...Australian Wineries!

Who DOESN'T just love wine...? Having lived in Europe for over 10 years, my taste for wine has improved and my love for it grown. So to me, wineries were a must in Australia - especially if you are planning to visit the so-famous-for-it south.

We rented a car for the weekend and divided the areas into Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley, explored in 2 separate full days out of our Australian 8-day trip. It was an amazing experience - a relaxing atmosphere, outstanding natural views... and great wine.

Mornington Peninsula - Day 1:

The Mornington Peninsula is a famous wine-producing region about 45 minutes from Melbourne and home to more than 40 wineries.
OFFICIAL MORNINGTON PENINSULA WEBSITE - WINERY LISTING

We picked and stopped by some really nice ones... below our list:

T Gallant:

This place is quite cool and relaxed, with people from all over, all ages. There is a good restaurant there as well if you plan to stop by for a bit longer and eat something. Our lady sommelier introduced us to a few different wines she recommended, we sipped them all, and took some pictures outside close to the vineyards.
https://www.tgallant.com.au/

Montalto:

Very nice atmosphere. And the extra beauty of it is that you can take a walk by yourself through their amazing fields, which display quite impressive outdoor sculptures (you could buy them, as a matter of fact...), exposed along the way: you will walk along the vines, go all the way around a creek, and down to a large green area with a gigantic bench - where you will feel the irresistible need to climb it (and take photos), as we did! We had our lunch break here.
https://montalto.com.au/

Tip: comfortable shoes needed - best if rubber sole! If the weather is humid/rainy, they’ll get a bit dirty. My dressy ballerinas were inadequate.

Red Hill State:

This was our third stop, and already a bit late during the day. We found this cellar a bit more touristic and the crowd younger in age. People were dressed pretty casual, and the sommeliers were also pretty young. More of a spring break bar feel, but a bit empty... so we did not stay long (just enough for a red wine glass).
https://www.redhillestate.com.au/

Polperro:

Rustic decor, with their own organic garden of herbs and other small plants. All very beautiful, pleasant and well taken care of! We only had a glass of wine here as well, it was getting a bit chilly by that time of the day and we still wanted to see one last place. Nice restaurant area, good looking people, and great vineyard views - perfect for some “shoe selfies”.
https://www.polperrowines.com.au/

Ocean Eight:

I read good reviews on this place, but by the time we arrived there it was closing (unfortunately). You should anyway book for this one! The tasting room is small, and they offer private sessions.
https://oceaneight.com.au/

Below a useful link from Trip Advisor with some recensions:
TRIP ADVISOR - Wineries & Vineyards in Mornington Peninsula

What we missed:

Be smart to BOOK in advance the famous Hot Springs: 1.15 hours from Melbourne, and only 15-20 minutes south from the Peninsula wineries.
Since we did not book, they did not let us in. We had planned it for after the wineries, and felt pretty frustrated!

Their website for more info:
https://www.peninsulahotsprings.com/

Check out the Mornington Peninsula official website for a good idea of everything else you can find there:
https://www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org/

Yarra Valley - Day 2:

More than 70 wineries are located in this region, only 1 hour away from Melbourne. Two of the Yarra Valley's most popular vineyards include Domaine Chandon, specialized in sparkling wine...!
Official YARRA VALLEY website:
https://visityarravalley.com.au/
Winery listings:
https://visityarravalley.com.au/things-to-do/wine

Yarra is another amazing wine - and cheese - tasting area. Chandon was fantastic and full of Brazilians (I guess we may have a weakness for this brand). We stopped also at 2 amazing places for the best cheese tasting of my life and chocolates. Below some useful websites and our itinerary.
https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/travel/the-best-yarra-valley-wineries
TRIP ADVISOR - Wineries & Vineyards in Yarra Valley

Yering:

We had our first wine tasting session of the day here. Again, no booking needed, you just walk in and stop by the bar :). This place exposes paintings for sale, has a charming gift shop (I bought a nice wine and chocolates for my husband here) and a fancy restaurant close by. We did not eat there, but it seemed worth it.
https://www.yering.com/

Meletos / Farmhouse:

Very cool place/restaurant, they have a beautiful boutique hotel there called “Farmhouse”. We came here just to walk around, since it is quite a nice place to see.
https://www.meletos.com/

Chandon:

Top of our list. The place is quite cool, and you can sip your bubbly Chandon in style. Though also very touristic (=lots of people), it is still a must in a trip to Yarra Valley. The outside area will grant you great views and beautiful pictures.
https://www.chandon.com.au/

Yarra Valley Dairy:

Be ready to experiment all kinds of fantastic cheese. This place will bring water into your mouth... I do love cheese, so this was one of my favorite places.
We started with a quick tasting and ordered a few samples to eat at the table, paired with some bread and jam/confitures. We ordered a few other sides and some cider, and lunch was done.
The decor there is rustic and sweet... a carefully designed countryside place, with a familiar atmosphere.
https://yvd.com.au/

Yarra Valley Ice Cream & Chocolaterie:

This truly is heaven... or hell? Bring the kids, they’ll love it. They offer chocolate tastings, have a great ice cream corner, seating area, and the store has literally so much - everything is so cute and delicious - it makes you dizzy. A great place to buy some gifts for your loved ones.
https://www.yvci.com.au/

What shoes to pack to Australian Wineries?

The right ones for this trip:
For winery-hopping, do wear your most comfortable shoes: i.e. rubber sole ballerinas (summer), a pair of good old sneakers (urban style or sportier), or casual booties.
If you plan on visiting the Hot Springs, don’t forget your flip flops.

Shoes I wore

Day One: Miu Miu Ballerinas
Day Two: Nike Sneakers

Period of the year:

May 10th-18th

What I regret:

• Wearing my fancy leather sole ballerinas the first day. I did not really think of the outdoor walks before hand (...too much wine focusing) and the weather was a bit uncertain / humid.

Remember: people dress more casual in Australia, and it could not be different for this type of program. But... we did see some younger crowds all dressed up for the “occasion”. There are also some private events, parties, and celebrations taking place in these places. For a first relaxed visit, though, comfortable/wearable shoes are the top choice.

Wrapping up...

Amazing 2 days, with fun company. We enjoyed the beautiful landscapes, colorful sunsets, top quality wine. We did not drink all that much, and of course, our driver - my cousin who lives there - sipped very little wine and was extra careful.
Make sure you only rent a car if the designated driver is not intending to splurge on the drinking :)!

Read other posts about Australia here:
AUSTRALIA 8 DAY TRIP
MELBOURNE FOR 3 DAYS
SYDNEY IN 3 DAYS

About this post's featured shoes:

Miu Miu slingback ballerinas

Slingbacks and bows are a current trend for pumps and ballerinas... both fashionable and wearable. Just bear in mind that "patent" has a dressier feel vs plain leather (usually more rigid), especially the first times you wear it. Nice for a "calm" walk, not the best choice for field trips...!
Full price: 490€
NET-A-PORTER MIU MIU BALLERINAS

Nike Sneakers

These were a gift from my sister. They are actually running sneakers and fit like a sock. Not the most fashionable, yet were very comfortable for day use, sightseeing, and winery hopping.
Full price: 130$
Nike Women Free Rn Flyknit Running