Outclassing more than 1700* cellar doors in Australia, Logan Wines in Mudgee recently won the title of Gourmet Traveller’s Best Cellar Door Experience, which is no mean feat considering the amazing cellar doors stationed all over our fabulous wine-producing country.
And having spent a good few hours at Logan’s cellar door over Easter, it became very clear why it was given such a prestigious award. There are few wineries who know how to look after their customers and give the whole family a remarkable experience.
Logan Wines is a family-owned and family-operated winery. Winemaker Peter Logan makes the wines and his wife Hannah runs the business. Peter came to his winemaking career after a short stint as a process chemist – a backpacking trip through Europe confirmed his niggling instinct that winemaking was the industry for him and the rest is history.
The cellar door features an amazing glass-walled gallery that captures stunning views over Apple Tree Flat and features one of the most considered cellar door designs in the country, but for us, it was the whole experience at the cellar door that made our visit so memorable.
Designated drivers are catered for with great coffee, the kids were given fruit drinks to keep them occupied as soon as they walked in and, most importantly, the entire range of wines was superb and truly represented the best that the regions of Mudgee and Orange have to offer.
When we visited it was Easter weekend, and thankfully, there was plenty to keep the kids occupied while we tasted our way through the range. Blackboards on the hillside and calico tents to draw on were a hit – the kids happily played chasings in and out of the tents and created masterpieces on the blackboards. This is hands down the best cellar door we’ve visited with the kids – we had to drag them out of there in tears because they were having so much fun.
There’s no formal restaurant but tasting plates, cheese platters and a selection of cakes were available for visitors.
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WINES TO TRY
Logan produces four ranges of wine – Apple Tree Flat, Weemala, Logan and a new range called Ridge of Tears. There’s something for everyone. We walked out of the winery armed with a range of great wines to take home (and ready to share with friends at the end of the trip!), including:
- Logan Vintage “M” Cuvee – made in the traditional Champagne method, and named after Peter’s late father, Malcolm.
- 2012 Weemala Riesling – it’s easy to see why this topped the list at the recent Summer of Riesling tastings in Sydney.
- 2012 Weemala Shiraz Viognier – the interesting red and white grape blend.
- 2010 Ridge of Tears Orange Shiraz – a delightful wine but seriously has one of the coolest and most memorable wine labels I’ve seen, depicting an aging Peter Logan in an illustration format.
Unfortunately the cellar door had sold out of one of my absolute favourites, the 2012 Hannah Rose, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Shiraz, but it may be back in stock when you visit, so be sure to stock up!
If you’re heading to Mudgee, this is a fantastic place to visit. It will certainly be an experience our family will remember for years to come – well done to the whole Logan team!
Find Logan Wines at:
Castlereagh Highway, Apple Tree Flat, Mudgee NSW 2850,
ph 02 6373 1390,
* Cellar door numbers sourced from 2012 Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry Directory.
