Lovedale is east of Pokolbin, flatter and more open, with cellar doors strung along Lovedale Road rather than packed together. Several family-run restaurants sit among them, so it works as a run of stops along one road more than a single cluster.
The area has a long link to Semillon, the Hunter’s tight, age-worthy white, and Shiraz and Chardonnay round out the plantings. Many of the wineries date from the 1990s and are still in family hands, which shows in cellar doors that stay low-key.
The quieter feel costs you more driving between stops. Set your order before you go, keep the day to a few places, and arrange transport if tastings are the main event, because the gaps between venues are real.
