Hilltops wine region – NSW
Hilltops – click to enlarge
The Hilltops wine region is nestled between Gundagai to the south-west and Canberra District to the south-east. At the region’s heart is the town of Young in southern New South Wales. The region is part of the Murray-Darling Basin and includes the shires of Boorowa, Harden and Young.
Young can be reached in just under a 2 hour drive north-west of Canberra, making it an ideal weekend away from the capital.
Those that know of the Hilltops region may not automatically jump to wine making as its biggest claim to fame. Young is lauded as the cherry capital of Australia. Young’s first cherry trees were planted in 1862 and were the foundation of an industry which has brought the region much success.
Young celebrates the National Cherry Festival on the first weekend of December, traditionally at the height of the cherry picking season. This iconic regional produce event showcases the famous Cherry which has been part of the landscape around Young for over 150 years.
Beyond cherries, Hilltops is rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting viticultural regions in Australia. The high altitude, coupled with the dry summer and autumn, provides excellent ripening conditions. The first vines were planted as early as the 1860’s and is now home to over 400 hectares of vineyards.
