5 Cool-Climate Wineries to Visit in the Southern Highlands

Five cool-climate cellar doors in the Southern Highlands, from Pinot Noir pioneers to a biodynamic vineyard. Four are on the Tasting Trails pass.

5 Southern Highlands Cool-Climate Wineries Worth Visiting

Quick answer: The Southern Highlands is a cool, continental wine region where most vineyards sit at relatively high altitude, and grapes ripen slowly. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and sparkling wine are the styles to look for. These five cellar doors show the range, and four of them are on the Tasting Trails pass.

Winery	Area	Known for	On the pass?
Artemis Wines	Mittagong	Pinot Noir pioneers, plus spirits	Yes
Bendooley Estate	Berrima	Award-winning cool-climate winemaking	Yes
Cherry Tree Hill Wines	Sutton Forest	Family-run vineyard, Riesling	Yes
Tractorless Vineyard	Berrima	Biodynamic principles, sheep in the vines	Yes
Centennial Vineyards	Near Bowral	Pinot flights, traditional method sparkling	No

1. Artemis Wines, Mittagong

Brothers Anton and Mark Balog began making wine at Artemis in 1996. The family-run winery was the first in the region to plant Pinot Noir, according to Visit Southern Highlands, and Visit NSW singles out its Pinot Noir and spirits. With the pass, you get a tasting of 6 wines or spirits (about 60 minutes), and Artemis accepts the Tasting Trails credit. Booking is required.

Outdoor picnic area with wooden picnic tables and large cream patio umbrellas on a red dirt patio, surrounded by green trees under a blue sky.

2. Bendooley Estate, Berrima

Head winemaker Jonathan Holgate has over 20 years of experience and spent more than a decade at Tertini Wines before joining Bendooley. The pass includes a one-hour tasting of cool-climate wines, and Bendooley accepts the Tasting Trails credit. Booking is required.

Person tasting red wine from a barrel surrounded by wooden barrels in a warehouse.

3. Cherry Tree Hill Wines, Sutton Forest

This family-run vineyard has been in the Lorentz family since Dave's father Gabi bought the property in 1980, and the family's winemaking roots go back to Hungary (Meet Dave Lorentz). The Wine Selectors weekender guide describes its Riesling as celebrated and notes it returned after a few challenging vintages. The pass covers a tasting of 6 different wines, and Cherry Tree Hill accepts the Tasting Trails credit. Booking is required.

A wine and cheese tasting setup on a rustic wooden picnic table outdoors, with five wine glasses filled with different colored wines, cheese wedges and slices, breadsticks in a small bowl, and a printed tasting card in front. A vineyard and grassy field are visible in the background under a cloudy sky.

4. Tractorless Vineyard, Berrima

Winemaker and owner Jeff Aston has almost 30 years in the wine industry and combines traditional winemaking with biodynamic principles. Sheep help manage the vineyard naturally (Meet Jeff Aston). The pass includes a guided tasting of the full range, and Tractorless accepts the Tasting Trails credit. Booking is required.
Sheep standing in a grassy field with a large tree in the background

5. Centennial Vineyards, near Bowral

This one is not on the pass, but it earns a place for its range. Destination NSW material on Wine Australia highlights its traditional method sparkling, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, and Australian Traveller described a Pinot Flight covering nine styles of Pinot Noir in 2023. Check the winery's current offerings and booking details before you go.

Planning tips

Most pass tastings at these wineries need a booking, so reserve before you travel within the App.
Cellar doors can be several kilometres apart, so nominate a designated driver or arrange transport.
Two or three cellar doors in a day is plenty, and more comfortable than a rush.