Wineries

Victoria is Australia’s most diverse and compact wine state, boasting over 350 wineries in 22 distinct wine regions, four within an hour’s drive of Melbourne. Gateway to the regions and the country’s premier wine city, Melbourne is also recognised as one of the world’s great wine destinations, along with Bordeaux, San Francisco, Santiago, Porto and Florence.

Most wineries provide tastings and cellar door sales, and many offer winery tours. As well, more and more Victorian wineries are opening their own gourmet restaurants, where you can marry mouth-watering local fare with fine homegrown wines.

Every major wine style is produced in Victoria. The respective Yarra Valley, Grampians and Mornington Peninsula regions produce sleek chardonnays, full-flavoured cabernet sauvignons and tempting pinot noirs. Victoria’s northwest is ideal for producing robust rieslings, the state’s northeast is home to fortified tokays and muscats, while the central region encourages peppery shiraz.

The huge diversity of Victoria’s wine industry is almost matched by the number of ways you can experience it – by car, bus, train, tour, limousine, on the back of a Harley Davidson motorbike, even in the basket of a balloon.

Best of all, wherever you are in Victoria you’re never far from a winery. Well-signed roads ensure all regions are easily accessible, with vineyards, food producers and special attractions and activities highlighted on maps and signs. Plus, there are plenty of accommodation options in each region if you want to stay overnight. And from ocean’s edge to deep inland, you’ll find the scenery surrounding Victoria’s vineyards every bit as delightful as the wine.