1. Seville Hill
Take a weekend wander to the cellar door at Seville Hill, where you can pick up a surprising sparkling or tempranillo. Pair a bottle with a cheese platter and gaze out over lush rolling hillsides. Rest back in warmer months to the soft scatting of live jazz music.
2. Payne's Rise
Soak up the historic atmosphere at boutique Payne's Rise, where the cellar door is in the original 1860s homestead. Sample equally characterful fruit-driven wines under shady elms and oaks in the cool climate of the upper Yarra Valley.
3. Seville Estate
Don't miss the highly sought-after cool climate shiraz and other minimum intervention wines at award-winning Seville Estate. Sip and dine in a light-filled space set in a native garden, enjoying a restful outlook over vineyards and rolling pastures.
4. Soumah of Yarra Valley
Lovely Soumah of Yarra Valley is beloved for its northern Italian-style wines and delightful trattoria. Drop by the cellar door for a tasting of award-winning white, red and sparkling vino, and dine in the glass-enclosed restaurant with floor-to-ceiling views across the vineyard.
5. Mac Forbes Wines
Mac Forbes has several vineyards across the Yarra Valley, each producing wines that take on unique qualities from the microclimate. Pay a visit to the cellar door for tours and tastings on the first Saturday of every month. Contact the winery in advance to arrange a private experience.
6. Boat O'Craigo Wines
Boutique family-owned Boat O'Craigo has a reputation for outstanding hand-crafted wines. Graze on antipasto, cheese paddles and traditional thin-base pizza with a glass of wine from the cellar door while taking in the majestic views.
7. Steels Gate Wines
Nestled in the hills at Dixons Creek, Steels Gate delights with elegant low intervention drops from the cellar door. Book to enjoy a lunch menu that draws on fresh produce from the cellar door garden to create modern Australian fare.
8. Yering Farm Wines
Cider fan? In addition to distinctive single-vineyard wines, Yering Farm produces apple and pear cider from a 70-acre orchard. Picnic on the lawn, take in the views from the verandah or raise a toast in front of the open fire at the rustic cellar door.
9. Tokar Estate Winery
Taste award-winning cool climate wines made by the Tokar family at Tokar Estate, including tempranillo from the oldest planting in the valley. Linger over your new favourite drop in the stunning valley setting, and extend the experience with nourishing dining from a seasonal menu.
10. Mandala
Be sure to mark Mandala on your itinerary for intimate tastings of award-winning wines, including single vineyard pinot noir. Picnic on the lawn with friends, family and fur babies – pre-order a picnic pack to make it easy – or dine on farm-to-table Italian in the restaurant.
