Victoria has more wine regions (21) and individual wineries (over 800) than any other state in Australia, despite being the second smallest state after Tasmania. The diversity on offer is incredible, from chardonnay and shiraz to muscat. Just don’t try to do everything; in a week you should not plan to visit more than three or four regions.
On a five-day trip from Melbourne, I visited four regions – Mornington Peninsula, the Yarra Valley, Rutherglen and the King Valley – and loved what I saw and tasted, but wished I could have lingered longer in all of them.
Planning your route is easy
Most regions are only an hour or two apart, and many can be done in a weekend from Melbourne if you prefer to visit just one. The big players are Mornington, Yarra and Rutherglen, but you can mix and match these with lesser known and smaller regions.
Whenever possible, try to stay in hotels that offer free lifts to nearby vineyards or, better yet, stay on a property with its own cellar door. Mornington is the obvious place to start, about an hour’s drive from Melbourne. It has plenty of small seaside resorts and several hot springs where you can spend the day (try Peninsula Hot Springs, with 70 different pools; peninsulahotsprings.com, entry £33).
From there you can travel to the state’s oldest wine region, the Yarra Valley, in about 90 minutes. Here you have more of a rural feel, with small towns like Healesville full of independent shops.
A hot air balloon ride gives you the lay of the land (globalballooning.com.au/yarra-valley; from £226). To extend your trip, continue north (with longer drives of around two or three hours between destinations) to the cool, open spaces of the underrated Strathbogie Ranges and historic Rutherglen, with family-owned vineyards and gum trees, before your journey begins. final stop in the high altitudes of the King Valley (Victoria’s version of the Prosecco region, with Italian connections to match) on your way back to Melbourne.
At the vineyards of the Mornington Peninsula you are never far from the sea
No vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula is ever further than seven kilometers from the ocean. The cool maritime climate means this is pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay country (or, as the locals would call it, “pinto and chardy”). It’s just an hour’s drive from Melbourne and along the way you’ll be rewarded with occasional glimpses of Bass Strait, Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay. Don’t miss a long, lazy afternoon at Montalto (00 61 3 5989 8412; montalto.com.au; tastings from AUS$15/£8) at Mornighton’s Red Hill, with its beautiful vineyards stretching across the hills.
There is a small vegetable garden to see, with more in the distance, and a sculpture path that winds through the property. At the cellar door you will learn how this pension project from more than 20 years ago has grown into four cultivation locations. Taste the citrus fruits of the chardonnays and a late harvest sauvignon blanc that is reminiscent of sweet nectar.
You can stay in hotels with epic views of the vineyards
The best of the bunch is The Jackalope (0061 3 5931 2500; jackalopehotels.com; doubles from £370 including breakfast), a boutique hotel and vineyard with a fantastic fine-dining restaurant, also on the Mornington Peninsula. There’s a free wine tasting as part of your stay and, importantly, they can organize transfers to nearby vineyards, meaning no one has to be the designated driver. If you’re still jet lagged, an early morning dip in the outdoor infinity pool is the perfect start to the day.
Other options include some quirky self-catering at Rutherglen’s Mount Ophir Estate (0061 2 6035 2222; mountophirestate.com.au; doubles from £213) and simple but sweet Yarra Gables (0061 3 5962 1323; yarragables.com.au; doubles from £121) – a cross between an American motel and an English cottage outside Healesville in the Yarra Valley.
The food is great
The relaxed Australian cuisine found in each region is a highlight of any trip, with lots of local produce and prompt service. Try Meletos (0061 3 8727 3030; meletos.com) in the Yarra Valley for dinner. Arrive at the ‘golden hour’ to see the ivy-covered buildings and far-reaching vineyards, dappled in the last rays of sunshine. The set menu consists of a selection of shared, no-choice starters – perhaps creamy, dreamy burrata with tomato chutney, plates of cured meats and fiery mussels with puffed rice – followed by a choice of main courses such as rich pork belly with hearty glaze or candied salmon.
Other favorites included Grace Bar and Eatery (0061 2 5017 0017; milkinkitchen.com.au) in Rutherglen for ricotta gnocchi and heirloom tomato salad and Montalto’s The Piazza (00 61 3 5989 8412; montalto.com.au) for pumpkin arancini and wood-fired pizza. Of course they all have great wine lists, but many also make intriguing non-alcoholic cocktails.
You learn a lot
The local winemakers are incredibly eager to share everything from process and history to tasting notes. Nowhere is this more true than at Giant Steps in the Yarra Valley, just east of Melbourne. The region has one of the lowest average temperatures in January, so Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are also popular here, as well as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Giant Steps (0061 3 5962 6111; gigantestepswine.com.au; tastings from AUS$15/£8) is particularly special because it produces single-estate wines with real personality that provide an overview of the valley and its different flavor profiles. For example, the Pinot Noir from their Wombat Creek Vineyard has a noticeably soft yet long and firm palate due to the iron in the volcanic soil, while the Applejack Vineyard Pinots have a much finer palate thanks to the basalt-based volcanic soil.
The whole thing has a sense of adventure
Many of the rides between regions feel quite fearless, though never intimidating. One of the best is the 140 kilometer route from the Yarra Valley to the Strathbogie Ranges (known for its fresh and aromatic wines). Yes, it’s full of potholes, but it’s also crisscrossed by creeks, fern-like glades, towering eucalyptus trees and plenty of lush green hills, with the chance to see kangaroos bounding through the fields.
Many of the tastings offer exceptional value for money
Think of Fowles Wine (Fowles Wine (0061 3 5796 2150; fowleswine.com; tastings from AUS$10/£5)) as a service station done to perfection. Families from regional Victoria meet halfway here; tourists on their way to different regions they use it as a lunch stop for kangaroo steaks. Those lucky enough not to be the designated driver can try two or three wines for free, or 10 for AUS$10. You get a huge list and can choose along the way, with the people behind the bar recommend what to have next based on what you liked most and least so far. It makes for an incredibly relaxing tasting that also feels tailored to your specific taste. This was one of the tastings with the best value for money I have experienced it, but many others are in a similar price range, with the value of the tasting deducted from your bill if you choose to buy a few bottles.
The fortified wines are world class
Rutherglen, two hours further north in the Strathbogie Ranges, is one of the oldest wine growing areas dating back to the 1850s and known for its sweet and fortified wines. The fifth-generation family-run Campbell’s (0061 2 6033 6000; campbellswines.com.au; tastings from AUS20/£16) is the perfect introduction, with the owner explaining that the area’s long autumn is key to their intense, rich muscats. The Rutherglen Muscat is best described as plum pudding in a glass, it is only three to five years old and has an incredible depth of flavour.
Victoria even has their own version of Prosecco
The King Valley is one of Australia’s highest growing areas and the birthplace of the country’s Prosecco. The owners of Pizzini (0061 3 5729 8278; pizzini.com.au; tastings from AUS10/£8) have Italian heritage and it really shows in the wine: try the Brachetto 2022, a sparkling pink drink that starts with sweet notes of watermelon but ends dry.
But best of all is… how uniquely Australian it all is
This is partly due to the service. The whole thing is incredibly relaxed. But it is also because of the experiences you gain along the way. Enjoy local hot springs, watch kangaroos move through vineyards, see surfers riding waves in the distance, hear the mating call of an acacia bird and toast the sunset after a blue sky day, (somewhat) drunk and content.
Essentials
Lizzie traveled as a guest of Visit Victoria. Trailfinders offers a nature and wine tour in Victoria from £2,599 pp for 14 nights, including flights, hotels and car hire. trailfinders.com