Meerea Park Wines

Meerea Park is a boutique family-owned Hunter label, established in 1991 by brothers Garth and Rhys Eather, whose winemaking line in the region runs back to the 1850s. The cellar door on the McDonalds Road stretch of Pokolbin is about as dog-welcoming as the valley gets: well-behaved dogs come right in, water bowls are dotted through the buildings and gardens, and lush lawns give a settled dog somewhere to flop.

The dog setup

Dogs on a lead or under close supervision are welcome inside the main cellar door and out across the grounds, with water bowls placed through both. It is an easy stop in any weather because of that indoor access. Cellar door layouts can shift with private events, so a quick call on 02 4998 7474 before you arrive gets the seating sorted for you and the dog.

Pepsi: Water bowls everywhere and lawns to flop on. On a cool morning, leave the car at your accommodation and walk this stretch of McDonalds Road door to door.

The vibe

This is a serious wine stop dressed in relaxed clothes. The brothers focus on single-vineyard semillon, chardonnay and shiraz, with marsanne, roussanne and pinot noir alongside, and the label carries a five-red-star rating from James Halliday's Wine Companion. Tastings run in classic and premium flights, staff are happy to talk region history as well as wine, and tasting fees are typically rebated against multi-bottle purchases. Hours run 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm Sunday.

Getting there and parking

The door sits on McDonalds Road with on-site parking, and the McDonalds Road walking path links several cellar doors close enough to string together on foot with a dog.

Make a day of it

The same road holds Blueberry Hill Vineyard with its indoor dog welcome and resident pack, plus Mercer Wines and Horner Wines for a walkable, dog-friendly circuit.

More of the valley is under wineries in NSW or browse Pokolbin.