Heading out to wine regions is one of the best ways to learn more about wine. And in doing so you support the incredible wine industry directly! I love speaking to the growers and winemakers to discover wine I would never usually get a chance to try. In Wine Getaways, we dive into the wine regions we’ve visited and our favourite spots. From places to stay to where to eat and which cellar doors we loved, these guides are sure to make your trip planning a breeze!
We had the best time a few weeks ago exploring Tasmania – so much so that I wanted to share what we did across two guides. The first place we visited was Launceston and the Tamar Valley and so I figured it was best to start here with a guide to the Tamar Valley and Launceston! Tasmania was everything I was hoping it would be and more. As a first time visitor, I couldn’t get enough of the food, wine and scenery! Although we couldn’t jet off overseas for our honeymoon, Tasmania certainly delivered in every way possible!
We only stayed in Launceston for two nights, so we didn’t get to anywhere near as many places as I wanted to get to. I couldn’t believe how much there was to discover, and I’m already planning my next trip! So the caveat behind this is that this guide is just the tip of the iceberg on what incredible things there are to discover. I was sad we didn’t manage to get to more spots! But hopefully, this guide gives you a little taste to get you thinking about your own trip!
As I mentioned, we didn’t get to so many places that I wanted to visit. So in this guide to the Tamar Valley and Launceston, I wanted to give you a couple of tips that I’ll know for my next trip. Hopefully, they’ll help you plan your own!
The Tamar Valley is Tasmania’s oldest wine region. It surrounds Launceston following the Tamar River. There are currently 32 vineyards that make up the wineries in the area, so there is plenty to discover! You can find a lot of them on the Tamar Valley Wine Route which is a great guide to what is around the area.
The Tamar Valley is a cool maritime climate that produces balanced and premium wines. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling are the most important grape varieties, however, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris are growing in popularity. The region is also renowned for producing top-quality sparkling wines using the traditional method. Many of Australia’s famous sparkling wine producers can be found in this area.
I recommend staying in Launceston if you haven’t before. It’s quite beautiful and easy to walk around, so worth a visit! Although it isn’t a huge city, there is a beautiful gorge walk, a lovely river walk and great cafes and restaurants to discover.
We decided to stay at Stillwater Seven, and it was absolutely incredible. Stillwater is a bit of an institution in Launceston, and now they have boutique accommodation with seven rooms. I cannot speak more highly of the whole experience of staying there. Before we arrived they sent a questionnaire about all our preferences from our favourite music to what coffee we liked. As soon as we arrived we were shown through our room and given a glass of bubbles. They had our favourite music playing and even some free popcorn and fresh bread!
The best part was the minibar though which was filled with meats, cheeses and Tasmanian goodies to enjoy – and they were very affordable! They also provided a selection of Tasmanian beers, wines and spirits too! It was hard to want to leave the room with so much delicious food and such a gorgeous fit-out.
But then there was the food on your doorstep. It was close to town with a beautiful view of the river, but you also got to have breakfast at Stillwater included in your room rate! The breakfast was some of my favourite of the trip. We also enjoyed dinner on our second night and it was fantastic.
The staff were incredibly attentive and made you feel like a VIP every time you dealt with them. They made our stay so special. I can’t imagine staying anywhere else now I’ve experienced this – it has ruined me for other hotels!
Speaking about food, we ate some seriously good meals in the Tamar Valley and Launceston. As I mentioned above, a lot of the really popular restaurants weren’t open, but we still ate very well! Here are some of my highlights:
One of the highlights of our whole trip was our dinner at Stillwater. The food was out of this world good. You can certainly see why it is an institution and so well known in Launceston. I think this restaurant needs to be top of your list for your visit! They also own a number of other restaurants which we didn’t get to but I’ve heard they are great as well.
Every dish was a standout, the wine list was incredible and the service was fantastic. It’s also a beautifully cosy restaurant that has a really nice warm feel to it. You don’t feel like you’re in a fine dining restaurant which I loved!
The food is modern Australia with a bit of an Asian flair to it, so the dishes offer something different to the other restaurants we tried. As I mentioned there were so many incredible dishes so it’s hard to pick just a couple. But the standouts for me had to be the beef tartare, the lamb and then the coconut panna cotta for dessert. Do not skip the dessert whatever you do!
We started off our honeymoon with lunch at Josef Chromy. We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to pick up our hire car when we arrived at the airport, but I had a plan. Rather than waiting two hours for our hire car, I made a booking for lunch at Josef Chromy which is only 10 minutes from the airport! Perfect if you have a spare moment between travel and my hot tip!
Josef Chromy is well known in the wine industry in Tasmania and is one of the larger wineries in the area. The winery itself produces many of the wines as a lot of the vineyards are too small for their own production. But I’d heard the food at Josef Chromy along with the view was worth a visit and so I booked us in to have lunch as soon as we jumped off the plane. The views weren’t as nice as they would normally be as it was very cold and wet when we visited, but the food made up for it!
They offer set menus where you can choose two or three courses and there are plenty of choices of tasty food. The stand out for us was the pork belly, but I also loved the beef carpaccio and the mushroom dish. If you’re looking for a good lunch spot midweek definitely check it out!
My partner loves beer, and so when I heard so many people recommending Saint Johns I knew we had to go. We went before dinner on our first night (yes it is open on a Monday take note) and I honestly think we should have just stayed here because it was so much fun! The place was pumping and there were so many people enjoying a beer and some food. They also have a great wine list filled with Tasmanian wine to discover – so if you’re like me and don’t enjoy beer don’t worry!
Besides the incredible beer and wine selection, they have some great food. Their menu is filled with bar snacks and more substantial bites like burgers and tacos. So there’s something for everyone whether you want a snack or a full meal. It is a great casual dining option if you are a bit over fine dining. I loved the atmosphere here and I wish we’d spent longer!
If you’re looking for a breakfast spot, a great option is Bread and Butter. They are famous for making their own butter, but their pastries are next level! The space is nice and open with high ceilings and a view of the bakery. You can opt to get breakfast or just choose from their pastry cabinet which had so many I wanted to eat that I couldn’t decide! Between the fresh butter, bread and pastries you are sure to find something you want to try. They also have a selection of Tasmanian goodies and wines to take home with you.
We went to Brisbane Street Bistro on Monday night. It wasn’t a place we would normally go to and it was probably a little too quiet for us (I think we were the loudest couple in the restaurant…whoops). But the food was awesome and the wine was great too, so I wanted to include it! Brisbane Street Bistro is in an old villa and so has a very cosy atmosphere with almost Victorian decor. I liked that it felt very intimate and we felt like we were in our own space while dining.
The food here was absolutely delicious, but the standout for me was the Brick Chicken. This chicken was cooked under a brick as the name would suggest. I’ve never tried chicken like this before, and the dish was absolutely delicious! We also had a beautiful wine from Milton Vineyard – they didn’t have our first choice and so reduced the price on this bottle for us. The staff were very lovely and accommodating!
We went to Cabbage Tree Hill on our wine tour. It is a relatively new vineyard that has only just started producing wines with its own grapes. I can’t wait to see what happens over the next few years for them. But I wanted to mention them because for lunch we had one of their share platters. I have to say this platter was one of the best one’s that we had in Tasmania (and we had a lot of platters). Not only did it have the usual suspects of cheese and cured meats, but it also had smoked salmon and beautiful Tasmanian pairings to go along with the selection. Everything was absolutely delicious, and it is a great place to stop for lunch if you’re not looking for a big set menu. I am still dreaming about the hot smoked salmon that was on that platter!
And now onto the best part because no guide to the Tamar Valley and Launceston would be complete without wrapping up some of my favourite cellar doors that we visited. There were so many that we sadly didn’t get to as they were either closed or we ran out of time. I have to admit my list was very long, and so I knew I was never going to get to them all but the ones we did get to were incredible!
We had one full day of wineries and went on a tour with Valleybrook Wine on Wheels and it was great. Their full-day tour comes with lunch and a cheese platter along with visiting five wineries, and it was a great day out. I loved that it was a small group as well – it was just us and a family that we became friends with very quickly! If you are after a wine tour option leaving from Launceston definitely check out their tour options. Jeremy was a fantastic guide for the full day and we had some great laughs along with learning a lot about the local area.
So without further ado here are my highlights of the wineries we visited:
Clover Hill Wines has the most incredible cellar door and is definitely worth a visit while you are in the area. We popped in on our way to Freycinet after leaving Launceston and were treated to one of their fantastic cellar door tastings.
First off, the view and cellar door itself is absolutely beautiful. Even without the wines, this cellar door is worth a visit for the beautiful outlook and the building itself. But then you add in their incredible range of Sparkling Wine and it really ticks all the boxes.
While we were there we got to try our hand at making our own sparkling and understanding how little Pinot Noir wine needs to go into sparkling to really impact flavour! It was such an interesting exercise and one I would like to say I definitely excelled at in comparison to my partner who made lolly water. We then sampled their great range of Sparkling Wine and it was great to see just how different they all were. This paired with my other favourite platter of Tasmania (seriously it was so good – whoever thought kale on a cheese platter would taste that good!), it really was a winner.
Clover Hill Wines is located on the other side of Launceston to my other recommendations so make sure you keep this in mind when planning. There are heaps of other wineries in the area to explore but be mindful they only open later in the week.
Tamar Ridge Wines was one of the biggest surprises of the trip. It is owned by Brown’s Brothers and so I immediately assumed it would be incredibly commercial. I was keen to try smaller cellar doors and so wasn’t too excited about visiting. But that all changed when we got there and tried their wines.
Yes, it is a larger winery and much larger than others in the area, but their wines are absolutely fantastic. We had a beautiful tasting where we got to try wines alongside their counterparts either in age or vintage vs non-vintage etc. I really loved the whole tasting experience for this because you really got to taste the difference between wines. I couldn’t believe how different all the wines were. It was great comparing which ones we loved, particularly in the differences between clones of Pinot Noir. We even ended up trying some of their museum wines!
Holm Oak was another highlight for us. They have a lovely cellar door with two very cute wine dogs and pigs you can feed apples to! The view is beautiful and it’s a perfect spot for enjoying a cheese platter over a wine tasting. Their base wine tasting allows you to choose which wines you want to try. This means you can try what appeals to you. They had a lot of wines to choose from so it was great being able to try what you wanted to.
The best part about our visit though was trying some of their older wines after our tasting. We got to try some of the back vintages of the Wizard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. I have to tell you they were seriously fantastic. Holm Oak is a smaller Vineyard that is producing some seriously incredible wines. Make sure you take the time to stop in for a visit!
We visited Velo Wines as the first stop on our wine tour and the wines were delicious. It is a smaller cellar door with Timbre next door. The food there is meant to be amazing so it might be worth a stop when it’s open! This vineyard is family run and producing some really delicious wines. The tasting list was quite substantial and had some delicious options to try.
The highlight for me was the Cabernet Sauvignon. Many of the Cabernets that we tried were quite green due to the temperature in Tasmania. But this one had a great complexity to it and was absolutely delicious! They also had some beautiful white wines to try including their Riesling.
Josef Chromy is definitely worth a visit when you head to the Tamar Valley and the area around Launceston. Make sure you book in for a tasting of their wines, especially if you are going there for lunch. They offer three tasting options in a self-guided tasting and seats are limited. But it’s a great way to try some of the range they have on offer.
Josef Chromy is known for sparkling wine, but there are so many other wines to try! We absolutely loved their range of Pinot Noir. My partner got the red wine tasting and really enjoyed trying a few of their different varieties. My favourite however had to be the classic Sparkling Wine!
I hope this guide to the Tamar Valley and Launceston inspires you to plan a trip to this beautiful region. It has so much to offer, and we only scratched the surface! There is so much more to see and do, and plenty of spots we didn’t make it to. I can’t wait to go back and keep exploring everything this mighty wine region has to offer!
The Yarra Valley will forever hold a dear place in our hearts. It is only about an hour out of Melbourne and is a great spot to visit all year round. In late 2019 my now husband got down on one knee in a hot air balloon and asked me to marry him high above the vines. Then in 2021, we revisited the Yarra Valley to get married! So I thought in honour of our fantastic wedding week, I would do an updated Guide to visiting the Yarra Valley.
It was so much fun sharing our highlights of this great cooler climate wine region with our friends and family. We had a few days around the wedding exploring with them and sharing some of our highlights. It was different exploring with a larger group, and so I wanted to share some of the top spots we visited. We didn’t get to as many wineries as we would normally, but the experiences were even more special!
In 2020 I shared two guides to the Yarra Valley that you can find links to below. But this updated guide to visiting the Yarra Valley shares some of the highlights from our wedding week including some old favourites and new spots for you to discover:
So let’s jump in!
Before we jump into my favourite spots, a guide to visiting the Yarra Valley wouldn’t be complete without letting you know what to expect. The Yarra Valley is very easy to get to by car from Melbourne and usually takes around an hour to get to. There are three main towns: Yarra Glen, Healesville and Seville. Healesville is the most established with plenty of dining and accommodation options so is worth a look if you are after somewhere to stay. It can be hard to find dinner restaurants so if you don’t want to cook at home this is your best bet!
These three towns create a sort of triangle of wine goodness but each is around 10-20 minutes from each other. So make sure you plan out your day accordingly. You wouldn’t want to be jumping between wineries around Seville and Yarra Glen/Yering all day!
The great thing about the Yarra Valley is that it has something for everyone. There are some large commercial wineries that are well-known and perfect for groups. But there is also plenty of boutique and family-run wineries offering a more personalised experience, smaller wine lists and great conversation.
The Yarra Valley is considered a cool climate wine region but it can be cold all year round. Make sure you pack a jacket even in Summer just in case. From Autumn to the end of Spring, however, expect to be wearing your warm clothes! In Autumn you get the most beautiful colours on the vines and trees before winter, and so this is my favourite time to visit. But Spring is also beautiful as the flowers start to come out.
In terms of wine, the Yarra Valley is known for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. But it also has so many more wines to discover including Cabernet, Shiraz and some more experimental varieties. Each winery offers new wines and a new experience, so you’ll always find something new.
We had two spots that we stayed for our wedding and both were fantastic. The first was on a winery called Yering Farm and is called the George. The George is a beautiful manor that used to be the family home for the winery and is now accommodation that is perfect for large groups. It has seven bedrooms including a loft master room that makes it perfect for wedding accommodation. Not to mention the fireplace and heated pool and spa!
This house was a perfect base for the bridal party as it was close to heaps of wineries, and was the perfect size for a larger group. If you are heading to the Yarra Valley with a number of people I would highly recommend it. What makes it even better is that the cellar door is just down the road. We ducked down there more than once for a couple of emergency bottles of wine! Megan was also incredibly helpful and always available if we had any questions.
You can find out more about The George here.
The night before the wedding, the bridesmaids stayed at a beautiful spot called Yarramunda BnB’s. We had Angus house which had two bedrooms and the most incredible view out over the Valley. It was the perfect spot for getting ready for a wedding but was so beautiful that I can’t wait to stay there again the next time we visit with another couple. It was beautifully furnished and really close to the wineries near Yering.
We definitely hit the ground running when it came to food in the Yarra Valley. We visited a couple of places we’d been before, but also found some new favourites! In this guide to visiting the Yarra Valley I’m sharing a few of the highlights:
We had our welcome drinks at Herd Bar and Grill and it was so perfect. They were so accommodating in giving us space exclusively between lunch and dinner so our guests could meet up for a drink or two. However I have to say, the wine list and cocktails on offer were so good we all had a couple more than a few! All the staff were lovely and completely on top of dealing with heaps of people. The food here is also incredible, whether you want some bar snacks or something more substantial. It is in a great location in Healesville right in the centre of the town and is perfect if you’re after somewhere for a decent meal without paying for a set menu.
We went to Meletos the night before we got engaged and got married next door, so it seemed fitting to have our rehearsal dinner here. The last time I visited the food was a little more casual, and this time it was a set menu. But we were blown away by how good the food was. Each dish was better than the next, with the roast lamb being the star for me. They were so great at managing our dietary requirements, and their extensive wine list of Yarra Valley wines meant we were spoilt for choice! Meletos is great if you’re looking for a dinner spot as there aren’t many available, and better yet it is open during the week!
We went to Soumah before our welcome drinks with our bridal party for a beautiful lunch. They started us off with a tasting of their wines and then we had a set menu for $50 including some antipasti to start with and a choice of mains along with a glass of wine. When it comes to set menus this is super affordable! We absolutely adore the wines at Soumah and the views are second to none. Definitely worth a visit if you’re after a great meal with some beautiful scenery, and even better wine!
We visited Seville Estate on Mother’s Day and it was absolutely amazing. The set menu here is incredible, and each dish was better than the next. They are always changing the food they have on offer with what is in season and available. The highlight for me was the gnocchi, which they are renowned for. I’m gluten-free and so they gave me chickpea gnocchi which was out of this world! They also made my mum feel extra special by gifting her a bottle of wine for Mother’s Day! If you’re after a special meal full of seasonal flavours, definitely check out Seville Estate. Their gardens are absolutely beautiful too!
We visited TarraWarra for our first meal in the Yarra Valley and it was incredible. They offer a set menu and it was out of control delicious. There wasn’t one dish that I wouldn’t dream of going back and enjoying again. It’s also worth a visit just for the incredible building and beautifully cosy restaurant. Although it wasn’t the cheapest meal, it was perfect for a special occasion and a great excuse for a beautiful meal. The highlight for me was the mushroom tart!
And now for the moment, you’ve been waiting for. A guide to visiting the Yarra Valley wouldn’t be complete without my highlights from the cellar doors we visited. We didn’t visit as many as I would have liked, but each winery was incredible. Here are my favourites:
Pimpernel is one of our favourite wineries in the Yarra Valley so we had to make it back there. We served Pimpernel Pinot Noir at our wedding and also put away a bottle of their wine to enjoy on our ten year anniversary. If you are a Pinot Noir fan, you have to make it to Pimpernel. They have so many different wines available, but their Pinots have to be my favourite of the bunch (and there are four available). The Chardonnay was also so good that it made one of our Chardonnay disliking friends into a Chardonnay lover! The tasting fee is redeemable on purchase, but the cellar door is small so make sure that you book ahead!
Soumah has an incredible selection of wines to discover whether you are after traditional Yarra Valley wines or something different. They have a range of lesser-known Italian varieties which make for a fun tasting. Our favourite range has to be the Equilibrio however, and this still rung true when we visited. But all their wines are delicious, and with the most beautiful setting, you can’t go wrong. Each time we visit we discover new things, and the staff are so much fun to do a tasting with.
We had a truly special experience at Dominique Portet. For $20 you can do a private tasting in their Andre Room which overlooks their winery, and I highly recommend it if you love wine as much as we do. We really got to know the wines and taste some seriously special drops. I loved chatting to Tony about the history of the vineyard and learning about some of their lesser-known wines. He then took us down to try some of their Museum Wines which were seriously special. It is well worth the extra money to take your time going through their French-inspired wine list. The highlight for me was their Rosé as always, but also a Sancerre style Sauvignon Blanc! I am not a Sauvignon Blanc fan, but this wine really blew my mind. For anyone who loves a Chardonnay, I think you’ll love this one.
We frequented the cellar door at Yering Farm over our trip as it was just down the road from us. But it wasn’t convenience that kept us going back, it was the wine! Their wines were a hit with our wedding party, and it is easy to see why. They offer a great range whether you are into white wines, reds or even cider! They’ve also recently started doing a Rosé which was absolutely delicious. However, the standout for us was the Cabernet Sauvignon which my partner loved so much that he got anxious that it had been drunk when he couldn’t find it! Luckily I had already stowed it away for safekeeping. The cellar door has a beautiful view and they also offer platters if you feel like enjoying a glass of wine over some cheese.
The cellar door at TarraWarra is worth a visit for its looks alone. Any Lord of the Rings fans I’m looking at you! But inside are some great wines ready to be discovered. We did the express tasting which took us through their main wines and I loved learning about the difference in flavours between their vineyards. It was also beautiful taking a seat in their cellar door in the sun and enjoying wine with friends. They also offer tasting paddles you can enjoy in the garden with some cheese!
Coombe Estate has a beautiful setting to visit just to see the beautiful Melba Mansion. But in their cellar door, there are some great wines ready to be tasted. The tasting here is far more casual than the other wineries we visited which I loved. Most wineries are now doing seated tastings due to COVID but this one felt like old times where we could chat across the bar and try the wines that got us talking. There were too many beautiful wines to count, but the Estate Chardonnay had to be my highlight. Coombe is also perfect if you just want a glass of wine to enjoy in the sunshine as they offer wines by the glass to be enjoyed in their courtyard along with a range of snacks.
Seville Estate has a beautiful range of wines that they offer in a very flexible tasting. We sat down before lunch and they took us through a couple of their wines, taking note of what we loved and changing accordingly. It was great to learn more about the Estate and try some truly special wines before tucking into a great meal!
We actually visited Chandon twice because it was such a great spot for a group. It has a nice large area with plenty of seating in its cellar door and offers a range of tasting options. When we were there they had a Mother’s Day special, but the standard tastings offer a great range of bubbles to try. You can then grab a glass to enjoy over some bar snacks. They also give you the most amazing complimentary chips (seriously). We also loved Martin who was incredibly knowledgeable and very sassy as he took our rather large group through our tasting!
So Four Pillars isn’t a winery I know but definitely worth a visit. We paid for the tour and it was set above the distillery. The tasting was incredibly informative and taught you how to actually taste Gin without getting the burn. It was a technique I used all throughout Tasmania! The gins here are world-renowned for a reason, and we learnt so much in the tasting about all their different gins, how they came about and what to taste in them. Definitely worth a visit if you are after a break from all the wine!
The Yarra Valley certainly turned it on for us in terms of the beautiful weather, gorgeous wine and incredible food. We had so many great experiences here and it was even better that we could share them with close friends and family. I hope this most recent guide to visiting the Yarra Valley helps you plan your next trip to this beautiful wine region!
Last weekend we went on a road trip to the Granite Belt, which is the main wine region in sunny Queensland. Mostly it is far too hot in Queensland for wine, but luckily this pocket of gold has hit the sweet spot. Fertile granite soils, cold winters and warm summers make it the perfect spot for growing Mediterranean varieties – some of which I can guarantee you will have never heard of! I had so many requests for tips, so I’ve created this post with my top things to do in the Granite Belt.
The Granite Belt is the perfect spot to head to if you want to try new wines and love discovering small producers. This wine region is full of small, boutique wineries each offering something unique. When you head to the cellar door you will normally be served by the owners or the winemaker, making it a great spot for conversation. I absolutely love the intimacy of this wine region, the passion of its people and the incredible wines they produce.
The Granite Belt has had a hard few years, and so there is no better time to offer our support. With a few years of awful drought and devastating bush fires late last year, for some, it has rendered what little wine they could produce undrinkable. It was so sad to hear some of the wineries are not even opening next year because they have nothing to sell. But the good news is that they have some incredible wines in their back vintages which you can try and fall in love with as much as we did!
So let’s jump into my trip highlights and top things to do in the Granite Belt!
At the moment the Granite Belt is in high demand from local Queensland tourists because we can’t get on a plane, so bookings are hard to come by! We really struggled to find a place even on a weekend that wasn’t a public holiday – so make sure you book well in advance (and set up a wine tour as soon as possible).
I stumbled upon Quaffers on Storm King by pure luck. We had completely run out of options and was desperately trying to find something for any weekend in August, and happened to find this great little spot that was available by some miracle! I booked without even checking with my partner because I was so surprised. I wasn’t sure what we were going to show up to, but I was completely blown away by this place and highly recommend you check it out!
Quaffers on Storm King is relatively new and just out of Stanthorpe. It is on the Storm King dam and has only a couple of cottages, so it feels very private. Our one-bedroom cottage was so spacious and had beautiful modern finishes. It also had a fireplace to cosy up next to, or you could head down to the lake to make a bonfire if you braved the cold. You also got to choose what breakfast supplies they provided each morning (all included) and they would even sort out a slow cooker meal for you to pop on in the morning for an extra fee. I loved this little addition as it made our lives so much easier on our Saturday night stay.
If you are looking for accommodation, definitely check this one out! It was one of the best places we’ve stayed in, and Deb and Paul were the loveliest people.
There is so much great food in the Granite Belt – you will be spoilt for choice! Whether you are after something for lunch, something to takeaway or a nice dinner, there are some great restaurants in the area. This time around we opted to eat dinner at our cottage because of COVID-19. Not that we were worried – it was just difficult to find a booking! We also liked the idea of cosying up by the fire with some fresh produce and a glass of wine rather than going out.
Here are some of the places we went on our trip:
If you are looking for a great meal, look no further than the Barrelroom at Ballendean Estate. It is set amongst their giant barrels and has an absolutely delicious menu. At lunch, you can order a la carte, and at dinner, they have a set menu. Although it isn’t the cheapest place you can go, the food is such high quality and their menu is always changing. I also love that their wine list is very reasonably priced. Pro tip: head to the cellar door for a tasting beforehand and then order a glass of your favourite wine to go with your lunch!
If you are looking to head to this restaurant, particularly at the moment, make sure you book ahead. It gets very busy, and it isn’t hard to see why! This is a must-visit for me every time we go to the Granite Belt, and has always been my favourite restaurant in the area.
Heavenly Chocolates is also a place we go every time we head to the Granite Belt because my partner is obsessed with is a little out of the way but the perfect pit stop if you are heading to the National Park to work off all your wine and food with a bushwalk! They have a cute little garden with chickens and cows to see and heaps of flowers. It’s the perfect spot to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine in winter!
The must get at this place is their hot chocolates. Who doesn’t love a hot chocolate in winter? Well, you are in for a treat here. Their hot chocolates are so good, we almost went back for a second one. They have every flavour you could ever dream of having, and all of them are delicious. Our favourite has to be coconut, but their dark chocolate is great too!
Not into hot chocolates? You are strange, but don’t worry. There are also a bunch of chocolates available for purchase, as well as coffees and tea. We grabbed some chocolate covered coffee beans which really helped on the drive home!
Now, I am not really into beer, but I have to say the Granite Belt Brewery does a great lunch. My partner loves beer, but luckily they have plenty of local wine on offer too. Their lunch menu is full of great options that are sure to warm you up on a winters day. It is the ultimate comfort food menu, which is what you want after a few wineries under your belt! At the moment they have a very reasonable set price menu of 2 courses and a glass of wine or beer for $35. I couldn’t believe how much food we got for this price! We were able to get a table without booking but I would recommend giving them a call before you go so you aren’t disappointed.
Brinx Deli is in Stanthorpe and a great spot for stocking up if you are looking at eating at home. We went absolutely wild in their cheese and meats cabinet. I mean, they had freshly shaved prosciutto and blue cheese stuffed olives – what’s not to love? We also picked up some supplies to make a quick and delicious pasta at home which was perfect after a long day at the wineries. This spot is also great for getting local produce for yourself or as gifts. They do have a cafe but it isn’t operating at the moment, so best to head here to stock up before heading home to your fireplace and glass of wine.
We went to so many cellar doors, I wish I could put them all in here! They all offered something different and an incredible experience. Here are some of my highlights:
Go there for: Great views and beautiful red wines (oh and two very cute wine dogs)
Wine picks: 2018 Tempranillo and 2017 Petit Verdot
Moonrise Estate is one of our favourite wineries on the Granite Belt. The last trip we arrived on a day they weren’t open and were very devastated, so we made sure that we hit up Moonrise Estate first up! A few years ago this winery won best Tempranillo in Australia which was a wine we bought one of. We then drunk it, and were very sad that we didn’t have another to enjoy! Determined not to make the same mistake twice, this time we bought two of everything. Let’s just say it wasn’t the cheapest start to a trip in wine country, but my gosh was it worth it!
Moonrise Estate produces a broad range of white and red wines with something to suit everyone’s taste. They believe in making their wines as natural as possible avoiding harmful additives to bring you quality wines without the fake stuff. All their wines were great, but the standouts were definitely the red wines. We didn’t find any of these we didn’t want to take home, and as a result, we ended up taking most of them! Top of the list was the newest Tempranillo which hasn’t yet won as many awards, but after a little more time in bottle is set to be a stunner!
Go there for: A beautiful cellar door, refined wines and great conversation
Wine picks: Their Rosé and their ‘The Rock’ Shiraz
Balancing Rock Wines is a little out of the way but 100% worth the trip! We had never been there before but were in complete awe of the site the winery was on when we got there. It’s set against a beautiful lake with olive trees and rolling hills. The cellar door is also very cosy and well designed, however, it is about to be renovated and will be even more incredible once that is done.
Balancing Rock Wines was recently purchased by a new owner and we were lucky enough to be served by him. The winemaker Mike Hayes popped into the cellar door while we were there too, and gave us a try of the new vintages! It was so great having a chat with him about the wines and the plans for the new vineyard. I can also tell you that the next vintage is absolutely delicious! Next time we are in the area I’ll definitely be heading back to try more of their wines and also to see their dream cellar door come to life.
Go there for: Great conversation and a beautiful cellar door (oh and their wines of course!)
Wine picks: Piazza Red and Parliamentary Blend
Whiskey Gully Wines is set in a beautiful old house that has been lovingly restored into a cellar door and restaurant. Last time we visited we huddled around the tasting bar, but because of COVID this time we got to sit outside. Sitting on the veranda of this house sipping on wines was one of the most relaxing moments of the trip. It was perfect sitting out in the sunshine on a cool winter afternoon having great conversation.
John is the owner and he does a lot of the tastings at the cellar door. He actually took a seat with us and spent ages chatting us through all the wines – their stories and how they came about. I absolutely loved how passionate he was about his wines, and that he took the time to immerse us in their stories.
The wines are also great! I really enjoyed every single one for different reasons, but there were a few that we absolutely loved. We took a bottle of the Piazza red home to enjoy with dinner – it was absolutely delicious and very easy drinking. However one of our favourites has always been the Parliamentary Blend – so we picked up another one of these too! It is a blend of their Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec and is truly delicious. You can’t really go wrong with their wines!
Go there for: A wide range of wines and a cute wine dog
Wine picks: Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon and the Singing Lake Chardonnay Verdelho 2019
We visited Robert Channon wines for the first time after being introduced to them at the Urban Wine Walk last year. They have so many great wines to try and a very cosy cellar door. We sat by the fire with a wine glass in hand and patting their gorgeous dog with the other. Pretty perfect if you ask me!
Robert Channon has a great range of wines and I really think there is something that everyone will love. They do have a guide for things to taste, but there are plenty of other wines they are happy to give you to taste. This meant you could try their full range – which is what we ended up doing. The wines we took away were their Chardonnay Verdelho which really surprised me, and their Shiraz Cabernet blend and Cab Sav Reserve. These wines are so good that we had to nab two of each!
Go there for: A unique tasting experience
Wine picks: Tempranillo and Shiraz Millenium Reserve
Savina Lane isn’t open to the public, but if you email them they can book you in for a great tasting experience. They have two options for tasting, and we opted for the Strange Bird one which went for about an hour. They also have a two-hour tasting which is done in their cellar, but there isn’t as much availability for this one. Their cellar door is modern and absolutely stunning, with sweeping views across their vineyards.
The wine tasting was really structured but very interesting. They provided heaps of handouts to help you understand what the Strange Bird wines are (something unique to the Granite Belt), and even gave you a list to start ticking off! They also provided some great food pairings for each of the wines you tasted, which made me very hungry. Their wines are more on the premium price point, but they are absolutely delicious. I loved every single one we tried, and really wanted to purchase one of each! We ended up opting for the Shiraz Millenium Reserve which was full of refined flavours and one I cannot wait to enjoy.
If you are looking for a unique experience, this is definitely my highlight. Make sure you book in advance!
Go there for: A great range of wines
Wine picks: Kate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Tobin Wines is one of the larger producers in the area and you definitely have to book before you arrive. They were absolutely packed when we arrived after lunch, and when you try their wines you can see why. Despite how busy they were, we were taken through the wines with so much care. I loved how even though they were packed, we were still able to chat about the wines and ask plenty of questions. Their cellar door is also quite nice. You sit surrounded by their barrels which felt really nice and cosy.
The wines at Tobin Wines were delicious, and there was plenty to choose from. The one we ended up bringing home was their Semillon Sauvignon Blanc which surprised me. I normally am not a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, but the blend with Semillon turned it into something completely different. Their red wines were great too if you aren’t in the mood for a white!
Go there for: Great wines and conversation
Wine picks: Merlot and Shiraz
Pyramid Road Wines is on the way to the national park so is a little out of Stanthorpe. But is definitely worth adding to your list. We have been there before and had a great experience, so had to come back and check it out again. Their wines are absolutely fantastic, and we had so much fun in the tasting. We even got to try some wines from the barrel!
This winery was quite busy so I would recommend booking, especially if you are more than 2 people. We were taken through the wines by the winemaker which was a great experience. I loved speaking to him about all the different wines and finding out more about the winemaking behind them. The wines are absolutely delicious, and you’ll find it hard picking just one!
Go there for: Their vertical tastings
Wine picks: 2018 Merlot and 2010 Shiraz
Casley Mount Hutton was a winery I was recommended to visit by a couple of people. It is a huge vineyard for the area, and the cellar door is set up within the winery itself. They’ve got a great little tasting area at the moment with cute little tables and chairs set up so everyone can do a seated tasting. We were taken through the wines by one of the owners. It was really fun chatting to her about the wines.
The great thing about Casley Mount Hutton is that they offer vertical tastings of their wines. I couldn’t believe how old some of the wines were that we were tasting. It was such a unique experience to try their wines over a few years and note the differences in the flavours depending on what the vintage had been like. We also snuck in a couple of extra years worth of tastings which was so much fun! I haven’t really seen this at other cellar doors, and so if you are after a unique experience, definitely check this winery out!
I can’t go through all the wineries we visited in detail, but they were all great! Here are some other wineries I recommend checking out:
These wineries were great too and definitely worth checking out!
There are so many things to do in the Granite Belt, and plenty of wineries to discover. What I love so much about this region is that each winery is so unique. They all offer different varieties and different styles, so each winery is completely different from the last. The cellar doors are also so intimate and everyone is so friendly and willing to have a chat. The people of the Granite Belt are passionate about wine and love talking about it. I learnt so much from our trip. But it was also so fun talking about what we were tasting. This is such a unique wine region in Australia and one that is completely underrated. So why not consider it for your next trip?
With restrictions easing in Australia, my heart is set on getting back out to wine country! With international travel off the table for the foreseeable future, what better time to explore the incredible wine regions of Australia? So many of them need our support now more than ever with the year 2020 has turned out to be! With natural disasters and now the COVID-19 crisis – I think it is worth us all packing our bags and heading out to some of our great wine regions! I mean not only are we supporting them, but we’re also getting to taste great wine! So I thought I would do an article on how to choose a wine tour that’s right for you to get your creative juices flowing!
I did a post a while back about planning a wine getaway, but I wanted to dive a bit deeper into wine tours. My partner and I have done many wine tours over the year. Some would say it’s our favourite hobby other than drinking wine! We often opt to do a tour instead of driving ourselves because we want to sample all the delicious wine on offer, and neither of us can ever agree on who drives! So wine tours are definitely right up our alley so we can both have a good time!
But how do you choose a wine tour for your needs and your budget? Well, I’ve got plenty of experience in this and I’m going to lay down some knowledge that might help! Below are some of the options we’ve used and most tend to be available in all wine regions.
Price: medium-high
Ease of use: easy
Flexibility: low
First cab off the rank is group tours. This is where you jump on a bus with people you’ve never met, and settle in for a day of wine tasting. They can range from a small minibus to large buses depending on the type of tour you go for, and what you want to pay. They will either pick you up from a capital city and drive you out (particularly good for Melbourne and Adelaide), or they’ll pick you up from your accommodation or a central spot in the region. The ones that pick you up from your accommodation are best because at the end of the tour you won’t want to be trying to make your way home!
These group tours usually have a pre-determined itinerary. They will tell you how many wineries are included in the tour and if they include other stops like lunch, cheese stores or chocolate stores. Some are a little flexible in the wineries you visit, but most will already have the day planned out. So if you aren’t familiar with the region and want someone else to decide on wineries for you, this will be right up your alley! You can sit back and relax, and maybe make a few new friends!
These group tours vary in price based on how much you get included in the tour (lunch, tastings, winery stops, pickups and drop-offs) and how large the tours are. Generally, larger tours are cheaper. The flip side is that you don’t get as much flexibility in where you visit as they will usually have to visit the major wineries. It also means you normally don’t get a chance to ask as many questions or get a more personalised experience. Smaller buses would be my recommendation. The extra cost is definitely worth it to get to visit smaller wineries, and have more time at the wine tasting to ask questions etc. You can sometimes get the cost down by opting for one that doesn’t include lunch or as many stops.
Price: high
Ease of use: easy
Flexibility: high
If you aren’t strapped for cash when you are looking to choose a wine tour. Private tours are something that we don’t usually do because, to be honest, we can’t justify the cost. This is definitely the most expensive way to do a winery tour, but it is very flexible. You’ll hire a driver for the day and be able to choose the wineries that you go to. Sometimes they will have an itinerary and lunch booked for you, but it is very flexible because you are the only people on the tour.
This is the best solution if you have a large group of people going around the wineries. The cost comes down significantly when you’re splitting it between 8-12 people! It’s a great way to have a fun day out with friends in wine country where you can customise the experience and not have to worry about annoying other people on the tour!
You can find some great companies that do these tours, and if you are happy to pay the extra price, they are a great way to see the wine regions. We opted for a private tour when we went to Mornington Peninsula last year and had the best time! He even took photos throughout the day for us to look back on.
Cost: low
Ease of use: medium
Flexibility: medium
Hop-on, hop-off buses are a great and affordable way to see the wine regions, and they are certainly building in popularity. The way they work is sort of like a regular bus. They have set stops and you simply hop on at one and hop off where you want to visit. They’ll have a timetable for when they will arrive at certain wineries, and you just need to keep an eye on the time so you can go to your next location.
The great thing about these tours is that you can really select where you want to go. Although you can only go to wineries on their timetable, there are plenty of options and they normally go to the main wineries of the region. You can also sometimes walk between a couple if you get sneaky about it! We did this in McLaren Vale and managed to squeeze in a few extras!
These tours are very affordable and a great way to ensure you can still visit plenty of wineries at a low cost. You will have to pay for your tastings and lunch (most require you have a lunch booking to board), but it usually ends up being the most affordable option.
Cost: low-medium
Ease of use: hard
Flexibility: high
If you are looking to choose a wine tour and get some exercise, most winery regions have plenty of options for hiring bikes and exploring. The regions have spent a lot on creating cycle paths so you can easily navigate them on a bike. There are plenty of options from push bikes to e-bikes to suit any level of fitness. It’s a perfect way to get outside and enjoy the region with a few wine stops along the way.
I have to admit, whilst I love the idea of exercising and drinking, it is simply not something that I enjoy in practice. I’m sure other avid cyclists would love it, but for me, it was nothing but pain. We did it in McLaren Vale, opting for a 24-hour hire of their council bikes. The trouble started getting the bikes home, which required getting up quite a large hill! The next day wasn’t much better – even though it was cold I ended up a sweaty mess. Perhaps a testament to my fitness than the bike riding. I am sure others would have more luck than me! I think next time I might opt for an e-bike!
The other thing to consider is the weather. We tried to hire e-bikes when we were in the Hunter Valley but everyone said it was too hot to ride them. There’s also the concern of rain! But if you get a good day, and you have good fitness, and you like bike riding, this is a great way to have a fun activity to do while you ride.
Another thing to note – only do this in wine regions where there are plenty of wineries nearby to one another. You don’t want to be cycling really far between them, especially if it is hilly!
Cost: medium
Ease of use: easy
Flexibility: high
My final recommendation is one we took advantage of when we were in the Yarra Valley in December. We had been a few times and so didn’t want to go on an organised tour that would likely take us to places we’d been before. Private tours were too expensive, and the hop-on-hop-off buses were booked. And I wasn’t going to get on a bike! So what were we to do?
Well, we decided to chuck up a task on Airtasker. We figured, what’s the harm in asking for someone to drive us around for the day for $200? I was amazed by how many offers we got back – and for people who usually ran wine tours or knew the area well! It was like getting a private tour without the price tag. Sure, the car wasn’t a limo and we didn’t get lunch, but Les picked us up from our accommodation and dropped us home. He took us to as many spots as we wanted, and even made some recommendations along the way! It was such a great day and meant we could hit all the wineries we wanted to visit without having to worry.
This option is perfect if you know where you want to go. If you want a guide, I wouldn’t choose this as an option. It is also a no-frills approach – sort of like getting an Uber to drive you around. But if you just want someone to get you from A to B, this is a great way to do it!
Hopefully, this has given you a couple of things to consider when you are booking a wine tour. It can be hard to choose a wine tour, but these tips should point you in the right direction! The next step is to start planning! You lucky ducks in states where there are plenty of wine regions to choose from are spoiled for choice without having to get on a plane so why not start planning? It’s a great way to fill that travel void, and discover some great wineries while you’re at it!
It feels like an age ago, but we recently visited Queenstown in New Zealand and explored a few of the wineries in the Central Otago region. This wine region absolutely blew me away with its jaw-dropping scenery, beautiful food and amazing wines. The cellar doors were absolutely stunning, the people so friendly and passionate, and the wines – oh the wines! They were so beautifully delicate and complex all at the same time. I fell absolutely head over heels in love. For this reason, I wanted to share with you my top cellar doors in Central Otago.
So we didn’t get to quite as many cellar doors as I would have liked, as we had a wedding and plenty of other activities to do in Queenstown. Really there is so much to see and do, I think you’ll find the same issue! The wineries we did get to though were great. So here are my favourites we visited so you can plan your own trip – once we are past this crazy time of quarantine!
A little advice before we begin: Central Otago is massive! There are little pockets you can visit but the closest wineries to Queenstown are still about 30 minutes drive away. We definitely didn’t get to even scratch the surface of the wine region, but these are the top cellar doors we visited while we were there. If you are going to base yourself in Queenstown, there is still plenty to discover! We spent one day out at Bannockburn which I highly recommend, but it is an hour drive away. Otherwise, you can stay closer to home and try some great wines! This list will have a mix of the two areas.
Felton Road was the first cellar doors we visited and is located in Bannockburn. It isn’t open to the public but we were able to call to make an appointment, and this was the best thing we could have done. It wasn’t just a tasting, but a full experience! We were taken for a tour around the vineyard and shown through their winemaking processes all before we tried their wines. It was so great hearing about all their Biodynamic and sustainable practices before trying the wines as they are very big on this with their wines. From the way they manage the vineyard to their power sources, sustainability is key to everything they do.
This care shows in the wines which were absolutely fantastic. Although we couldn’t take many home as they were pretty much sold out (showing how popular they were), we ended up getting a case because we loved them so much! Trying their different Pinot Noirs was definitely the highlight for me. They have many vineyards around the local area and you could really taste the difference in the wines. Their Chardonnays were also fantastic!
The cellar door is beautiful and definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. Make sure you give them a call before heading there though otherwise you might be disappointed. You won’t want to miss this one, trust me!
A little closer to Queenstown, Chard Farm is an absolutely stunning cellar door. It is a little precarious to get there. You have to drive along this one-lane dirt road with a steep cliff on one side. But it all adds to the experience, especially when you meet a large tractor going the other way!
If you are after an Instagrammable cellar door, look no further than Chard Farm. Its pink cellar door stands out against the landscape and makes for a great photo. But you’re not here for that – you are here for the wine! I can promise you the wine is incredible too. They also have a couple of very cute cats – we were greeted by one of them who sat in on our tasting.
We tried some great wines at Chard Farm. My favourite had to be the Judge and Jury Chardonnay which we brought home a bottle of. But I actually enjoyed all of their whites, which is a bit unusual for me! Their Rieslings were both beautiful.
If you are in Queenstown and looking to visit some wineries, definitely make sure you visit Chard Farm. It is definitely up there on my top cellar doors in Central Otago.
Mt Difficulty is in Bannockburn but definitely worth the trip out for the views along. Situated on a hill, it had some of the most incredible views out over the vineyards and mountains of the area. We were able to do our wine tasting outside overlooking this view which was absolutely fantastic!
If the view isn’t enough, there are plenty of great wines on tasting to try! I was intrigued that they started us out with the Pinot Noirs before the whites, but it actually worked! Their wines each offered something different and were truly delicious. I really loved their Pinot Noir, but they also had a great Chardonnay.
If you are in the area, this is also a great spot to stop for lunch or a coffee. Their restaurant had great food and a beautiful view. We had a delicious meal there, and it was great as we were able to order a la carte. There didn’t seem to be too many spots for lunch while we were there, so this would be my pick if you’re planning your day. Think venison or lamb paired with a delicious pinot overlooking the vines. I’m sold! Also if you are dining in the restaurant, the wine tasting is complimentary!
Another great spot we visited was Kinross. This cellar door is just down the road from Chard Farm and offers wines from a few wineries around the area. The reason we went there was that the night before we’d tried a wine from a winery called Valli. We absolutely fell head over heels for their smooth Pinot Noir, and so knew we had to go try more of their wines. Luckily at Kinross, you can try their wines but also Valli and a couple of other wineries.
What did we love? Well, we ended up purchasing a lot of the Valli Pinot Noir as it was all incredibly delicious. They tailor the wine tasting around your tastes, so make sure you ask to try their wines. Each offered something different depending on its vineyard, so it was worth trying them all! We also loved the Pinot Noir from Coal Pit which was a smaller producer with incredible wines!
Looking for a spot of lunch in the area? Kinross was a great option for a casual winery lunch. They do great pizzas and a la carte meals making it a great choice if you don’t want anything too fancy.
Now when thinking of the top cellar doors in Central Otago, I’d usually gravitate to those with a picturesque cellar door. Now, Quartz Reef is not one of these. Its cellar door is in an industrial state, and doesn’t have much to look at. So if it has made its way to this list, you know the wine must be good. And it truly is! Don’t be put off by the location, because it is well worth a visit for the wines alone!
Quartz Reef is renowned for its sparkling wines, and when you taste them you can see why. They are some of the closest sparklings to champagne I’ve ever tasted. They were absolutely delicious, refreshing and everything you could want in sparkling wine and more. But don’t let that distract you from their Pinot Noir, because their Pinots are absolutely incredible! We ended up bringing a bottle home because they were so good!
Top Cellar Doors in Central Otago: Cloudy Bay
If you are looking for a picturesque cellar door that you can spend the whole afternoon at, look no further than the Cloudy Bay tasting shed. It is located around Bannockburn, and definitely worth the trip for how beautiful it is! Set up around a lake, they encourage sitting outside and enjoying the sunshine. There’s also food available, and plenty of lawn games, including mini-golf!
If that isn’t enough, there are plenty of tasting options. You can choose from a combination of three wines. It is a little more expensive than other tastings, and not refundable on a purchase, but the tastings are quite large. We opted for three different Pinot Noirs and it was great to try different wines from completely different areas of Central Otago. There was quite a difference! The tasting sizes really leant themselves to enjoying slowly in the afternoon sun. I could definitely picture spending an entire afternoon enjoying the view here!
Finally, no trip to Queenstown would be complete for a wine lover without a trip to Amisfield. It is renowned for its restaurant, but its wines are incredible too! It is quite close to Queenstown, meaning you don’t have to drive far to get there. The views are beautiful, and the cellar door and restaurant are stunning as well.
We had a great tasting at Amisfield trying a range of their wines. One of my favourites was the Rosé which was deceptively bright pink, but very dry and refreshing in its flavours. I definitely wish I’d bought a bottle or two to bring home! We also loved their Pinot Noir from 2017 – it truly trumped 2016 which surprised me!
Food-wise, this is not the cheapest place to eat, but you will be guaranteed an experience. Their two-course lunch was absolutely beautiful, and the venison dish was one of the best I had on the trip. Sitting outside looking out over the vineyard was an absolutely perfect way to enjoy lunch.
I hope you have realised from this post that when it comes to Central Otago, you really can’t go wrong. Between the beautiful scenery, the incredible food and the outstanding wines, each winery we visited had something we loved. The wines of this area are next level, and will have you missing them when you realise how expensive they are in Australia! Best to enjoy them while you can, and head out to the wineries to get the full experience!
Over the weekend we headed to the Yarra Valley to check out some wedding venues. Lucky for us it wasn’t all work and no play! In between checking out the beautiful venues on offer, we managed to cram in a hell of a lot of wine and food. All for research purposes, of course! Because we have to have good wine at our wedding! We only visited recently, and I did a post about the best things to do, as well as my favourite cellar doors. But with so much to discover, we found some new great places that I had to share! So with all the new intel I gathered, I decided I would create a guide to the Yarra Valley – part two!
In this guide, I’ll highlight some of the great cellar doors we visited on our whirlwind trip, where we stayed and of course where we ate!
We visited a few cellar doors in the name of research, and also when we had some spare time, and below are just some of my favourites from this trip.
Seville Estate was definitely a highlight of this trip. We sadly didn’t quite make it there on our last journey so it was top of my list to visit this time around! Seville Estate won James Halliday’s winery of the year 2019, and also won the Gourmet Traveller Star Cellar Door for 2019. So with accolades like that, you know you are in for a treat!
I fell in love with this cellar door from the moment we walked down the path. The gardens are filled with Australian natives which make for a stunning walk. It’s something different to the green grass and rose bushes you typically find in the region. From their cellar door and restaurant, you get the most incredible views out over the valley, all the way to the distant mountains.
Their cellar door experience is fantastic. You sit down and an expert server brings you your wines to try. We opted for the premium tasting which was great as you got to try the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz from the different ranges together. It was so interesting tasting the difference between old and new vines from the same year!
My personal favourites? Definitely their Pinot Noir and Shiraz. I also loved their Sparkling wine! However, I have to say all the wines were exceptional. It’s no wonder they’ve won so many awards!
DeBortoli
We popped into DeBortoli because we had a bit of time up our sleeves. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was absolutely blown away by the gardens and vineyard itself. As far as the eye could see were rolling hills covered in vines. Closer to the cellar door, there were flowers everywhere. It certainly was picturesque!
The cellar door itself is tucked away and feels very cosy despite its size. We had a great tasting of the premium range, which costs a bit extra but is well worth it. It was really interesting comparing the wines from the different lists for their flavours. Turns out I loved the cheaper Pinot Noir – but I never would have thought that before trying! You also get a chance to try their Noble One dessert wine from different years which was really interesting. Even the difference in colour was amazing!
DeBortoli also has a restaurant on-site if you are after lunch or dinner. It wasn’t open when we were there but I’ve heard good things!
Even though DeBortoli is the biggest winery in the Yarra Valley, it didn’t feel super commercial. And the wines were quite delicious too!
Another one of my favourites from the trip was Coombe Yarra Valley. We visited it on our first trip to the Yarra Valley many years ago and so I was excited to go back! It certainly did not disappoint with its beauty or its wines.
Coombe Yarra Valley was once the home of Dame Nellie Melba – a famous opera singer. You can still see her original mansion and elaborate gardens on a garden tour from the cellar door. It would be worth a look if you can pull yourself away from the wines because the gardens are absolutely incredible! The cellar door and restaurant is at the front of the property which is surrounded by a 100-year-old hedge that looks like something out of a fairytale.
On to the wines. We tried their full tasting list and I loved all the wines! In particular, their sparkling wine was absolutely delicious. We also loved their Pinot Noir (which we took home), and their Chardonnay was super approachable. I could also see myself easily knocking back a few of their Rosés!
I was blown away by how good the Mandala Wines were. I had been recommended them by someone at work, and so I was excited to try them. The cellar door wasn’t as grand as some of the others in this list, but you don’t need a fancy cellar door to make seriously good wine!
I loved the service at the cellar door too. The guy serving us was so relaxed and approachable. He was part of the winemaking team so was able to take you through any questions you had. My favourite had to be their Mandala Pinot Noir. We didn’t have enough space in our luggage to take it home, but I really wish we had!
We visited Helen’s Hill to try the wines that were served at a venue we were looking at. It’s a little tucked away but certainly worth the trip! The cellar door looks out into their barrel room, making for an impressive sight. But the wines were what I loved the most. We tried their premium tasting which meant that you could try the wines side by side from each list. I loved doing this to taste the difference between their Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Shiraz. Again, we ended up loving the freshness of the Pinot from the base list and purchased a bottle! However, I also loved their Chardonnay.
Helen’s Hill had a nice feel to it with a nice outdoor verandah where you could enjoy a glass or two of wine over some cheese. It looked like a place where you could easily enjoy an afternoon!
This time around we decided to stay at Yarra Valley Lodge. The reason being we knew we would be exhausted after a day of driving for my partner, and a day of drinking for me. Yarra Valley Lodge is perfect for people who want everything in one place. There’s a restaurant, a bar, gym, spa and a golf course if you’re inclined! There weren’t that many options left available for us so this ticked all the boxes and was relatively close to the wineries for a hotel. A lot of the bigger hotels are out near Warburton which is substantially further away from the wineries – so keep that in mind!
I found the rooms to be quite spacious, and the service was so great that they gave us two bottles of Sparkling wine to celebrate our engagement! I couldn’t believe it! We also didn’t manage to get through them.
If you are looking for something to eat, the restaurant was quite good. I really enjoyed the food, and they had a good wine list of local wines. The room charge also included breakfast which was a really good breakfast buffet. It was so good that I went seriously overboard and paid for it for the rest of the morning with how full I was! I am a sucker for a buffet, what can I say?
We didn’t have that much time in the Yarra Valley, but we managed to fit in some great food! Here’s where we had some incredible lunches.
So we ended up being at Seville Estate for a good few hours because we decided that we loved the wine so much that we had to try the food. So they get a double mention in this post because I just didn’t want to leave! Seriously, this was up there with some of the best meals I’ve had in a while, and I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!
The restaurant focuses on fresh and seasonal produce, and because of that, the menu is changed regularly. An advantage of going here is that you aren’t stuck with a set menu either, so you can try what you want. The standout for me had to be the gnocchi. The waiter joked that the chef gets sick of hearing how good his gnocchi is and that they always have to have it on the menu. But it was seriously good, so I understand why! If you go there, make sure you look out for it!
The setting of the restaurant is also beautiful. There’s an amazing view out over the valley, and it’s got a really nice minimalist style to it which I loved. If you are in the area, definitely check it out for lunch, after a wine tasting of course!
On Saturday we decided to check out Yering Station because we were in the area and I hadn’t been there yet. Another one we missed last time! It’s one of the most well-known wineries in the Yarra Valley, and their restaurant area is absolutely incredible. Seriously, the architecture is insane, and it looks so beautiful as you walk up to it. Inside you’ll find views out over the Yarra Valley. There are no vines but we did get to look out over the field we landed in when we went on our hot air balloon ride, so that was just as nice for us!
You have to do a set menu for lunch here, but there were options to share a main. We opted for the shared main lamb, and it was absolutely incredible! Sometimes with set menus, I find they don’t give you that much food, but we really struggled to finish this! I was glad we didn’t order dessert!
So there you have another guide to the Yarra Valley for you. There truly is so much to explore in this region, and I feel like even though we’ve been there twice in such a short space of time, we’ve still only scratched the surface. Lucky for us there is still plenty to go back to explore and experience!
Over Christmas, we squeezed in a sneaky trip to the Yarra Valley. We only had three nights and three days there, but we managed to squeeze a lot in! Between the food, the beautiful countryside and of course the wine, there is so much to see and do. So I thought to go with my top 10 cellar doors, I would do a bit of a guide to the Yarra Valley with my favourite spots!
The trip was full of surprises including my partner getting down on one knee! It made the trip so special, and meant that the rest of the trip was a celebration involving a lot of wine! You can check out some of the highlights (including a sneak peek at the proposal) in the video below.
The Yarra Valley is situated just outside of Melbourne and is known as the first wine region in Victoria. The region is known for classic wines made with finesse, but increasingly is producing some cutting edge style wines from progressive winemakers. It is one of the most well known cool climate wine-producing regions in Australia. I have to say though, in Summer it can get really hot! We were sweltering in 40-degree heat, even though the mornings were below 10!
Being a cool climate wine region, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is what the Yarra Valley is known for. You’ll find it at most places you visit in a range of styles. However, it is also well-known for sparkling wines, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Because the Yarra Valley is situated about 40 minutes outside of Melbourne, you have a range of options for getting out there. We drove because we wanted to be able to get around the wineries across the days we were staying there. However, you can just as easily do a day trip out with a wine tour. There are so many options when it comes to this, and most leave from central Melbourne so are perfect if you want to just do a day. You can also make your way out on the train and get off at Lilydale station.
Personally we found it so easy hiring a car from Melbourne airport and heading out straight from there. It was definitely easy and meant that we could make our own way around.
There are so many places to stay in the Yarra Valley! Between all the hotels, Airbnbs, small bed and breakfasts and winery accommodation, you’ll be spoilt for choice! The biggest recommendation I can make is choosing somewhere that is well known or near the wineries. Healesville is the main town of the Yarra Valley and has plenty of dining options as well as a couple of wineries. Otherwise somewhere between Healesville and Yarra Glen will ensure you are right in the heart of wine country. This means it will be easier to get pickups for tours, and also for cabs and Ubers to find you (they are few and far between).
We decided to stay at Balgownie Estate which is a winery resort just outside of Yarra Glen. It is great because you get everything in one: they have a restaurant, a cellar door, room service, a spa and a pool. It was also well known by all the tour providers so made picks ups a breeze. We also loved the room service option. After a big day of wineries, all we wanted to do was cozy up on the couch and watch a movie instead of finding our way out. However, if you would rather cook than eat out, I’d recommend staying somewhere else that gives you a kitchen.
Balgownie Estate made our stay so special and full of surprises, from little things like sparkling wine on arrival to organising a picnic in the vines. I’d recommend it for any special trip because they really went above and beyond. The rooms are also huge and even have a spa bath! I also recommend getting breakfast because there isn’t anything nearby.
We did two winery tours on our stay and both were completely different. There are so many wineries to see in the valley and so you really need a few days to even scratch the surface! Even with two winery tours we still missed ones that I would love to make it back to. I recommend making sure you know where they are taking you before you choose the company you are going with. If you’ve been to the Yarra Valley before, you may end up going to the same, big commercial wineries. So pick a tour company that offers something different, or allows you to choose your own.
We chose Wombat Tours because they went to wineries that were less well-known than some of the other tours. They were also flexible so on the day we could choose our last winery. The great thing about this company is that they also do pick-ups from Melbourne, Lilydale Station and local accommodation – so no matter where you’re staying you’re covered.
The tour was great and we met some awesome people throughout the day. It included four wineries for tastings, a visit to the chocolate shop and lunch with a glass of wine. We went to wineries I’d never visited before which I loved, and the lunch was absolutely delicious! I honestly cannot fault this tour company, and it is really affordable too! It came in much lower than some of the other tours and for how flexible they were I thought it was great value.
Because we’ve been to the Yarra Valley before we decided it would be worth doing a private tour. The only problem with this is the cost! I was getting quotes from anywhere between $500 and $1200, some of which didn’t even include tastings! I was blown away by the cost, and thought there must be another way.
My partner had the great idea of getting on AirTasker. He put an add up for $200 for someone to drive us around for the day, and I was amazed by how many people reached out. If you are looking at doing a private tour, I would definitely try this because it is such a cost-effective way to do it. Not only that, you get complete freedom of where you go, how many wineries you do and you don’t have to feel rushed at any point.
We were driven around by Les who was excellent. He took us to all the wineries we could fit in, and even chucked in a few extras that we wouldn’t have known to go to! He had such excellent service and really made for a memorable day. The only problem was we did end up getting to way too many wineries, hence needing to stay in after the tour. But I’ve had worse problems!
If you are trying to get around the Yarra Valley, I highly recommend doing this. And if you see Les on AirTasker, definitely give him a go!
Now to the fun part: the food! We ate some great food down in the Yarra Valley, and you’ll find you’ll also be spoilt for choice. There are so many restaurants in the Yarra Valley and so this guide to the Yarra Valley wouldn’t be complete without going through the ones we loved.
Oakridge Wines was definitely the highlight of the trip for me. It has recently been awarded the Cellar Door with the best food by Gourmet Traveller Wine, and you can definitely see why. It isn’t cheap as you have to do a set menu, but the food was so worth it! And then you’ve got the view out over the vines that you can take in while you eat. It was just magical!
We did the three-course meal and each course was absolutely incredible. You really couldn’t fault any of the dishes, and it was such a special place to have a meal. They even gave us a glass of sparkling wine to celebrate our engagement!
We went to the restaurant at the hotel on our second night in the Yarra Valley and it was absolutely delicious. Although it didn’t blow me away quite as much as Oakridge Wines, it still had some incredible dishes. It was also great because you didn’t have to do a set menu, so it was a bit more affordable and meant you could share a dessert if you were really full (which we were).
The restaurant has a nice outlook and is filled with natural light which I loved. The food was delicious as well with a lot of local produce used throughout the menu. They also have quite an extensive wine list to choose from, and also gave us some complimentary sparkling wine to celebrate!
We went to Soumah on our tour with Wombat Tours and it was absolutely delicious. Although we only sampled one course, the lamb that I had was incredible. It was pulled and pressed with an incredible jus. The dishes they served went perfectly with their wine too, which we got to sample before sitting down so we could pick our favourite.
Soumah is a great spot for lunch because the restaurant has gorgeous views out over the vineyard. It was really beautiful, being slightly rustic without going over the top.
We went to Meletos on the first night of our trip and if you are in the market for an Instagrammable venue, this is the spot you need to go. It is absolutely stunning with high ceilings and wood accents. Covered in vines, it feels cosy and modern all at the same time. And the huge glass windows mean you can look out over their stunning gardens. From the moment you drive in, to sitting down, you’ll be blown away by the space.
The food is also great. We opted for a few pizzas to share along with some starters and I really loved all the interesting flavours. They also had some great wines from around the local area which meant you could try a few different ones with dinner. Apart from pizzas they also serve a range of delicious sounding dishes, so there really is something for everyone!
Innocent Bystander
We went to Innocent Bystander for lunch before we left Yarra Valley and it was simply good. It was absolutely packed and you can see why because they are dishing out tasty food without a high price tag. Most of their restaurant is inside the massive cellar door with concrete floors and high ceilings, but they also have some seating outside.
We opted for a couple of pizzas and they were simply delicious. The flavours were great, and the prices were incredibly reasonable. Although I wouldn’t call this fine dining, and the wine wasn’t my favourite, if you are keen on a well-priced meal this is where you should go. It has a casual feel too, so means if you don’t want a 3-course sit down in an elegant restaurant, this is a great option!
There are plenty of other great activities in the Yarra Valley to do other than wine. We only scratched the surface of some of the many things you can do, but here are my highlights.
My guide to the Yarra Valley wouldn’t be complete without this! When my partner told me that the next morning we would be getting up at 4 am for a surprise, my mind went straight to a hot air balloon ride. I am terrified of heights, so I spent the night worrying about what would happen. But it was actually incredibly fun!
We were driven out to a paddock and helped the team set up the balloon. It was actually quite fun pumping the air into the balloon and getting it inflated enough to hold our weight. When we took off along with six other people, I was terrified. But it was actually so peaceful up there, and soon I didn’t even notice that we were being held up in the air by a big air balloon and at the whim of the wind!
High above the clouds was where my partner got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was incredibly romantic and exhilarating, and I don’t think you could get a better spot for a view! It was such a special thing to do, and something I will always remember.
If you’re looking for something special to do while you are in the Yarra Valley I definitely recommend doing a balloon ride with Global Ballooning. It was really fun getting to set up and pack down the balloon, and everyone was so lovely. Although it isn’t the cheapest thing to do, it is totally worth it!
If you overdo it on the wine, might I suggest having a little gin to wash it all down? The Four Pillars Gin distillery is in Healesville, and it is a great opportunity to try a few of their gins. They just won best gin in the world, so you know you’re in for a treat!
Tastings cost $10 and you’re taken through the different botanicals in each of the gins all in front of their production room. It was amazing learning how all the gin was made, and I was surprised by how little it looked like a factory!
If you love gin, I’d definitely recommend adding this to your itinerary. The best thing is that they are open late, and also have a bar area too!
What goes better with wine than cheese? Yarra Valley Dairy is a really popular spot, especially with the tour groups. It’s great if you love goats cheese and feta! However, we were taken to Coldstream Dairy while we were on our private tour, and I absolutely loved the cheeses. The ladies helping us out were so friendly, and the cheese was really well-priced. If you are after some great cheese to take home with you, definitely check them out!
I hope this guide to the Yarra Valley helps you plan out the perfect trip! As I said, we really only scratched the surface of everything you can do, see, eat and drink in this incredible region. But hopefully, these tips give you a bit of an idea of just how much there is to experience in this Victorian wine region. Our trip was so special from the start to the finish, and personally I can’t wait to go back!
Over the 2019 Christmas break, we were lucky enough to head down to Victoria to visit the Yarra Valley. I’ve been to the Yarra Valley a few times before but only on day trips. So I was very keen to check it out over a couple of days and see wineries that the day trip companies don’t usually go to! We had some incredible wine and visited beautiful cellar doors, and so I wanted to share with you some things to do in the Yarra Valley starting with my top 10 cellar doors!
There is a lot of things to do in the Yarra Valley, but wine has to be the biggest part! With so many cellar doors to discover, it can be hard to know where to begin. There are also so many wineries that range from large, commercial entities to small, boutique cellar doors. So I decided to highlight some of my favourites from the ones we visited to give you some ideas for your next trip!
Location: 6 Hill Rd, Coldstream VIC 3770
Go there for: Fabulous boutique wines
You’ve got to try: their Chardonnay
Cost of tasting: Tasting fees apply but are redeemable on purchase
Opening hours: Thursday-Sunday 11-4.30pm
Pimpernel was definitely a highlight for me, and if you’re looking for things to do in the Yarra Valley this would be top of my list! The cellar door itself is quite small and boutique, but it leaves the wines to be the true stars of the show! The cellar door is bright and full of natural light, and cosy with a small tasting counter. It’s run by the owners of the winery Mark and Fiona Horrigan. I thought this was a real treat because we got to chat with Mark about the wines while we were tasting. His love of wine is infectious, and when you taste his wines you can see why!
As well as the tasting counter, the cellar door does have a nice balcony for relaxing on. We were so keen to taste the wines that we got straight into it without taking a seat! This had to be one of my favourite tasting experiences because we got taken through some really interesting wines. My favourite part was getting to try two Pinot Noir’s from the same block but different years. It was so interesting tasting the difference in flavour between the two!
The cellar door was quite peaceful when we were there unlike some of the larger wineries of the Yarra Valley, so if you are after a smaller cellar door with good quality wines and conversation to match, this would be the place to go!
The wines were the true stars of the show at Pimpernel. It was one of my favourite tastings of the trip, and that was because of the quality of the wines. Their wines are inspired by the wines of Burgundy and it shows in the difference in flavours of their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to some of the other producers.
Our highlight was definitely the Chardonnay. I’m not the biggest Chardonnay drinker but my partner is. He fell so in love with this Chardonnay from Pimpernel that I couldn’t possibly let him go home without it (I bought it for him as a late Christmas present).
The wines here may not be as cheap as some of the other producers, but you are paying for the quality. They are the sort of wines that you’ll cherish and want to keep for a special occasion. I would have bought some of their Pinot Noir too but we had to be mindful of our luggage!
Location: 864 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream VIC 3770
Go there for: Interesting wines and fantastic food
You’ve got to try: 2017 LVS Pinot Noir – Henk
Cost of tasting: tasting fees apply but are redeemable on purchase
Opening hours: open 7 days 10am-5pm
We went to Oakridge because I had read that it was great for lunch. So we decided to get there a little early and do a cheeky tasting before we sat down! The cellar door is quite busy but there are plenty of people to help out and we were served right away. They had an official tasting list of a couple of wines, but as we went through the list the lady helping us got out a few extra ones for us to try!
I ended up loving the tasting experience at Oakridge Wines. It was really interesting tasting the different Pinot Noir on offer, of which we got to try a range from their base Pinot Noir to their speciality block. The difference that it made between blocks of grapes and the range of flavour blew me away!
Then there’s the cellar door itself. It overlooks their vineyard with large glass windows that flood natural light into the room. It’s a beautiful setting to enjoy wine and something that is mirrored in their restaurant. It doesn’t get much better than looking out over a vineyard whilst sipping on some delicious wine!
I really enjoyed the wines from Oakridge Wines, so it is difficult to pick just one. The gave us some complimentary Sparkling to celebrate our engagement and it was delicious! However, I think for me the highlight was trying their different Pinot Noir. We tried one from the Henk block, and then a specialty wine from their 864 series. It was also from Henk but a specific block above an aqueduct. Trying the difference between these two wines was incredible and really interesting. We also tried a number of their Chardonnay’s which were all so different from one another!
Location: 29 Maddens Ln, Gruyere VIC 3770
Go there for: classic Yarra Valley wines
You’ve got to try: Dr’s Block Pinot Noir 2016
Cost of tasting: $8 per person
Opening hours: open 7 days a week 10am-5pm
Coldstream Hills was on my list from a few people, and so I knew I had to get there on the trip! However, it was our organised winery tour that ended up taking us there. A few people wanted to go to Chandon, and for those of us who didn’t, they took us to Coldstream Hills. I don’t know how you could compare the two, and I was so glad we got to go here instead of Chandon to try something new!
Coldstream Hills was started by James Halliday. He has since stepped down but their focus is on producing quality wines to this day that really exemplify the Yarra Valley. We got to try so many different wines on the tasting, and all of them blew me away. Although the cellar door isn’t much to look at, the wines spoke for themselves! There is also a great view from their balcony across the valley.
If you’re looking to try some really high-quality wines, this is the place to go. Expect to try Yarra Valley classics from different years and regions – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sparkling Wine.
It was hard to take home only two wines, but we managed to limit ourselves! We were a bit undecided about our favourite Pinot Noir because we tried three that were all incredible in their own way. It made it hard to pick just one! Their sparkling wine was also my favourite from the trip!
Although the prices are a little higher on these bottles (the sparkling wine was $50), the quality made it completely worth it. These wines were absolutely beautiful and had you calculating how many you’d be able to fit in your bag as you were tasting them!
Location: 11a Green St, Healesville VIC 3777
Go there for: A different cellar door experience
You’ve got to try: The EB wines
Cost of tasting: Ranges from $10-$20
Opening hours: Friday – Saturday 11-11 pm, Monday and Thursday 1-8 pm
Graceburn Wine Room is in the main town of Healesville down a side street. It is a bistro but also a cellar door for Mac Forbes wines. Mac Forbes has been known for many years as one of the key unique winemakers in Australia, and so trying his wines were high up on my list.
I absolutely loved the tasting experience at Graceburn Wine Room. We were asked to take a seat and taken through our options. We opted for the $20 tasting because it meant we could try a mix of classic and experimental wines. There was no tasting list, and the guy taking us through just picked a few different wines for us to try, taking us along on the journey. The freedom was great and meant we got to try some wines I never would have thought to pick if I’d been looking at a tasting list. The tasting sizes were also the most substantial we had in the Yarra Valley, so if you are driving I recommend sharing one. This is what we did and we easily got a third of a glass of wine with each to try!
The feel of this cellar door is cosy and you find yourself really relaxing in to enjoy some great wines. Some of the other cellar doors can feel a bit rushed, so it was nice to sit down and really have the time to enjoy the wines in a beautiful setting. If you are there for the experience as well as the wines, definitely head over to Graceburn Wine Room!
I enjoyed all the wines we tried here, but I definitely recommend trying the EB range. This stands for Experimental Batch and is where they produce a smaller number of bottles but try different and unique things with the wines. In our tasting, we did a couple of rounds of trying the same grape type but with different treatments, and I found this to be so interesting! A highlight was the Concrete Kingdom Riesling which was fermented in concrete tanks giving it a subtle flavour. But I also loved trying two Pinot Noirs from different regions to see the difference in flavour.
The beauty of their style of the tasting was you could really try the different wines together. They’d pour you two glasses, and with the generous tasting sizes, you could really go back to each to taste the difference. I absolutely loved trying these wines and I think if you love trying new things like I do this should be on your bucket list!
Location: 1/3 St Huberts Rd, Coldstream VIC 3770
Go there for: Delicious wines and interesting wine knowledge
You’ve got to try: the St Huburts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Cost of tasting: $5 tasting redeemable on purchase
Opening hours: Monday-Friday 11 am-4 pm, weekends 10 am-5 pm
A list of my top 10 cellar doors wouldn’t be complete without one we’ve visited twice! We visited St Huberts on our first trip to the Yarra Valley and loved it so much that we knew we had to go back. We almost missed it when we were driving down the road, but luckily our driver turned around so we could duck in for a tasting.
St Huburts is set on a beautiful vineyard with lots of beautiful scenery, but the cellar door is unassuming. Don’t be fooled though, because inside are some of the best wines in the Yarra Valley, in my humble opinion. The people doing the tastings are so knowledgeable on wines that you’ll not only get to try some delicious wines, but you’ll leave with a couple of really interesting things you’ve learnt!
St Huberts was established in 1862 and was one of the first wineries in the Yarra Valley. They’ve been doing this for years, and the quality of the wines really show it! Since we’ve been last they’ve released another range called The Stag, which is something I’ve seen in many bottle shops recently. These wines were great, but come to the cellar door to try their St Huberts range and you won’t be disappointed!
We really enjoyed all the wines, including those from The Stag range (there was a really interesting Tempranillo which you don’t see much in this region). However, the wines that stole the show for us were the St Huberts Chardonnay and Cabernet Merlot. The Chardonnay was beautiful and had a great balance of buttery goodness. The Cabernet Merlot was complex and offered something different to the usual Pinot Noir of the Yarra Valley.
Location: 6 Maddens Ln, Coldstream VIC 3770
Go there for: Interesting wines and a nice cellar door
You’ve got to try: their Pinot Noir
Cost of tasting: tasting fee applies but is redeemable on purchase
Opening hours: Thursday – Monday 10 am-5 pm
Tokar Estate was on my list but it wasn’t until our driver for the day suggested we go there that we made it! I had so many wineries on the list and this one had slipped through the cracks, but a wrong turn on the way elsewhere meant we ended up here. I’m so glad we did, because Tokar Estate was definitely one of my top cellar doors!
I’ve been to Tokar Estate before and they used to have their wine tasting in their restaurant. However, they have recently created a cellar door to the side of their Italian style villa restaurant specific to tasting their wines. I have to say, it is a destination in itself! It is very modern and contemporary in its architecture, and such a nice space to be trying wine. I thought Tokar Estate was beautiful before, but this space is so different from the rose-filled gardens leading up to the restaurant.
We were taken through our tasting with so much care. It was great not to feel rushed, and it meant we could really enjoy the wine. The guy running the tastings was very laid back and easy to talk to, and didn’t mind answering all of my partner’s many questions about the wines!
I really enjoyed the wines we had at Tokar Estate, but the stand out had to be the Pinot Noir. We loved it so much that we bought two bottles! But regardless of your tastes, I’m sure you’ll be able to find a wine that you love here. The tasting was extensive and full of really interesting drops!
Location: 18 Hexham Road, (off Skye Road), Gruyere VIC 3770
Go there for: trying some Italian wines
You’ve got to try: their Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon
Cost of tasting: tasting fee applies but is redeemable on purchase
Opening hours: daily from 10 am – 5 pm
We went to Soumah as part of an organised tour. It was where we stopped for lunch, but we got to have a tasting before we sat down, and then choose a glass of wine to have with our meal. Their restaurant is excellent if you have the time, but the cellar door certainly makes the cut for some of the best things to do in the Yarra Valley.
The setting is beautiful with gardens all around and views across the vines. They have a blue theme across all their labels and this is reflected in their cellar door. I loved the fit-out of it! The staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. I was impressed by how well they could handle a large group tasting as two tour groups came in at the same time!
I really enjoyed the Soumah wines that we tried. It was a great mix of Yarra Valley classics but also more interesting Italian varieties. It can be hard to find these in the region so it was nice to have a change! Despite loving the Italian varieties, my favourite had to be the Pinot Noir. However, my partner was in love with the Cabernet Sauvignon. So we had to buy both – what a shame!
Location: 870 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream VIC 3770
Go there for: a touch of France
You’ve got to try: the Rosé
Cost of tasting: $5 tasting fee redeemable on purchase
Opening hours: every day 10 am-5 pm
Dominique Portet had been recommended to me a few times and when we pulled up I knew I’d come to the right place. This cellar door is so beautiful! It’s like you’ve arrived at a French Chateau. They are also geared up for people enjoying an afternoon in the sun with plenty of outdoor games and seating. They even have a restaurant too!
The cellar door was absolutely packed, but it was quite beautiful inside and felt very spacious. We had to wait a bit to get a spot on the counter but it was worth the wait! We tried some really interesting wines, and even got to try one of their museum ones! It was for sale and we certainly were tempted but decided to be good.
My favourite wine from Dominique Portet had to be the Rosé. It was the only Rosé we bought on the trip, and it was absolutely beautiful. I guess that’s no surprise coming from me, the Provence style Rosé lover! They also have really nice embossed bottles which are something different. However, their Pinot Noir was also really nice and subtly balanced.
Location: 311 Healesville-Yarra Glen Rd, Yarra Glen VIC 3775
Go there for: an amazing cellar door
You’ve got to try: their Pinot Noir
Cost of tasting: $10 redeemable on purchase
Opening hours: every day 11 am – 5 pm
TarraWarra was on my list for a while because I’d seen a photo of it and desperately wanted to visit. If you are in the market for a cellar door with wow factor, this one is for you. The TarraWarra Estate has an art museum, a restaurant and a beautiful lawn with a cafe cart for sitting back and relaxing all day. You could truly come here and make a day of it!
The cellar door is separate from the rest of the complex. The best way I can describe it is a Hobbit hole full of delicious wine! It is so architecturally interesting and beautiful that this in itself is a reason to visit! Inside is a beautiful space with modern fittings which is lit up by skylights. It feels cosy and contemporary all at once.
The staff were also super helpful. The lady taking us through the wine gave us some great suggestions to go and visit after we went there which were all small, boutique wineries!
The tasting fee only allows for trying six wines, so you have to decide what you want to taste. However, we ended up getting to try a few more which were great! My highlight was definitely the Pinot Noir, but they also had a Nebbiolo that surprised me!
Location: 179 Glenview Rd, Yarra Glen VIC 3775
Go there for: amazing views out over the vineyard
You’ve got to try: their Chardonnay
Cost of tasting: tasting fee applies, redeemable on purchase
Opening hours: Thursday – Monday 10 am – 5 pm
We went to Greenstone Vineyards on our organised tour and honestly, I wouldn’t have thought to go. I hadn’t heard about them before, but I was excited to check them out. The winery used to be the home of Sticks and has been bought by Greenstone recently.
The cellar door had a nice family feel to it with a cute wine dog to greet you and the winery operating nearby. I really like it for this reason as it felt more personal. We were taken through their wines on the deck overlooking the vines which was such a nice way to try them all! I loved being outside when so many tastings are done indoors. You could soak up the sun and nature with a glass of wine in hand.
Our favourite wines from Greenstone were quite different from one another. We really enjoyed their Chardonnay which was quite balanced. However, my favourite was the Sangiovese. I am a sucker for Italian wine, and this one was absolutely delicious. The wines themselves were great drinking wines, perfect for sipping on in summer. I could definitely imagine myself polishing off a few of their Prosecco’s too!
There were so many other wineries we visited that all offered something great, but I could only write about 10! These ones really stuck out in my mind, and I can’t wait to come back and visit again! The Yarra Valley really knocked my socks off. I thought it was mainly commercial wineries, but this trip really opened my eyes. The wines were complex and delicious, and there were so many great cellar doors to visit!
If you’re planning a trip, I hope this list helps you start to pick some great wineries to add to your list! There are so many things to do in the Yarra Valley, but hopefully, these top 10 cellar doors will help you choose!
So for anyone who hasn’t been following, I’ve just come back from two weeks in Japan. It was the most amazing trip that I went on with my best friend (actually, the one who is the inspiration behind the name ‘The Cheeky Vino’). We saw so much and spent the whole time walking, exploring, eating and drinking! As a wine lover though, I did find it a bit tricky to find wine affordably over there, but we worked out a few tricks! So I thought I should share my tips for wine lovers travelling to Japan so you can use them on your trip!
Japan has the most incredible culture and food, and this is something you will want to immerse yourself in. However, they aren’t that big into wine, not like we are in Australia! You can be hard-pressed to find wine at restaurants, and if you do it is often far more expensive than other options that are available. But the Japanese do enjoy wine too, and you just need to know where to look to unlock the Japan wine scene!
I have a nose for the nearest wine bar, and we had a lot of luck throughout our trip! But I wanted to share some of the tips I figured out while we were on the hunt for wine that I hope you find useful!
My biggest tip for wine lovers travelling to Japan is: if you are on the hunt for wine, don’t bother having it with dinner. Unless you have an endless budget or want to splash out on a meal, you will be hard-pressed to find wine in restaurants. Many of the traditional Japanese restaurants won’t have any wine on the menu, or if they do, it will be labelled ‘red wine’ or ‘white wine’. Translation: probably not worth drinking unless you are desperate!
If you want to enjoy a glass of wine, head to a wine bar before dinner. We found there was plenty in the major cities that specialised in wine only. If you go to a wine bar, you’ll be able to get wine from around the world at an affordable price, and there should be something to suit your taste! Although we found some more expensive wine bars that we didn’t end up going into, most had a glass of wine for 500 yen (around AUD$6.80). This is cheaper than what we pay at home, and the wine was so good!
We didn’t go to too many wine bars, and I had a lot more on my list that we didn’t make it to. But Some of my favourite spots were:
Tokyo
Kyoto
－炭VINO－ 河原町店 (this place has interesting food but the wine is cheap)
Osaka
My next tip for wine lovers travelling to Japan is to use Google maps. If you have a data sim card great, otherwise you can easily find wifi around Japan to pull up Google Maps. I found when I was hankering for a glass or two of wine, the easiest way to find the wine was to plug it into Google Maps. Just search ‘wine bar’ and it should bring up a few options around your area. This is the best way to discover those hidden gems that only the locals know about!
This is definitely the easiest way I found of finding wine bars, or bars in general, in Japan. You can easily see when it opens and what it looks like. You can also see the rating for it which gives you a bit of an idea of how popular it is. I was asked while I was over there how I was finding all these wine bars and this was honestly the best trick for hunting them down!
If you don’t have access to data, I recommend heading to the department stores. Each department store has a guide out the front of all the restaurants in it, which will usually be a lot. Some of the big department stores will have a wine bar in them! Just search for the picture of a glass of wine and usually some cheese, and head to the level written on the guide. It’s an easy way to find a wine bar without needing to speak any Japanese!
The biggest shock to us, two Aussie girls travelling in Japan, was how late the bars opened. It was almost impossible to find a bar that opened before 6pm. This is something unheard of in Australia! When we had been walking around all day, all we wanted was a nice glass of wine to unwind before we did more exploring. However, most of the wine bars weren’t open! So we would normally end up at a cheap bar, or better yet at 7-11 grabbing some supplies to take back to our hotel room.
If you are wanting a wine, make sure you plan accordingly. Check the opening hours on Google, or just assume it won’t be open until 6pm. So go for a pre-dinner drink right before dinner instead of as an afternoon activity! This will help you avoid the disappointment we felt when we finally found a wine bar only to find it closed.
Ok maybe discount this one – unless you want a handy cup serve!
In my point above, I mention an alternative to wine bars in Japan. If you are hankering for a glass of wine before they open, or just want a more affordable option, you can get plenty of wine in the convenience stores. I know what you’re thinking, those wines can’t possibly be any good. I’ll admit, they aren’t the best wine I’ve ever had. But they are very decently priced, and actually surprisingly drinkable!
The great thing about the convenience stores is they source a range of European and American wines, so there is something for everyone’s taste. It’s also really affordable – you can get a bottle for under 1000 yen (about AUD$13)!
7-11 is the mecca of Japanese food when you are in Japan. Going there is a tourist experience in itself, and you’ll find yourself trying all the weird and wonderful snacks on offer! 7-11 also sells plenty of alcohol, and when you’re not in the mood for beer or flavoured drinks, there is a great wine section. There are heaps of wines that have even been branded 7-11, and although I was sceptical, they really weren’t that bad! These wines were easy-drinking and affordable, and sometimes that’s all you need! Pair them with some Japanese snacks and you’ve got your own wine bar in your hotel room!
Wine snobs need not apply, but don’t knock the 7-11 wine until you’ve tried it!
My last tip for wine lovers travelling to Japan is to make sure you can read Kanji (Japanese characters). Before you start thinking I am some linguistic genius, I am not. But I do have a little trick up my sleeve called Google Translate. With Google Translate, you can translate the writing in a picture in real-time. All you have to do is point your camera at the text and it will translate before your eyes. Is it 100% accurate? Definitely not. You will get some funny moments! But it is a great thing to have when you are travelling to Japan in general so you can read what things are with ease.
So why do I recommend this for wine bars? Well, a lot of the wine bars actually cater purely for locals, not tourists. These are where Japanese go to enjoy wine, and so they often won’t have an English menu or speak any English. Don’t let that put you off though! If you have Google Translate, you can usually work out enough of what each thing is to be able to order with confidence. And if you can’t, you can always go back to the good old point at something and hope for the best! We did this a few times and were pleasantly surprised!
I hope these 5 tips help you seek out wine when you are travelling to Japan. Although Japan isn’t a wine obsessed culture, you can definitely find it if you know where to look! With these tips for wine lovers travelling to Japan, I hope you can find the wine of your dreams to enjoy, and order with confidence!
In 2019 we were lucky enough to explore the South Australian wine region of McLaren Vale. This incredible wine region truly has it all, making it the perfect spot for a wine getaway. Whether you are obsessed with wine like I am, more of a foodie, or just wanting to get back to nature, you can find it here. In this post, I shared with you some of my favourite cellar doors from the trip. But this wine region has so much more to offer than just wine! I know, who would have thought? So I decided in this guide to McLaren Vale, I would focus on everything else about our trip. Where we stayed, the best food we ate, and what we got up to.
We truly fit so much into four days, but I feel we only scratched the surface! Check out the video below to get a glimpse of our trip before we get stuck in!
McLaren Vale is one of the many wine regions of South Australia. Those that live in Adelaide are truly spoilt for choice down there, with McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley all nearby. I seriously envy them!
McLaren Vale has over 7,500 hectares under vine and has a Mediterranean climate with warm temperatures and a cooling sea breeze. This means it lends itself to unique styles of wines that are only just becoming popular in Australia.
McLaren Vale is known for its creative winemakers, experimental wines and grape varieties, and more recently its sustainable practices. We were surprised by how many wineries were using biodynamic and organic farming as a standard for their wines.
If you are a red lover, this will be the wine region of your dreams. Only 10% of the wines produced by the region are white! Over half of the land is dedicated to Shiraz, which we found to be a lot softer than those bold flavours of the Hunter Valley or Barossa. However, McLaren Vale is also known for Grenache, Cabernet and Chardonnay. However, you’ll also find a lot of Mediterranean wines to sample, including Nero d’Avola, Tempranillo and Sangiovese.
I’m hoping this guide to McLaren Vale will make you realise how easy it is to visit! Visiting McLaren Vale is a really easy trip from Adelaide. It takes about 45 minutes to get there by car, and there are plenty of car rental places at the airport so you can get straight on the road to wine heaven once you’re off the plane. There are also a number of day trip options out of Adelaide if you’d prefer to stay more centrally. Although you may not be able to explore much in a day, many of the wineries are close to one another so you’ll be surprised by how much you can fit in!
If you are visiting for a few days, I highly recommend getting a car. Although the wineries are nearby to one another, there aren’t many footpaths for walking between them (although we did do this a couple of times). There are plenty of bike hire options as well, however, keep in mind the region is quite hilly so you need to be prepared for a bit of a workout! Your best option will be to get a car you can zip between wineries in, or even just duck to the main street of McLaren Vale to get food.
I highly recommend staying for a few days in McLaren Vale if you can. There is a vast array of options available for accommodation from hotels, cottages and Airbnb. We opted for an Airbnb because there were so many great options that were really centrally located.
Here are some tips about where to stay for this guide to McLaren Vale. When trying to decide where to stay, I recommend looking at a map of where the wineries are. We found a lot of accommodation was cheaper closer to the beach and down near Willunga. Although this isn’t very far to drive, about 10 minutes between McLaren Vale and Willunga if you are planning on ditching your car you need to be central. Most of the wineries are North of the town of McLaren Vale, as well as spread out near McLaren Flat, so if you are planning on exploring these make sure you keep this in mind. The main shops are also located in McLaren Vale town, so staying near here is ideal.
We decided on this Airbnb because of its location. It was absolutely perfect for our stay! Located literally right next to S.C. Pannell (seriously you can walk between them), you couldn’t get much better for exploring. We could also walk (or ride) to and from town pretty easily, otherwise, it was a cheap uber to where we needed to go!
The layout of the studio was also great. Although it didn’t have a fireplace (normally a non-negotiable for me), we were still very cosy on the cold nights. It also had a lot of natural light and felt like you were in the middle of nowhere. It even had a great kitchen for cooking up a storm post winery hopping. Honestly, I couldn’t recommend this place enough!
Really as long as you map out where you want to visit and ensure that you are basing yourself centrally, you’ll be sure to have a good time!
The only thing I found about McLaren Vale was that there weren’t many winery tours that went from McLaren Vale itself. There are plenty of options if you are going from Adelaide, but I think because the wineries are so close to one another, there aren’t many providers in the region itself. Don’t get me wrong, there were a few, but they were a bit expensive for what you got. We wanted to maximise our time being driven around, so we wanted a tour that was flexible.
We ended up opting for a hop-on hop-off bus tour called Trail Hopper. It gave us the most flexibility to choose the wineries we wanted to go to, and also was quite affordable at around $60 per person. Note: you will have to pay for some of your tastings and lunch, but I think it still ended up being cheaper than a traditional wine tour.
Trail Hopper was great. You need to have a lunch booking before you board the bus, but that’s more than easy to tick off the list! They have a set number of stops that they go to, and then throughout the day, they change the schedule based on where people end up. I thought this was good because there wasn’t idle time, meaning more time for vino.
We snuck in two tastings before getting on the bus and then met them at a winery to take us to the next one. We were a bit naughty, opting to walk between some of the wineries to maximise our time, but our bus driver was very accommodating. She even dropped us off outside of Primo Estate which wasn’t on the usual list! I cannot tell you how great the service was on this tour. So if you are staying in the area, and want a flexible wine tour, definitely opt for Trail Hopper.
The only thing I’ll say is that they won’t pick up and drop off at your accommodation, so you’ll need to make arrangements to get yourself hope. I do not recommend jumping on a bike from the Visitor’s Centre as we did! There are plenty of Ubers in the area to use instead.
There are so many incredible restaurants in McLaren Vale, it can be hard to know where to begin! Whether you want to cook at home, have a nice casual meal or a fine dining experience, you can find it all here.
My one recommendation is that you should focus on lunch as your main meal out. Many of the winery restaurants only open for lunch, so I would have a nice lunch out, then head home for dinner. There are a few restaurants you can go to for dinner, but if you want to go to the wineries you might be a bit stuck!
Regardless of what you choose, here are the ones I really enjoyed that we visited.
We had lunch at Coriole when we were on the Trail Hopper bus, and it was honestly one of the highlights of the trip. The setting is beautiful with incredible views across the vineyard from a large window that spans the restaurant. They also have vines growing across the roof which gives it a really natural feel.
Gather at Coriole focuses on fresh ingredients and seasonal produce. All their food celebrates the region and the ingredients, so you know you are in for something good! Coriole is also known for its olive oil, so their use of this throughout the menu really made the food stand out!
What I loved so much about this restaurant was the service. Our waiter was incredibly accommodating and went above and beyond to make our experience special. We couldn’t decide on a wine, so he gave us a taste of a few and we ended up picking the one he recommended – one we never would have chosen ourselves. This ended up being one of my favourite wines of the trip!
The food was also out of this world good. Whether it was their first harvest olive oil (something I also came home with), incredibly fresh olive platter or just the delicious sourdough, everything was fresh and delicious. However, the stand out for us was the Dry Aged Beef for two. My partner absolutely died with this dish and said it was the best steak he’d ever had. That’s a big call coming from him!
We went to the Salopian Inn on our first night in McLaren Vale, and I absolutely loved it. It is one of the cosiest places we went and had such a great atmosphere. Get those images of a pub out of your head, because the Salopian Inn is more like a restaurant with a really homely feel. It was also packed when we were there, which is always a good sign!
For drinks, the Salopian Inn has you covered. They are known for their gin collection, and I can attest to the fact that it has pretty much every gin I could ever want. We had a nice gin and tonic before we sat down for our meal, and it was a welcome change after a day of drinking wine.
The best part, however, is the red wine list. I had a look through the wine list, and couldn’t find anything. Confused, I asked the waitress. She told me to follow her. Intrigued, we both left our stuff on the table and followed her down into their cellar. She told us that this was the red wine list, and we just needed to choose a bottle and bring it back up. This has to be the most fun I’ve ever had picking a wine! It was great being able to see the bottles and read about them before you chose one. They had such a great selection of local, national and international wines, it was almost impossible to choose! I wish all restaurants did this because it really added to the experience.
Then there was the food. It was a mix of traditional dishes and Asian fusion, but I have to say they did everything well. The stand outs were the steamed pork buns and the farm chicken pie. But honestly, everything we had was incredible, with great service to match! It was a shame to leave the cozy restaurant and step out into the freezing night. I honestly never wanted to leave.
I was told to go to Pizzatecca because of the great food and that it is home to McLaren Vale’s most Instagrammable shed. Well, they were definitely right on both counts! Pizzatecca is a fun restaurant with a casual atmosphere that makes it perfect for a nice lunch. They have an authentic pizza oven dishing out incredibly delicious pizzas. However, their branding is on point with their playful plates, decor and of course the colourful shed!
The two pizzas we had here were absolutely delicious, and they also had a great wine list. It was quite well priced too if you are looking for something affordable for lunch. Although it isn’t too close to other wineries, I definitely recommend making the trip for a truly fun and delicious meal!
We went to Serafino for dinner on one of our other nights, and it was absolutely delicious. It is fancier than some of the other restaurants we went to, and the setting was quite upmarket as well. All the tables are set facing out on the vineyard, which I thought was a nice touch. There weren’t too many people in there, but the tables were nicely spaced out so you didn’t really notice other diners. This was probably for the best because my partner and I were a bit rowdy after a day of sipping wine!
Serafino is perfect if you want to sample more refined food. I really enjoyed the dishes here, especially as they were so beautifully presented! There’s a reason they’ve won a few awards because their food was absolutely delicious. A standout for me was the duck, which was so perfectly cooked and full of unique flavours.
What I loved about this restaurant were all the extra touches. We got some special chocolates and tea at the end of our meal that really topped off a great night. Also, although the food sets you back a little bit, as Serafino is a winery, you can get a bottle of their wine for quite a good price!
Harry’s Deli is located inside Wirra Wirra and is perfect for a casual lunch. Their signature dish is the Trotter’s Pie which was absolutely delicious. They also serve a range of sandwiches, soups and even plenty of gluten-free options! I really enjoyed the mushroom polenta, which was full of delicious flavours. You can also grab a nice big glass of Wirra Wirra wine to sip on as you enjoy the atmosphere.
Harry’s Deli is also perfect for a coffee if you need a bit of a break from wine! This can be something that is hard to come by at the wineries, so I appreciated that Wirra Wirra was offering it. It was the perfect spot for lunch if you didn’t want to spend up big on a fancy winery lunch, and just wanted honest, delicious food.
We went to Mullygrub for breakfast and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. It can be hard to find good breakfast places in the winery regions sometimes, but Mollygrub was dishing up some seriously good food. They had a really extensive menu with very interesting flavours, and enough to satisfy any sweet or savoury craving. Their coffee was also delicious!
If you are looking for breakfast on the main street, definitely give Mullygrub a go!
Guide to McLaren Vale: Other activities
You wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that McLaren Vale was just about wine. I mean, mostly it is. But there are plenty of things to do there whether you are into wine or not. Really a guide to McLaren Vale would not be complete without some activities! Here are some of the activities we did while we were there. Full disclosure, most are wine-related. What did you expect?
The McLaren Vale visitors centre is a must when you first get to McLaren Vale. We headed there first to pick up some maps but were blown away by the service. The lady behind the counter asked us all about our trip, where we were staying and what we wanted to see. Based on that she pointed out some great options for us, as well as pointing us in the right direction for where we wanted to go. We really appreciated all her tips, including the sneaky coupons in the visitor’s book!
If you want to get started on your wine tasting early, there is also a tasting room at the visitor’s centre. I really enjoyed this because they had smaller wineries showcased that don’t have their own cellar door. The stand was manned by the winemakers too! We had a great conversation here and honestly tried some incredible wines! So if you have the time, definitely stop by.
McLaren Vale isn’t just known for its wine. It is also famous for olives! Many of the wineries have their own olive oil they offer, but you can also seek out olive producers by following the olive trail. Just look for the olive symbols as you’re exploring, or better yet pick up a guide book at the visitor centre.
I was blown away by the quality of the olive oil in this region. Even the olive oil we had in our Airbnb was bright green, which denotes how fresh it is. You can’t get olive oil like this easily, especially not at the supermarket, so make sure you appreciate it while you are here!
If you are keen on olive oil and wine (like me), make sure you check out these cellar doors. You might also end up spending as much as we did on quality olive oil:
I’m sure there are many more, but these ones stole my heart!
If you are up for a bit of exercise, you can hire a bike and do the Shiraz Trail. The Shiraz Trail runs from McLaren Vale to Willunga and is about 8km. There are plenty of wineries nearby, although you may need to ride on the road to get to some of them. We found we did have to ride on the road, but the cars were very accommodating of my terrible cycling.
We hired bikes from the Visitors Centre as you can hire them for 24 hours for only $33! You can also opt to hire them by the hour. This is a great cheap option, however, I probably wouldn’t do it again. Why? Well, McLaren Vale is quite hilly, and the bikes didn’t have the best gears. This meant we often needed to get off and push our bikes up the hills (not on the Shiraz Trail, but getting to our accommodation was a struggle). It also meant that riding the Shiraz Trail was far from the leisurely ride we were hoping for and became a bit of a workout. Not the worst thing between wineries!
What I would recommend is spending a bit extra to get an electric bike. There are a couple of companies that offer this, and it would make it much easier to get around!
If you are going to try the Shiraz Trail, make sure it isn’t too cold. It was a windy day for us, and we ended up with frozen fingers. That being said, our ride was quite pleasant overall, as the Shiraz Trail is absolutely beautiful. It runs through the wineries offering absolutely beautiful scenery that you won’t get from a car. Definitely check it out if you want to try another way of getting around!
We did the Blending Bench at d’Arenberg as something different, and it was a really fun activity. It goes for about an hour and a half, and you get to blend your very own wine. I was blown away by how different three Shiraz wines from the same region tasted, and what an impact blending them together made on the flavour.
The experience isn’t cheap, but you do get a bottle afterwards to take home of your favourite blend. This experience is hands-on, letting you taste all the wines and design your perfect blend through a bit of trial and error. I absolutely loved the whole experience of mixing a blend, giving it a try, refining and finally coming to the perfect wine for me. I can’t wait to crack my bottle open!
The best part about this experience is that if you are wanting to visit the Cube anyway for their sensory wine experience (it is a little weird but worth a look), this is included in the price of your ticket. You also get a tasting at the end, although we had drunk so much Shiraz in the class that we weren’t really up for tasting much more!
If you are on the hunt for fresh produce, the Willunga Farmer’s Market is a must! It runs every Saturday morning from 8am and was full of producers from the area. Whether it was fresh vegetables, olive oil, cakes, cheese or even wine, the market had it all! We got some delicious pies and Italian ready-made meals for dinner, and also picked up some incredible cheese to enjoy beforehand.
If you are there on a cold morning like we were (seriously we were so cold), I recommend finding the little pizzeria in the middle of the markets. On Saturdays, they offer a market breakfast in their cozy space next to a fireplace. It was the perfect spot to grab a coffee and get out of the wind (and rain). They also have a range of scones that they make in their woodfired oven. We had the fig and fennel with maple butter – yum!
There really is so much to do in McLaren Vale, and I can’t wait to go back. I feel like we missed out on so many things, and my to-do list is still a mile long! But I hope this guide to McLaren Vale has helped you plan your own trip, so you can start getting some ideas.
I think the thing about McLaren Vale is that there is no right or wrong. Everything we ate, sipped or did as an activity blew us away. The produce is so fresh, the people are so friendly, and the wine is oh so good. Whether you are a wine buff, a foodie, a bit of both or just want to explore the scenery, there is something here for you. Personally, I am already dreaming of my next visit!
