Dawning Day Winery and Distillery, Exeter

There are many wineries in the Southern Highlands; but cellar doors can sometimes feel more like event centers geared more towards weddings and bridal showers, offering the same cheese and crackers you can buy at Coles.

If you’re looking for a cozy winery to spend the afternoon by the fire with a cool-climate pinot noir, Dawning Day Exeter is the best place for this. The family-run microvineyard offers guided tastings of premium cool-climate wines, but if you just want to mind your own business with a full glass, go ahead. Visit in summer; There’s also a lush lawn designed for picnics with cheese platters and lightly chilled gamay.

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