Centennial Vineyards, Southern Highlands: Why visit this Bowral winery?
The restaurant is the star at Centennial Vineyards in the Southern Highlands, NSW. But this Bowral winery also offers high teas and chocolate-pairing sessions.
Centennial Vineyards in Bowral, NSW, is one of those wineries that’s really better known for something other than the wine. In this case, it’s the restaurant.
Wine-tasting at Centennial Vineyards
That said, you can have a perfectly lovely wine-tasting session at the Centennial Vineyards cellar door. The wines have won awards, and there’s a good range of varietals to sample. The grapes grown over more than 80 acres include chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris, pinot meunier and tempranillo.
5 great Southern Highlands experiences to boost your visit
- Personalised private Southern Highlands wine and attractions tours – tailored to your tastes.
- Tutored wine-tasting and canapes experience.
- Beekeeping experience – learn how honey is made.
- Guided wine-tasting at the Mill – with tasting notes procided.
- Behind the scenes tour of a sustainable winery in Berrima.
Tastings cost $10 per person and last about 45 minutes, but that lets you at a selection of 10 wines. If you buy a bottle of wine at the end, you get half of that tasting fee back.
It’s also possible to book a wine and chocolate pairing experience. This costs $35 and includes four Centennial Vineyards wines paired with Belgian couverture chocolates made by Adora Handmade Chocolates.
Centennial Vineyards restaurant
The restaurant is the main attraction at this Southern Highlands winery, though. The setting amongst the vines is understandably impressive, but the food is a winner, too. The menus change seasonally, and focus on fresh local produce from the surrounding area. Example dishes include twice-cooked duck leg with spiced plum chutney, apple and radish salad and pinot glaze for $40.
It’s also possible to go for high tea at the Centennial Vineyards restaurant. There are several high tea menu options, but the package costs from $50 per person. See the winery website for more information.
The Sydney to Bowral drive takes just under an hour-and-a-half. Once in Bowral, you can visit the International Cricket Hall of Fame and stay at the atmospheric Berida Hotel or Milton Park.
Other Southern Highlands wineries include Tertini Wines, Artemis Wines and the Hermitage Winery in Mittagong, plus the Bendooley Estate in Berrima.
If nature is more your thing, try Lake Alexandra in Mittagong, Fitzroy Falls or Belmore Falls in the Morton National Park, and Carrington Falls in the Budderoo National Park.