A Modern Getaway in Hunter Valley, Australia's Oldest Wine Region

07.09.2024 - 00:59 / cntraveler.com / Bob Marley

After a 15-hour flight from Los Angeles to Sydney and four packed days of touring, dining, and dancing into the wee hours at an Aussie wedding, my husband and I picked up a rental car and escaped out of the harborside metropolis for a few nights of peace and quiet. We were en route to the beach town of Byron Bay and hoped that a two-night stop in Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest wine region, would be a balm for our jet-lagged souls.

Airbnb

Hunter Valley lies just two hours north of Sydney, and the region offers plenty of reasonably priced rooms at golf resorts and hotels that host buses full of Shiraz-swilling tourists. Corporate conference aesthetics aren’t my bag, so instead, wine industry friends recommended that I book an Airbnb, stock up at local markets (aka providores), drink Sémillon, and relax.

One look at the Airbnb listing for Dimensions X Farmstay, and I was sold—despite a price tag that exceeded most of the region’s accommodations. The modern, prefab home was designed by Peter Stutchbury, an Australian leader in sustainable design. It features a calming, minimalist interior with natural wood, and sliding doors that opened wide to a view of vineyards and the Brokenback Mountain range. As a bonus, you'll find two of the Dimensions X homes located on co-owner Oscar Martin's Krinklewood Estate, an organic and biodynamic winery.

The gorgeous view through the sliding doors

The queen bed in one of the bedrooms, hidden behind a curtain for privacy

When we arrived midday, Martin was quick to greet us and provide a tour of the home and estate. Even though our stay would be short, we appreciated the roomy closets and second bedroom which we used to tuck away our suitcases. A Breville espresso maker hid inside a kitchen cabinet, and a turntable and eclectic record collection—Fleetwood Mac, Daft Punk, Van Morrison, Bob Marley—waited for dusk and drinks in the living room.

After getting acquainted with the solar- and battery-powered smart home, we walked back to the cellar door (Aussie parlance for a tasting room) to try Krinklewood’s bright and refreshing Sémillon, a crushable Merlot-Mourvedre rosé, and the juicy, red-fruity Wild Shiraz. Soon enough, as other visitors departed the cellar door, we found ourselves alone on the 150-acre property—save for a few discreet vineyard workers and a party of peacocks. Peace.

The large pool on the property

With summer temperatures exceeding 100°F, we spent most of the remaining daylight hours lounging in the shade by the property’s swimming pool and catching up on vacation novels. (Of note, Dimensions X homes are outfitted with a heater for winter, but no air conditioning.) In the course of an afternoon, the interior shifted from downright hot to breezy and