Cellar dwellers

In the Hunter Valley, popular winery Hungerford Hill includes offerings from its Dalwood vineyard. The vineyard was established on the banks of the Hunter River in 1828 and is widely regarded as the birthplace of Australian wine.

Nick Williams, the winery's cellar door operations manager, said it has been receiving many visitors domestically and internationally.

"We're getting a lot of people coming from Sydney who have got international families," he said. "One of the first things they want to do is show off Australian wine."

The winery makes over 30 different wines every year, producing over 70,000 cases of wine a year.

"Everyone is important. The Chinese market is just as important as any of the other markets out there, slightly more so because of how close China is to Australia … over the last 10 years, I can confidently say, the Chinese public has become more enamored," Williams said.

"They love Australian wine more and more, and it's becoming more readily available to them."

For Chinese tourist Zhang Dan, 38, visiting Hunter Valley wineries and meeting the people and places behind her favorite Australian vintages was an unforgettable experience.

The Beijing resident studied in Sydney more than a decade ago and visited the region once back then. She returned to the wine country with her family and friends for a vacation this year to share its attractions, including beauty treatments and rounds of golf in addition to their gourmet wining and dining.

"Wine here forms a significant part of Australian culture and heritage," said Zhang, a marketing executive.

"It's a bridge for our two sides and something to be continued and cherished."

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