Hilltops? One of the world's great wine regions. A Shiraz from Moppity Vineyards (between Young and Boorowa) won best Shiraz and followed up with best wine of the show at a major wine wine show in London last year. Reds are probably better than whites, although well made Chardonnays (ie. minimal use of oak) can be very good. Shirazes and Cabernets from central New South Wales, all the way from Mudgee to Wagga Wagga, are massively under-rated by the wine trade and consumers. Hilltops wineries have planted a lot of Italian varieties during the last decade and the Sangioveses, Nebbiolos and Barberas coming through are on the verge of outstanding. They also source fruit from New South Wales' coolest region, Tumbarumba, and the Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs from here are up there with the best of them. Hardy's use Tumbarumba fruit for their best Chardonnay, Eileen Hardy.
Best brands, in order:
Grove Estate-very good Shiraz, in some years exceptional (their Shiraz Viognier is made by Tim Kirk from Clonakilla, Australia's best SV winemaker), Cabernet always vvg, Italian varieties as good as any other from Australia (WineWise rated their Nebbiolo Australia's best for 2008). Pleasant whites (Semillon and Chardonnay). GE make a Zinfandel, which I can't stand but Septics love it, you might. GE also make a delicious blend of Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot & Barbera which can be only be bought at cellar door; unfortunately, it sells out quickly every year.
Chalker's Crossing-a talented young French winemaker, Celine Rousseau, took up residence here about ten years ago and improved the wines enormously. Cabernet, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blancs are all very good. CC do contract winemaking for small growers in southern New South Wales which you have to ferret out with a miner's lamp. One of them, Paterson's Gundagai Vineyard, from near Tumblong, grows some of the best Shiraz and Cabernet I've ever tasted. CC also grow olives and make an excellent extra virgin olive oil. Like most Australian ev olive oils they're much better than the imported ones when they're fresh. Well worth a visit.
Freeman Vineyards-a unique experience to be had here with Australia's only plantings of Rondinella and Corvina. Brian Freeman used to be an academic in the Charles Sturt University wine school at Wagga Wagga while planting his own vineyard. He makes the wine in an Italian "amorone" style where the grapes are partly dried before vinification. An amazing wine.
Other than the above three brands, McWilliam's use Hilltops fruit for their Barwang brand; I can't help thinking Barwang has been downgraded somewhat with the new label and I notice McW don't enter Barwang in as many shows as they used to. The wines still stack up.
Lindsay's Woodonga Hill's worth a visit, they produce one of Australia's few (the only?) straight pinot meuniers. The Visitors' Centre in Young carries a small range of other boutique wines. Try Arkstone, Binbilla and Moppity wines if you can find them.