D'Vine Wine and Food Festival: Hunter Valley 2026

The Hunter Valley is about to get busy again, and if you're after a weekend of good wine and food, the D'Vine Wine and Food Festival is the one to circle. The 2026 edition runs from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September, and this year's theme, 'Meet your Makers', is built around getting you closer to the people behind the produce rather than just the bottles on the table.

The whole thing is centred on the Around Hermitage Wine and Food Trail along Hermitage Road in Pokolbin, right in the middle of Australia's oldest wine region, with the Brokenback mountains as the backdrop. The Around Hermitage Association runs it with support from Singleton Council, and the scale is worth a look before you commit: more than 20 festival events, 17 discovery events, 10 children's activities and 26 accommodation options spread across the weekend. That translates to cellar door visits, cultural experiences, paired tastings, casual street food, live music and plenty of chances to buy local products and artisan gourmet treats.

If you're planning your nights, there's a bit of a natural flow to it. Friday night opens with the Winemakers' Showcase, Saturday evening gives you the choice between a curated tasting at Restaurant Botanica or food truck fare at Thistle Bus Guesthouse, and Sunday winds down with Nibbles at Ned's. The Festival Hub for 2026 sits at Glandore Estate Wines and Hunter Wine Lab, which is handy because that's where a lot of the action anchors.

Getting around is one of the easier parts. A hop-on, hop-off shuttle bus runs between venues on Friday and Saturday and is included with entry, so you can leave the car at home for the first two nights. Sunday is the day to self-drive, walk, cycle or organise private transport. There's also a shopping concierge service that collects your wine and product purchases from the venues and delivers them to your accommodation or the Festival Hub, which saves you lugging a dozen bottles around all day.

A few practical things are worth knowing before you go. The dress code is smart casual, but closed footwear is required — no heels, sandals or flip-flops, which is a fair rule when you're walking between vineyards. Children under five get in free but still need an entry ticket, and while most events are family-friendly, a few are 18+, so it's worth checking each one. Responsible Service of Alcohol is in force, and no outside food or drink is allowed except water, baby food or snacks for small children. If the weather turns, most events go ahead regardless, though each venue has its own policy.

As for where to stay, the options are genuinely wide — cabins, hotels, luxury glamping, spas, Airbnbs and bed and breakfasts, with plenty of pet-friendly places. Most venues are dog-friendly as long as your dog is vaccinated, well-behaved and on a lead, though they can't go inside restaurants. One exception to note: Wombat Crossing Vineyard is strictly dog-free to protect its rescued wombats, so leave the pup at home if that's on your list. Early Bird registration saves you money on tickets and puts you in the draw for six bottles of Hunter Valley wine, plus perks like early accommodation check-in, so it's worth sorting sooner rather than later.