John Wallace

John Wallace is the label Richard Done makes under his grandfathers' names, after eighteen years making wine for other Hunter estates including Scarborough, Thomas and Bimbadgen. The cellar door on Palmers Lane is small and unbothered: a $15 tasting served with a piece of artisan cheese, or a glass on the deck looking at the vines.

The range leans Italian alongside the Hunter staples, with Sangiovese, Fiano and Pinot Gris next to Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz. It opens Wednesday to Sunday, children and dogs are welcome, and the tasting is complimentary for wine crew club members and a friend. Bookings for more than eight go through the phone. It is a relaxed, low-key stop of the kind that suits a slow afternoon rather than a checklist, and a good one for tasting alternative varieties from a maker who has worked much of the region.