Ben Ean: Where Heritage Meets Indulgence
- Liane Morris
- 8 hours ago
- 5 min read
There is one property in Pokolbin that is truly representative of the Hunter Valley’s wine industry - its history, its quality, its reputation for award-winning wines and epicurean delights. This estate offers everything visitors are looking for when they flock to the region, and if you only have time to visit one place, Ben Ean should be at the top of your list.
Formerly known as Lindeman’s Ben Ean, the estate has a long winemaking history of over 170 years, making it a place of pioneers. Under the Lindeman’s brand, the vineyards on the estate produced some of the most successful wines in Australian viticulture history. Despite this, it sat for several years closed and abandoned until the next generation of winemaking pioneers took it on in 2017.
Hunter winemaking icons of the industry, Colin Peterson and Brian McGuigan, joined together in a partnership to purchase the estate and committed to preserving its heritage and to forging the next chapter of its story. With a philosophy of “from our wine families to yours,” the estate features the wines of the extraordinarily talented winemakers of the Petersons and the McGuigans, including Savannah Estate, Lisa McGuigan Wines, Weerona, Petersons Wines, Gunpowder, and The Still House Wines. In addition, thanks to the foresight and prodigious wine collection of Colin Peterson, Ben Ean is the only place in NSW where visitors to the cellar door can book a tasting of Penfolds Grange as well as other premium Penfolds wines.
With Savannah Peterson at the helm, there has been extraordinary dedication to returning the estate to its former glory and its rightful place in history, with extensive refurbishment to the cellar door, restaurant, function, and winery areas as well as the conversion of the tin shed that once housed John McDonald’s distillery in 1907 into the uber luxurious The Still House. The Still House has become the most sought-after destination for VIPs and those wanting to enjoy private dining and tasting experiences while soaking up the extraordinary heritage of this once humble building.
The highly popular Baumé Restaurant is as popular with locals as it is with visitors. Influenced by Mediterranean flavours and featuring family friendly favourites such as pizza and pasta, diners can enjoy the delicious fare on a sun-drenched terrace, sipping wine from an extensive wine list that even includes options from Colin Peterson’s cellar for those looking for something extra special.
Not content with providing some of the industry’s most exclusive and premium tasting experiences at the cellar door, creating unique event spaces that are popular for weddings and VIP functions or creating a restaurant that gets the balance just right, Savannah wanted to do more.
“Her energy is incredible,” said Ben Ean’s Sales and Marketing Manager Kurt Nilon.
“Savannah wanted to create a one-stop shop. Come for the tasting but stay for lunch wasn’t quite enough.
“We hired a fabulous dessert chef for Baumé, Chef Steve, who trained in London, owned the original Euro Patisserie in Newcastle and has over 40 years’ experience as a pastry chef. Steve was keen to expand on his work, and the Ben Ean Patisserie was born in mid-2024. It’s been so successful that in December last year, we also opened the Deli at Ben Ean. So now, visitors have more options to choose from.
“Visitors can enjoy lunch at Baume, coffee and dessert from the Patisserie, grab a sandwich, or a cheese board from the Deli. They can eat in the restaurant, enjoy the terrace with views over the vineyard, or even order takeaway."
"There is truly something for everyone and every budget now."
“Last week we had a group of local firefighters pop in to pick up lunch, and they told us that we had the best pies they’d ever tasted! That’s a great recommendation!”
Open seven days a week, Ben Ean Patisserie invites guests to indulge in a tempting array of freshly baked pastries, mouth-watering cakes, delicious pies, and classic sausage rolls. Coffee enthusiasts will appreciate the warm cups of expertly brewed coffee, which are perfect for kickstarting a day of wine tasting and exploration. For those with dietary restrictions, the patisserie offers a selection of gluten-free options, ensuring that all visitors can enjoy a taste of their exquisite baked goods. Everything is made inhouse with a menu that changes every day.
“Now that the weather is starting to cool down, I’m excited for Cornish pasties, which Chef Steve has promised us. Our pies and sausage rolls sell out all the time. I love that there’s always something new to savour. Customer favourites such as French Vanilla Slices and Lemon Meringue Pies are usually available, so no one leaves disappointed.”
The Patisserie is right next door to the Deli and the two share the terrace space enabling customers to shop at both stores and enjoy the fare from either, whether it be sipping on a glass of wine or a coffee, soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the views across the vineyards or heading down to the lawn for a picnic.
Inspired by New York-style delicatessens, the Deli at Ben Ean menu is packed with gourmet treats—think artisanal cheeses, premium cured meats, fresh sandwiches made with a choice of baked-in-house focaccia or panini. The staff pick is The Sub – house made meatballs in tomato sugo with mozzarella and rocket for $18 or perhaps the Rubenesque is more to your taste with pastrami, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, baby spinach and ijonaise for $20. You can also order ‘Tagliere di Salumi e Formaggi’, a charcuterie board with specialty cured meats, artisanal cheeses with bread and antipasti. Whatever you choose, it’s possible to order it to take away, and locals have started dropping in to pick up the specialty products to enjoy at home.
Just as there are so many excellent options for dining, so too are there multiple options for wine tasting with all the wines exclusive to Ben Ean’s cellar door - Savannah Estate, Lisa McGuigan Wines, Weerona, Petersons Wines and Gunpowder, The Still House Wines and Penfolds.
Standard tastings are $20pp, or you can try Penfolds Grange for $65pp. For those seeking a unique experience, Ben Ean presents the Still House Tasting within the historic on-site Still House. The Functions Chef creates bespoke menus for the private tastings at $190pp for a maximum of 12 people.
And if you still need a reason to visit Ben Ean, why not head out there on the third weekend of September for the Vineyard Vibes at Ben Ean festival – a food, wine and music festival with three different bands performing across the day beginning with So Fresh '90s, then rocking on to Rock Rhapsody 80s and finishing off with the melodic favourites of ABBA. To purchase tickets for the festival when they become available, or to book for tastings and Baumé restaurant, head to the website www.benean.com.au.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a local, Ben Ean has so much to offer that there’s no need to go anywhere else! The name Ben Ean is Scottish and means “mountain of pleasure”. The Peterson and McGuigan families chose to reinstate this historical name when they took over the estate, and nothing could be more apt.
See you there - Slàinte Mhath!
