Bimbadgen opens new spirit tasting facility

There is a new tasting experience in the Hunter Valley where spirits are the focus. 

Bimbadgen Estate has announce its new addition: The Night Merchant’s Dark Cellar which is showcasing the Night Merchant Distillery range. 

Located adjacent to the Bimbadgen cellar door, The Night Merchant Dark Cellar invites visitors to explore two different spirit-tasting experiences, each priced at $18 per person:

GINspired: An immersive gin tasting designed for both gin lovers and curious newcomers. Guests will enjoy a selection of handcrafted, small-batch gins, each paired with complementary garnishes and Fever-Tree tonic water. This sensory journey highlights the distinguishing botanicals and flavour profiles behind each gin, offering both discovery and appreciation for this timeless spirit.

V.R.A.: A tasting flight featuring three distinct spirits; vodka, white rum and agave. This experience showcases the each style, allowing guests to compare flavour nuances and production techniques. 

“We’re excited to officially give Night Merchant Distillery a home at The Dark Cellar here at Bimbadgen, and to expand our current offerings,” says cellar door manager Jace Hughes.

“Our team has put a lot of effort into creating great products, designing engaging tasting experiences, and building a space that feels fresh and different from Bimbadgen’s other outlets. This is just the beginning, and we’re looking forward to bringing even more new experiences to life here at Bimbadgen.”

Done and dusted: all change in the Hunter Valley

There has been a changing of the guard in the Hunter Valley with Bimbadgen Estate chief winemaker Richard Done (above) resigning to concentrate on his own brand: John Wallace Wines.

Done, who learned his trade at Hunter icons Scarborough and Thomas Wines, has been chief winemaker and head of production, sales and distribution at Bimbadgen and Night Merchant Distillery for almost eight years.

John Wallace Wines has its own cellar door in Pokolbin.   

"I will be going full steam ahead with my side hustle now to be the big hustle," Done said.

"I will also be offering consulting for any wine or spirits brands that need the extra love."

Done's replacement at Bimbidgen will be familiar Hunter face Michael Hatcher,

Hatcher was the long-time general manager and winemaker at another leading Hunter producer, Hungerford Hill, when it was very high profile.

He was most recently manager and winemaker at Bunnamagoo in Mudgee.

Bimbadgen, in a prime location in Pokolbin, is one of the leading wine producers in the Hunter. 

The estate comprises two vineyards, a popular cellar door, award-winning Esca Bimbadgen restaurant, a café, an an outdoor amphitheatre. The estate hosts A Day On The Green concerts each year.

New look, new range for Hunter winery Bimbadgen

For well over four decades Bimbadgen Estate has been one of the "must visit" destinations in the Hunter Valley.

Whether you enjoy a wine tasting, a leisurely vineyard lunch or an open-air concert, Bimbadgen has a reputation for professionalism.

Now winemaker Richard Done and his team have released Bimbadgen's most widely available range with a new look and a new name.

The switch is aimed to refresh the Growers Range to broaden its appeal and more clearly differentiate between the three Bimbadgen wine portfolios.

The Growers Range will showcase Hunter Valley classics - along with new and emerging styles.

The new livery is decorating the 2022 Vermentino, 2022 Rosé and a 2021 Shiraz Cabernet, all of which are priced at a very reasonable $28 per bottle.

Both the vermentino and rosé received gold medals at the 2022 Hunter Valley Wine Show, with the vermentino taking out the trophy for Best Other White Wine.

The very brisk and lively vermentino, a terrific summer thirst quencher, is my definite favourite, followed by the zingy and lively rosé, made from tempranillo grapes. Both should be enjoyed chilled.

Bimbadgen’s Single Vineyard ($45) and Signature ($85) brands continue unchanged.

“We are thrilled to be launching this new look for the Growers Range to showcase our winemaking and the quality of Hunter Valley grapes to a broader consumer market," Done says.

“Growers Range is fresh, fun and approachable, with a price point to match, and this will give us the brand architecture to expand its footprint."

Bimbadgen is owned by property and hospitality group Mulpha which has expanded its Hunter Valley portfolio to include Bimbadgen Palmers Lane and the boutique Emma’s Cottage in Lovedale.

Mulpha general manager Belinda Stapleton, said: "“Bimbadgen is the jewel in the crown of our Hunter Valley portfolio and the launch of this fresh new-look Growers Range will allow us to better illustrate our diversity within the wine portfolio.”

The Growers Range can be purchased at Bimbadgen cellar door and select stockists, as well as at Mulpha stablemates the InterContinental Sydney, Hayman Island and Sanctuary Cove.