Beyond the Traditional: The Garden Cellars One-Stop Tastings
Tucked within the heart of the Hunter Valley Gardens Shopping Village, The Garden Cellars is more than just a cellar door—it’s a unique experience for wine, beer, and spirit enthusiasts alike.
Offering so much more than your usual cellar door, from boutique beers to liqueurs and spirits and, of course, an extraordinary wine collection, this is one stop on your visit to the valley that will please everyone in your party. With a rich history as one of the oldest cellar door complexes in the region, it has transformed from its past as the Hungerford Hill Cellar Door into a dynamic destination that caters to a variety of palates through tastings and sales. Local businessman Peter Clarke took over the struggling retail liquor outlet in 2011, seeing an opportunity to breathe new life into the venue.
“This is one of the oldest cellar doors in the Hunter Valley,” says Peter.
“The building has been here since the 1960s and was originally the cellar door for Hungerford Hill. We honour that legacy but the old adage ‘while I live, I grow’ is true, and unless you constantly evolve and change, you stagnate because the customer always wants the latest. Staying the same is never enough. We’ve developed a combination of wine and spirits
tastings that give our customers a very different experience to other tasting options in the Hunter Valley.”
Peter Clarke is no stranger to success. With a background in accounting, law and economics, he has enjoyed a diversified career in various business enterprises, including Hunter Distillery, Hunter Valley Chocolate Company and Small Mouth Vodka as well as The Garden Cellars.
Peter immediately went about expanding the store’s range beyond traditional reds and whites to include an impressive selection of craft beers, locally distilled gins, vodkas, and liqueurs, all the while remaining deeply committed to supporting the Hunter Valley’s local producers. He developed his own label, Garden Cellars, with wine crafted with grapes from their own vineyards in the Hunter Valley and select blocks from South Australia. The Garden Cellars label also stocks a wide range of liqueurs and spirits produced at their own locally based distillery using premium organic or natural ingredients. Popular flavours are Turkish delight with deliciously sweet rosewater and a pink musk finish, lychee with sweet tropical flavours and the full luscious lychee essence, and popcorn with notes of fresh buttered popcorn and a sweet finish. But
there are currently 14 Garden Cellars Spirits to choose from!
“As well as having our own Garden Cellars wine label, we currently have many Hunter Valley wines from different local producers, and we are increasing our range of local beers as much as possible,” Peter explains.
“We’re a key distribution point for many of the most respected Hunter Valley wine brands, including Audrey Wilkinson, Blueberry Hill, Leogate, and Vales Wines. Wine lovers can explore these regional favourites without visiting multiple cellar doors.
“We stock our local breweries, including Ironbark Hill, Maltnhops, Hope Estate, and Dusty Miner.
“One of our most exciting products to hit the market recently is our Pink Glitter Chill Moscato. As stunning as it is delicious, it’s flying off the shelves.”
This glittery wine is like nothing you’ve ever seen or tasted before, with its delicate pink hue and swirling edible glitter, making it a perfect gift or indulgent treat. Made on a refreshingly sweet white Moscato base, its light, sweet profile with hints of green apple and a touch of fizz has made it a best-seller—especially around Valentine’s Day. It also comes in
Pearl Glitter and is an exclusive product to The Garden Cellars. It’s proved very popular for hens’ parties, weddings, or anyone just wanting to relax on a warm summer afternoon with something special.
One of the standout features of The Garden Cellars is its dedication to tastings, available seven days per week. Unlike vineyard-based cellar doors focusing solely on wine, visitors here can enjoy a multi-faceted tasting experience, sampling everything from boutique wines to premium spirits.
“When it comes to our unique tasting experiences, we pride ourselves on the knowledge of our staff. Because we stock such a large range, customers always ask for recommendations or explanations of our products. Our staff are always happy to help and lend their knowledge. It allows our customers to connect with the products while also helping us
understand their evolving tastes so we can continue to adjust and expand our range.”
For those looking to take their tasting experience to the next level, The Garden Cellars frequently offers exclusive and limited-edition products, ensuring there’s always something new to discover – ideal for regular visitors or locals.
The Garden Cellars also curates specialty packs to enhance celebrations at certain times of the year. The Summer BBQ Pack is a must-have for outdoor entertaining, featuring a bottle of Aussie BBQ Red Chambourcin, Autumn Harvest Sweet Shiraz Cabernet, a choice of tantalising Honey Mango BBQ Sauce or bold Sour Whiskey BBQ Sauce, and a stylish pair of tongs to complete the grilling experience, all for just $60. The Autumn Harvest is a blend of Shiraz and Cabernet and,
surprisingly, is excellent served chilled. The Aussie BBQ Red, made from the Chambourcin grape, has aromas of mixed fruit and red berries with a smooth, dry finish that is ideal to accompany grilled meats.
With a warm and welcoming atmosphere, an unmatched selection, and an innovative approach to tastings, The Garden Cellars has become an essential stop for anyone visiting the Hunter Valley. Whether you’re looking for a robust red, a crisp craft beer, a locally distilled spirit, or something sparkling and whimsical like the Pink Glitter Chill Moscato, you’re guaranteed to find something that delights your taste buds. For more info or to view the range, visit www.gardencellars.com.au.
