Slowfox Wines

Slowfox Wines is a small family vineyard and cellar door on Black Springs Road, about ten to fifteen minutes from the Mudgee town centre. It is a relaxed, rural stop with a garden, firepits and a resident pup of its own, and it has a strong reputation among dog travellers because well-behaved dogs are welcome both inside and out.

The dog setup

Dogs on a lead are generally welcome, including inside the tasting room, and there is a popular shaded garden with mismatched outdoor furniture that suits a lounging dog well. Water bowls are usually on hand but pack your own to be sure. The resident dog often greets visitors, so this is a call for a dog that is comfortable meeting other canines rather than a reactive one. Regional listings tag it as pet friendly with a quick call ahead, worth doing since indoor seating can shift with capacity and liquor rules.

The vibe

This is a hand-crafted, small-batch operation pouring Chardonnay, Rose, Shiraz, Cabernet, Tempranillo and a well-regarded Malbec, served in a country-living setting that feels more like someones garden than a commercial cellar door. Cheese platters are available, and there is a playground on site, which makes it an easy family stop as well as a dog one.

Getting there and parking

The address is 196 Black Springs Road, Mudgee, with a dedicated car park on site. Opening runs Friday to Sunday from 11am, so plan around the weekend; the Monday listing is anomalous and worth confirming directly before a weekday trip.

Pair it with

Mudgee is thick with dog-friendly cellar doors: Lowe Family Wine Co for organic and biodynamic pours, First Ridge Wines for Italian varietals on a rocky ridge, and YEATES Wines for old-vine Shiraz in Eurunderee. More options are on the NSW listing and the Mudgee guide.

Max: the resident dog came over for a sniff, I got a cheese platter scrap, and the humans settled into the garden for a Malbec. Perfect country afternoon.