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Australia has so many superb food and wine regions, choosing where to gratify your inner gourmand is both easy and hard. Should you head to Margaret River for a Blue Ridge Marron with truffle-infused butter and a Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, or to the Yarra Valley for creative regional tapas and a Hillcrest Pinot Noir?
Wherever you decide to eat and drink, Star Ratings has you covered for quality accommodation, with options to fit every taste and budget.
Like a good meal at a restaurant, your accommodation should be exactly what you order. Use the Star Rating symbol and the traveller rating provided by Star Ratings Australia to help you narrow down your menu selection and make the right choice for you. No matter your choice you can be assured of the quality standards.
Hunter Valley, NSW
Tasting trails, cellar doors, roadside stalls and quirky cafés are your travelling companions in Australia's oldest wine-growing region, also renowned for its fine-dining, cooking schools, galleries, health spas, hot air ballooning, antique shops and golf courses. Plan your trip to coincide with one of the Hunter's many festivals or concerts or just cruise around and sample the local cheeses, hand-made chocolates, charcuterie, sourdough breads and olive oils. The Around Hermitage Food and Wine Trail is an excellent epicurean escapade.
Other eclectic highlights in the area include Hunter Valley Gardens, Paterson Rail Motor Museum, The Spa at Chateau Elan in Rothbury, Morpeth Brewery and Beer Co, Binnorie Dairy near Pokolbin and the picturesque peninsulas and beaches of Port Stephens.
Star Rated properties in and around the Hunter Valley
Casa La Vina, Pokolbin
4.5 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.7/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
The Grange on Hermitage, Pokolbin
4.5 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.6/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Strathearn Park Lodge, Scone
4.5 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.8/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Epicurean Way, South Australia
Perhaps Australia's most appetising road trip, this charming sojourn takes in McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa and Clare Valleys.
Taste the best of McLaren Vale and drive, ride, walk or take a guided tour of the McMurtrie Mile, which includes Wirra Wirra winery, Sabella Vineyards, McLaren Vale Beer Company and Blessed Cheeses. In the Adelaide Hills you'll find the petty German-themed town of Hahndorf, where you can browse the local delicatessens and bakeries, try the chocolate and wine pairing ChocoVino experience at Hahndorf Hill Winery and pick your own strawberries at Beerenberg Farm.
The Barossa Valley is a gourmet delight with food and wine trails galore, such as the Butcher, Baker and Winemaker Trail, Barossa Cheese and Wine Trail and Tanunda Heritage Trail. And don't miss Australian food legend Maggie Beer's Farm Shop.
There's more fine wine in the Clare Valley where you can visit Sevenhill Cellars and Knappstein, a winery and micro-brewery in one.
Star Rated properties around the Epicurean Way
McLaren Vale Motel & Apartments
4 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Barossa Vineyard Cottages, Bethany
4.5 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.5/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Thorngrove Manor, Crafters
5 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 10/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Rosebank Bed & Breakfast, McLaren Vale
4 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.7/10
Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Margaret River
Well-known for its premium wineries, include Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate, Cullen, Clairault, Voyager and Piero, plus numerous boutique operations, Margaret River is also a larder of distinction. Superb seafood and shellfish (including the famous local marron), organic beef, lamb and venison, olive oil, wood-fired bread, craft beer, handmade chocolates and truffles sniffed out at nearby Manjimup are just some of the regional fare beloved by chefs and their fortunate patrons.
And between the mouth-watering meals and delectable tastings, there are ancient caves, pristine beaches and assorted galleries to explore, plus whale watching, snorkelling, surfing and scuba, sunsets over the ocean and carpets of multi-hued wildflowers from mid-August until the end of October.
Star Rated properties in and around Margaret River
Forest Rise Eco Retreat, Yelverton
4.5 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.5/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Cape Lodge, Yallingup
5 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.4 /10
Riverglen Chalets, Margaret River
4 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.3/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Constellation Apartments, Margaret River
5 Star
Margaret River.
Tamar Valley, Tasmania
Really, all of Tasmania is a top-notch food and wine destination these days. Clean, fresh, organic, eco and heirloom are words you see and hear regularly in the Apple Isle and whether you tour the north, the south or somewhere in between, you are assured of indulgent encounters with pork, salmon, truffles, abalone, honey, cherries, olive oil and more.
The Tamar Valley region around Launceston in the north of the state is lined with hawthorn, poplar and elm trees and the rich farmland boasts lavender plantations, vineyards, strawberry farms and orchards. The Tamar Valley Wine Route showcases 32 cool-climate wineries, while the Wine & Gourmet Food Indulgence tour takes in historic Evandale, the Tasmanian Gourmet Sauce Company, 41 Degrees South Salmon Farm, Christmas Hill Raspberry Farm and the award winning Ashgrove Farm Cheeses. Every restaurant and café has its own vegie garden and the chefs have time to chat.
Star Rated properties in and around the Tamar Valley
Country Club Tasmania, Launceston
4.5 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 8.9/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
41 on York, Launceston
4.5 Star
The Stone House, Perth
5 Star
Yarra Valley
Just an hour's drive from Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is one of Victoria's premier food and wine regions, noted for its natural beauty, unique local produce and cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines.
Take the Yarra Valley Regional Food Trail for a full investigation of the local fare or drop by the cellar doors at renowned wineries such as De Bortoli, Fergusson, Yering Station, Punt Road and Mandala Wines.
Pick your own cherries, berries and stone fruit at Chappies in Silvan or Raynor's Orchard in Woori Yallock, breathe in the tranquillity at Warratina Lavender Farm in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges or catch your lunch at the Australian Rainbow Trout Farm. And check out the brilliant conservation work going on at Healesville Sanctuary native animal haven and pick up your supplies at Healesville Organic Market every Saturday.
Yarra Valley.
Star Rated properties in and around the Yarra Valley
Yarra Gables Motel, Healesville
4 Star
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Amelina Cottages, Marysville
4.5 Star
Traveller rating 9.7/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
Dalblair Bed & Breakfast, Seville
4 Star
Star Ratings Travellers' Rating 9.7/10
(2016 Star Ratings Australia Gold List award)
This article brought to you by Star Ratings Australia, the leading independent accommodation accreditation program in Australia. The 'star' symbols are a licensed trademark and can only be used by properties that have been licensed to use them by Star Ratings Australia
You can be assured Star Rated properties maintain the meticulous quality standards of their Star Rating and the new Travellers' Rating, an aggregated score sourced from more than 100 websites, provides an up-to-date assessment from recent guests. Visit www.starratings.com.au.
Planning your next holiday? Visit Star Rating Australia's Autumn/Winter campaign travel portal for inspiration and itineraries, www.star-tripping.com.au
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