an event directly. The region’s winegrowing history also includes the vineyard formerly known as “Belford vineyard”. It is located on Ridgeview Estate in Belford, at the end of Sweetwater Road, and was planted in 1998. According to the operator, it was almost certainly planted with the same Shiraz clone (1654) as the original Sweetwater vineyard. The original vineyard is no longer accessible.

Belford as a destination in the Hunter Valley

Located on the New England Highway, Belford is in the Hunter Valley, ten minutes south of Singleton. When planning, note that the two experiences have different requirements: Ziliotto’s tour is available on Saturdays and Sundays, while the Highland Cow Experience is weather-dependent and must be booked in advance. One activity has specified days of the week; the other is subject to weather conditions. If you want to focus on the wine and landscape experiences described here, a holiday rental in Belford is an obvious place to start looking. Elsewhere in the Hunter Valley, Bramblewood Fruit Wines is the region’s only fruit winery, adding fruit wine to the region’s wine offerings.

Discover more destinations: Raymond Terrace, Cessnock, Charlestown, Swansea, Salamander Bay, Maryville, Soldiers Point, Tanilba Bay

For the broader travel overview: Newcastle.