De Beaurepaire Wines

De Beaurepaire Wines is a single-estate vineyard at 182 Cudgegong Road in Rylstone, growing French-style varietals on cool-climate limestone country about forty minutes from Mudgee. Tastings run from an 1850s sandstone stable or, when the weather is kind, self-guided flights on the one-acre lawns, and the estate is set up so that dogs are part of the visit rather than an afterthought.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs are welcome on a lead anywhere outside, lawns included. The rule is firm because the grounds are shared with farm animals and young children, so keep the lead on for the whole visit. If you book a structured tasting inside the cellar door, there is a dog waiting zone with water bowls just outside where your dog can settle while you finish your flight. Bring your own bowl as backup anyway.

One thing worth knowing before you go: two resident cellar door dogs roam the property freely, so a dog who is nervous or reactive around other dogs may find the welcome noisy. Staff ask owners to be considerate of other guests if their dog is prone to barking.

The vibe

This is a working family vineyard, not a showpiece cellar door. Expect hampers, grazing platters and a seasonal local menu rather than a full restaurant, with the lawn tables looking over 100,000 vines. Tastings cover French-style whites, pinot noir, shiraz and a botrytis semillon, and the house style leans old-world and restrained.

Getting there and parking

The cellar door sits on Cudgegong Road out of Rylstone township, an easy drive with free on-site parking right by the entrance. Rylstone is roughly three hours from Sydney via the Castlereagh Highway, so most visitors fold it into a Mudgee-region weekend rather than a day trip. There is no public transport worth planning around; you will want the car.

While you're out there

If you are building a wine-day loop, the Mudgee cellar doors are the natural pairing. Lowe Family Wine Co welcomes dogs through tastings and on the lawns, and First Ridge Wines is another Mudgee stop in the directory worth checking before you set out.

Cellar door hours are Wednesday 11am to 3pm, Thursday to Saturday 11am to 5pm and Sunday 11am to 3pm, with the venue closed Monday and Tuesday. Weekday afternoons are the quietest time to bring a dog. More options are on the NSW dog-friendly wineries guide and the Rylstone destination page.

Max: there are two resident dogs who treat the cellar door as their loungeroom, so give yours a minute to say hello before you pick a lawn table.