Cool in the country

Villa Vino, NSW Hunter Valley

The newest accommodation addition at award-winning Winmark Wines Estate is designed for couples. Snug, pitch-roofed Villa Vino looks almost like a little chapel and neatly fits the template of the tiny house category of holiday accommodation increasingly found across farms, rural properties and in beach settings. There is the feel of “borrowed space”, too, as broad views create a veritable hinterland of rows of grapes, mountains, with a working vineyard and dam beyond. The outdoor area includes a firepit and “camp kitchen” comprising a cooktop, microwave, toaster, coffee machine, barbecue and pizza oven. A bathroom pod is right outside the sleeping quarters and a shared pool is easily accessed for a dip. The Winmark Wines estate also features a sculpture trail, perennial gardens designed by Paul Bangay, award-winning cellar door and art gallery plus a range of larger selfcontained accommodation options for families or house parties. There’s a new event space, too, ideal for weddings or special occasions, seating 60, or 90 in party style. Expect kangaroos to bound about and the prospect of toasting sunsets with the estate’s premium range of chardonnay. winmarkwines.com.au SUSAN KUROSAWA