The Wyndham Estate
Dalwood Estate is regarded as the birthplace of Hunter Valley wine. Almost 200 years later, Dalwood continues to raise the bar in Australian winemaking, placing passion, expertise and technique at the heart of all we do. We are proud to bring you an outstanding selection of Hunter Valley wines born from a legacy close to two centuries in the making.
The Dalwood Estate vineyards were established with cuttings from the first Australian vine collections assembled by Macarthur, Busby, Shepherd and Blaxland.
Even during this early colonial period, the Dalwood wines made from those vines won prizes at international exhibitions.
It is this rich heritage that continues to inform our viticulture and winemaking today.
Dalwood Vineyards Established. George Wyndham, a pioneer of the Australian wine industry, purchases a 2,080 acre property in Branxton and names it Dalwood. Over the next decade he plants a vineyard and experiments with a variety of different vine cuttings, establishing what will become the oldest continuous commercial vineyard in...
John Wyndham, George’s eldest son, takes over operations at Dalwood and establishes a strong reputation for its white wines and 'claret-inspired' reds, garnering success at Australian and European wine shows. Notably, Dalwood is awarded a Silver Medal at a Paris wine show, the highest award for an Australian wine, and...
Following Australia's federation, Dalwood is purchased by Penfold’s, who establish a modern winery at the Branxton property. Over the next 6 decades, pioneering winemakers John Davoren and Perc McGuigan bring Dalwood into the modern era and create several iconic wine styles, including Hunter Valley ‘Pinot Riesling’ (actually a blend of...
Penfold’s sells the Dalwood property but retains the Dalwood brand. Perc McGuigan purchases the site with the intention to revive winemaking, and renames it Wyndham Estate in honour of George Wyndham. Due to ill-health, Perc is forced to sell the estate two years later to three new owners: mining magnate...
Orlando Wine purchases Wyndham Estate and continue winemaking operations until 2012, when the cellar door and other facilities are closed down.
After almost three decades of corporate ownership, Sam Arnaout purchases Wyndham Estate and brings on talented winemaker Bryan Currie to oversee the vineyard’s revival, alongside Sam’s other Hunter vineyards: Hungerford Hill and Sweetwater. In 2017, in what Bryan describes as a “‘champagne-popping moment”, Sam buys the Dalwood trademark back from...
Relaunched the Dalwood brand alongside the Dalwood property.
The vineyard is planted primarily to chardonnay, semillon and shiraz, along with some vines being regrafted to varieties that have historical resonance here, such as tempranillo and touriga.
