Yarrawa Estate, NSW

Susan and Mark Foster established Yarrawa Estate on a remote escarpment in Kangaroo Valley in 1998, planting a wide variety of trees (think macadamia, walnut and pecan) and 2.5 hectares of verdelho, chardonnay, chambourcin, shiraz, merlot and cabernet sauvignon grapes.

Getting there is something of an adventure, as you follow wooden signs upwards from Kangaroo Valley village to the estate, where you’ll be welcomed like family. In fact, the “cellar door” is the Fosters’ dining room, where, to the enthusiastic wagging of tails by the family’s Labradors, you can taste some of Yarrawa’s offerings, including a fabulous walnut liqueur wine.

Sue’s cheese plates, replete with homemade delicacies like jams and pickles – all made from produce grown on the estate – are the perfect accompaniment. On a sunny day, take a perch outside and breathe in the views over the small lake and the lush valley beyond.

You can tour the beautiful patch of land (you need to book), and buy seasonal farm produce, too.