Wine Tours Sydney – Southern Highlands Day Escape, Full Day Wine Tasting Tour

The best feature here is simple: you get from Sydney to three Southern Highlands wineries in one day without renting a car or worrying about who will drive home. The region is close enough for a practical day trip, yet far enough to feel like a proper break from the city.

I like the all-inclusive format, with tastings, snacks, lunch, and a glass of wine covered. I also like the flexible transport setup. Drivers such as Roman, Jane, Guy, Val, Joe, Wally, and Russell have been praised for being friendly, patient, and adaptable. The main consideration is the price, $271.84 per person, which makes the most sense if you value door-to-door transport, a full day out, and a private or small-group setting.

Key points to know before booking

• Three winery visits in about nine hours: You spend roughly an hour at Tertini Wines, 90 minutes at Eling Forest Winery, and another hour at a third cellar door.
• Lunch and tastings are included: The usual package includes a one-course lunch with a glass of wine, plus snacks and wine tastings.
• Sydney pickup saves the day: The Southern Highlands are about 90 minutes away, so hotel transport removes the need for a designated driver.
• The exact winery lineup can vary: Tertini, Eling Forest, Bendooley Estate, and Centennial Vineyard are named venues, but the final route may change.
• Private touring is available: The booking information describes a private activity for your group, while also noting group tours and group discounts.
• Drivers are a major part of the experience: Roman, Jane, Guy, Val, Joe, Wally, and Russell have all been singled out for good humor, patience, care, or smooth driving.

Why this Sydney wine day works

Sydney has no shortage of food and drink outings, but many require a long drive, careful planning, or a sober driver. This tour solves the practical problem neatly. You leave around 9:00 am, ride in an air-conditioned vehicle, and let Kenny Escapes handle the route through the Southern Highlands.

The drive takes about 90 minutes each way. That is long enough to reach a proper wine-growing area, but short enough to keep the day from becoming an exhausting road trip. You get a full nine-hour outing rather than a rushed tasting squeezed into an afternoon.

I also like the way the day mixes tastings with a sit-down meal. Wine tours can become repetitive when every stop means standing at a counter and trying another flight. Here, lunch at Eling Forest Winery gives the day a useful pause, with time to enjoy a view and eat something more substantial.

The booking information says the tour can be arranged for a private vehicle or a group. It also describes the activity as private, with only your group participating. Since those details point to different formats, ask Kenny Escapes to confirm the vehicle and group arrangement before paying, especially if you are booking for a birthday, hens event, or family gathering.

The 90-minute ride from Sydney

Hotel pickup is one of the strongest reasons to choose this outing. You do not need to find a meeting point in the city, organize a rental car, or calculate how much wine you can safely bring home. The start time is listed as 9:00 am, so you should be ready at your agreed pickup location before then.

The air-conditioned vehicle matters on a long summer day. You will spend a fair amount of time on the road, and a comfortable transfer keeps the tour from feeling like a string of unrelated stops. The drivers are also part of the day’s character. Roman has been praised for being professional, friendly, and easygoing, while Jane was credited with keeping a wine and gin outing running smoothly. Guy was remembered for his good humor and courteous manner.

Driver assignments can change, so do not book expecting one particular person unless Kenny Escapes confirms it. Still, the pattern is useful: this company appears to put real weight on the driver’s role as host, not just chauffeur.

Tertini Wines: a friendly first tasting

Tertini Wines is usually the opening stop, with about one hour set aside and admission included. The venue is described as a favorite because of its friendly and informative welcome. That makes it a sensible first stop, since you can settle into the pace of the day before lunch.

An hour is enough for a focused tasting, but not enough for a long cellar-door visit or a leisurely meal. You should expect this to be a compact introduction to the Southern Highlands wine scene. It gives you time to try local wines, ask questions, and decide what styles you may want to revisit later in the day.

The biggest benefit of starting here is momentum. You are not asked to manage the logistics yourself. You arrive, taste, and leave when the driver and host have the day moving again.

If you are a serious wine buyer, keep your expectations measured. The supplied details do not promise vineyard walks, production tours, or a winemaker-led session at every stop. The focus is tasting and meeting people connected with the local wine trade, not a technical wine course.

The changing second stop and Centennial Vineyard option

The itinerary also mentions Centennial Vineyard, describing it as the Southern Highlands’ first winery, along with the possibility of visiting another local venue. This is important: the exact second or third winery lineup may not be fixed.

That flexibility can work in your favor. Kenny Escapes may adjust the route according to availability, group needs, or the day’s operating schedule. It also means you should not assume every named venue will appear on your particular outing. If Centennial Vineyard is especially important to you, ask about it when booking.

A changing route is common for winery days, where opening times and group capacity can affect the schedule. The trade-off is less certainty in exchange for a route that can be adapted. This seems to be one of Kenny Escapes’ strengths. The company has accommodated requests for a gin distillery and adjusted outings for large birthday and hens groups.

Eling Forest Winery brings lunch and a view

Eling Forest Winery is usually the main meal stop, with about 90 minutes allocated. The included lunch is one course, served with a glass of wine, and upgrades to two or three courses are available. Snacks are also included during the day.

This is where the tour becomes more than a sequence of tastings. A proper lunch gives you a chance to sit down, talk with your group, and enjoy the setting without immediately watching the clock. Eling Forest is described as having one of the prettiest views in the Southern Highlands, so this stop carries some visual appeal as well as practical value.

The one-course lunch keeps the base price under control, but it is worth checking the upgrade cost if food is a major reason for booking. You should also allow for the fact that a glass of wine is included with lunch, not necessarily an unlimited drink package.

The 90-minute stop sounds well judged. It gives you more breathing room than the one-hour tastings, though your actual time may include ordering, eating, and tasting. If you are booking for a large group, the longer pause is particularly helpful.

Bendooley Estate Book Barn as the final cellar door

Bendooley Estate Cellar Door is listed as the third stop and one of the most requested venues in the Southern Highlands. The visit lasts about one hour and includes another wine tasting.

The setting gives this stop a different feel from a simple cellar counter. The name refers to the estate’s book barn, which is part of its appeal, though the supplied details do not promise a formal book tour or a specific activity beyond the cellar-door tasting.

Placing a final tasting after lunch makes sense. You have already seen at least two styles of winery visit, and the last stop lets you finish the day with another sample of the region’s wine. It also gives you one more chance to buy a bottle for later, though the tour details do not specify luggage space or purchase limits. Ask the operator if you plan to buy several bottles.

As with Centennial Vineyard, Bendooley Estate may not be guaranteed on every departure. The itinerary says it may be the third venue, so confirm the planned stops before setting your expectations.

What the $271.84 price really covers

At $271.84 per person, this is not a bargain bus ride. It is priced as a full-day hosted outing with pickup from Sydney, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, three winery experiences, wine tastings, snacks, and lunch with a glass of wine.

The value improves if you are traveling as a group. Group discounts are offered, and private transport can remove the need to coordinate several cars. For a birthday or hens day, the convenience has real worth. You can begin and end together, keep the day on schedule, and avoid the awkward question of who will stay sober.

The price is harder to justify if you mainly want a single tasting or prefer to drive yourself. You are paying for a full nine-hour day, so the tour works best when you intend to use the entire schedule.

Lunch upgrades cost extra, and the tour does not include every possible food or drink expense. Ask about two- or three-course options, pickup boundaries, and the exact winery route before booking. That quick check will tell you whether the package fits your budget.

Private groups, hens days, and family occasions

This outing suits people who want a social day without having to plan every detail. Kenny Escapes has handled groups of about 30 people in a large, clean, comfortable bus, and drivers have been praised for patience and a good sense of humor during hens events.

That makes the tour especially practical for celebrations. Nicole from the company helped one group plan a hens day, while drivers including Roman and Russell were described as kind, accommodating, and easy to deal with. The company has also worked with groups celebrating a 60th birthday and adapted an outing to include gin.

You should still tell the operator what sort of day you want. A quiet wine-focused outing, a lively celebration, and a family birthday may all need different pacing. The company’s willingness to adapt is useful, but it works best when your requests are clear before departure.

The private format also helps if your group has different levels of wine interest. People who want to ask questions can do so, while others can simply enjoy the food, views, and company.

Weather, timing, and small practical details

The experience requires good weather. If poor weather forces cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. This is worth remembering for a day built around winery views and outdoor country driving.

Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. The tour is near public transportation, but the key transport feature is hotel pickup. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancelling later, or making changes within that 24-hour window, does not qualify for a refund. The operator also requires a minimum number of participants, so a departure could be cancelled if that number is not reached.

None of these points is unusual, but they matter for a celebration with several people. Make sure everyone understands the cancellation deadline, and wait for confirmation before treating the booking as final.

Who should book this Southern Highlands day?

I would choose this tour if you want a relaxed wine day from Sydney and do not want to drive. It is also a strong fit for groups that value shared transport, a set schedule, and the ability to request a private vehicle.

It suits:

• Couples who want a countryside day without renting a car
• Friends arranging a hens event or birthday
• Families marking a special occasion
• Wine drinkers who want several tastings rather than one cellar door
• Visitors with only one free day for the Southern Highlands

I would hesitate if you want a highly technical wine education, a long vineyard walk, or complete certainty about every stop. The experience is built around tasting, food, scenery, and good transport rather than intensive production visits.

You should also think about pace. Three wineries in one day is a full schedule. Some people will love the variety, while others may prefer two stops with more time at each. The roughly nine-hour length makes it a serious day out, not a quick add-on.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want the Southern Highlands without the work of planning a route or appointing a driver. The strongest reasons are the hotel pickup, included lunch and tastings, flexible group arrangements, and the company’s record of accommodating celebrations and special requests.

Before booking, confirm three things: the exact pickup location, whether your outing is private or shared, and which wineries are scheduled for your date. If you are comfortable with a route that may change and you value a friendly driver as much as the wine itself, the $271.84 price can be fair for a complete day from Sydney.

FAQ

How long does the Southern Highlands wine tour last?

The tour lasts about nine hours, with a listed start time of 9:00 am.

How far is the Southern Highlands from Sydney?

The wine region is about 90 minutes from Sydney by road.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Roundtrip transportation from your hotel is included.

How many wineries will I visit?

You will visit three Southern Highlands wineries during the day.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A one-course lunch with a glass of wine is included, usually at Eling Forest Winery. Two-course and three-course upgrades are available.

Are wine tastings included?

Yes. Wine tastings are included at the winery stops, along with snacks.

Can I book a private tour?

The experience is described as a private activity for your group, and private vehicle arrangements are available. The operator also offers group tours and group discounts, so confirm the format when booking.

What happens if the weather is poor?

If the tour is cancelled because of poor weather, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not refunded.