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Victoria
The best wineries and cellar doors in the Yarra Valley
From the best cellar doors to the most beautiful vineyard lunches and views, here are the top wineries to visit in the Yarra Valley and surrounds.
Established in 1838, the Yarra Valley has a “rich history”, says Camm Whiteoak, RACV City Club Sommelier.
The regional Victorian location was crowned the state’s first official wine region in 1838, after brothers William, Donald and James Ryrie settled there in 1837, establishing the area’s first commercial vineyard on the property where Chateau Yering now stands.
“It was one of the most significant wine growing regions in Australia, but suffered a substantial decline, only to be revived again in the early 1970s,” he says.
Fast forward some 180 years, and there are over 80 vineyards and cellar doors to explore, making the area one of Victoria’s most visited day trip destinations.
“What makes the region so special to me is the diversity of the varietals that are grown, the quality of the wines, the aesthetics of the landscape, and the fact that it’s an hour’s drive from central Melbourne,” Whiteoak says.
While popular year-round, Whiteoak’s favourite time to visit is autumn.
“The golden hues of the leaves, combined with still, warm days and crisp nights makes it the most vibrant and beautiful time of the year.”
His advice when visiting? “Planning to have the last winery visit within walking distance of your accommodation is always a good idea,” he says.
If you’re heading to the Yarra Valley region, make a stay of it at the RACV Healesville Country Club & Resort.
RACV Healesville Country Club & Resort is located "within walking distance of the town centre,” Whiteoak says, which means you can experience “the best the Yarra Valley has to offer on your doorstep.”
To sip your way around the region's best wineries, these top Yarra Valley vino destinations are our pick of the bunch.
Best Yarra Valley wine regions
The best wineries and cellar doors to visit in the Yarra Valley
Lilydale
Helen's Hill
16 Ingram Road, Lilydale. Open Thursday – Monday, 10:00am to 5:00pm.
It is important “not to ignore the smaller wineries and cellar doors,” says Whiteoak. One of the Yarra Valley’s best-kept cellar door secrets is Helen’s Hill.
With a sun-drenched wine deck, sumptuous pizza selection and a range of crisp, estate-grown wine, this laid-back single vineyard is one of the region’s go-to sip spots for a winery lunch in the Yarra Valley.
Billanook Estate
280 Edward Road, Chirnside Park. Open Wednesday – Friday 10:00am to 4:00pm, and 10:00am to 5:00pm weekends.
Lovers of Italian flavours and culture in Melbourne can’t go past this cellar door. Billanook Estate was established by the D’Aloisio family in 1994 and, over the last 25 years, has positioned itself as a premium destination for Italian grape varieties, cuisine and, most importantly, hospitality.
Gruyere
Soumah of Yarra Valley
18 Hexham Road, Gruyere. Open 10:00am to 5:00pm daily.
Soumah – a portmanteau for South of Maroondah – is all about provenance, and its wines are a celebration of both its Yarra Valley terroir, and the French and northern Italian varietals on which it staked its reputation as one of the best cellar doors in the Yarra Valley.
If you really want to soak up the atmosphere, traditional northern Italian fare is the name of the game at Soumah. The garlic and chilli crab pasta is a must-try, and washes down a treat with the award-winning 2019 pinot grigio.
Helen & Joey Estate
12-14 Spring Lane, Monday – Sunday, 10:00am to 5:00pm daily.
As the namesake would suggest, the vineyard was purchased in 2010 by Helen and Joey, where the views from their winery alone make it worth the visit.
Lush vineyards that stretch into rugged mountainous horizons set a stunning scene at this relaxed cellar door, which is nestled into the Gruyere foothills. This is the ultimate wine lovers’ destination for some of the most beautiful winery views in the Yarra Valley.
Pull up a deck chair and sip on a glass of Wayward Child Pinot Gris or Inara Pinot Noir while savouring a platter of four cheeses and homemade quince.
Yarra Yering
4 Briarty Rd, Gruyere VIC 3770. Open Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Producing what Whiteoak calls “some of the best red wines the Yarra Valley has to offer,” Yarra Yering is one of the oldest wineries and cellar doors in the region. It was established in 1969 with inspiration from wineries in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal.
As one of the top wineries in the Yarra Valley, visitors can indulge in a tasting of eight wines, including the dry red varieties and vintage Agincourt Cabernet Malbec.
Billanook Estate vineyard. Image: Supplied.
Coldstream
Maddens Rise
Corner Maroondah Highway and Maddens Lane, Coldstream. Open weekends 10:30am to 4:30pm.
If you’re a lover of all things artisan, Maddens Rise is sure to tickle your tastebuds as a top cellar door in the Yarra Valley.
The 2017 Arcobaleno – which is Italian for rainbow – is a stunner. This delicious field blend features a selection of hand-picked, small-batch fermented grapes (vermentino, chenin Blanc, Garganega and Fiano), made with minimum intervention.
Many Hands Winery
2 Maxwells Road, Coldstream. Open Friday 10:30am – 4:30pm, weekends 10:30am – 5:00pm.
Pull up a chair and settle in for a woodfired feast overlooking the beautiful winery views at Many Hands Winery.
Here, the restaurant is all about Sicilian-style home cooking, with a rotating menu of local produce that changes with the seasons. Pairing this cuisine with wines – which lean towards more classic Yarra Valley varietals of cabernet, pinot noir and chardonnay – is a match made in heaven.
Warramunda Estate
860 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream. Open Friday – Sunday, 11:00am – 4:00pm.
This convivial, family-run winery offers the best of both worlds – generous hospitality and a plentiful pour.
Serving up one of the best winery lunches in the Yarra Valley, on the mouth-watering menu is a selection of platters featuring local and imported ingredients, traversing everything from fromage and charcuterie, to Spanish conservas and salivating seafood platters.
Domain Chandon
727 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream. Open Monday – Friday, 11:00am to 4:30pm.
Whiteoak’s favourite for “premium sparkling wine,” Domain Chandon is definitely a spot to impress guests or visitors you’re taking on a tour of the Yarra Valley, with beautiful winery views of rollicking hills through stunning floor to ceiling windows.
Founded in Argentina in 1959, a visit to Chandon includes sparkling wine tastings, with dining experiences from tasting platters and three course menus, to a sparkling brunch or winemaking expedition.
Oakridge Wines
864 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream. Open Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Offering what Whiteoak calls “stunning views, amazing food and some seriously good wine,” this winery and cellar door specialise in pinot noir and chardonnay form hand-picked grapes from onsite vines.
Their hatted restaurant for one of the best winery lunches in town books out quickly, so enthusiastic foodies will want to plan for a three or four course long lunch overlooking the Oakridge vineyard.
Dominique Portet Winery
870-872 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream. Open Wednesday – Sunday 10:30am to 5:00pm, Monday – Tuesday 11:30am to 4:30pm.
While you are “spoilt for choice” in the Yarra Valley, Whiteoak says this winery belongs on your list. The family-run cellar door is inspired by France, with a French L’Apéro menu served a la carte in their cosy indoors or their outdoor terrace, taking in the splendid winery views of the Yarra Valley.
Domain Chandon is a highlight on the wine trail. Image: Visit Victoria.
Yarra Glen
Yileena Park
271 Steels Creek Road, Yarra Glen. Open 11:00am to 5:00pm daily.
When it comes to intimate winery experiences, Yileena Park is about as up-close-and-personal as it gets.
“Views go a long way," says Whiteoak, “however, having friendly and knowledgeable staff [is what] will make the cellar door experience memorable.”
Established in 1998, this family-owned-and-run cellar door is all about passion – which is evident in everything from the wines and their tastings to the oak-smoked meats, cheeses and even salts.
TarraWarra Estate
311 Healesville-Yarra Glen Road, Yarra Glen 3775. Open Wednesday – Sunday, 11:00am to 5:00pm.
A cellar door with what Whiteoak calls “seriously good wine,” the breathtaking 400-hectare TarraWarra Estate encompasses an impressive vineyard, cellar door, restaurant, and nature reserve. Their seasonal menu is created from local suppliers and the in-house kitchen garden, with regular dining events on their event roster.
Visitors can indulge in a glass, tasting, paired set menu or cellar door club experience, from a vintage Reserve Pinot Noir to the Roussanne Viognier Marsanne.
The view from Boat O'Craigo. Image: Supplied.
Healesville
Boat O'Craigo
458 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville. Open Thursday – Monday, 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Drink in the delightful winery views of Healesville's rolling hills with a date on the deck at Boat O'Craigo. The family-run winery makes a range of premium wines using estate-grown grapes from two sites.
There's the cooler Healesville vineyard, which is nestled into the foothills of the Black Spur Ranges and grows white grape varieties, while the warmer Kangaroo Ground outcrop is dedicated to delicious reds.
To match their highly rated wines, there is also an on-site kitchen rolling out thin based, seasonally inspired pizzas, charcuterie boards and salads.
Payten and Jones
3 Lilydale Rd, Healesville. Open Monday – Sunday, 11:00am – 5:30pm.
Started by high school friends, the smaller winery has gone in a modern direction, with graffiti-covered walls and live music sessions, providing what Whiteoak calls a “more modern and urban cellar door experience.”
With a selection of 20 wines for tasting from their vineyards in Australia and Spain, house specials include Leuconoe, a 16-year olde Hendra Vineyard Sangiovese, and the Oohlala! – part port, part vermouth distilled brandy from Shiraz.
Jayden Ong Winery & Cellar Bar
8 Hunter Rd, Healesville. Open Friday - Saturday 12:00pm to 9:00pm, Sunday 12:00pm to 5:00pm.
One of our new wineries to watch, Jayden Ong Winery & Cellar Bar’s approach to “innovative wines,” says Whiteoak, is just one aspect that helps this venue to “distinguish it from the others.”
“Often these smaller wineries will be experimenting with new varietals and trends, and will take the time and effort to connect with visitors,” he says.
Their forest garden estate focuses on reds, including the high-altitude vineyard Forest Green and the organically farmed Chestnut Hill.
Pizzas at Soumah of Yarra Valley. Image: Supplied.
Dixons Creek
Steels Gate Wines
1974 Melba Highway, Dixons Creek Open Thursday 11:00am to 4:00pm, Friday – Sunday 11:00am to 5:30pm.
Brad Atkins and Matthew Davis began producing wines from their Dixons Creek block in 2010 and, over the last 10+ years, have established themselves as serious wine contenders.
Theirs is a handmade approach to winemaking, which lends the wines a sense of refinement, fun and finesse.
Wandin East
Sir Paz Estate
54 Parker Road, Wandin East. Open Friday – Sunday, 10:30am to 5:00pm.
If you’re in the mood for a little sweetness, head to Sir Paz Estate. A former chestnut grove, this picture-perfect winery – the highest-altitude in the Yarra Valley – is housed in an impressive hilltop chateau that boasts sweeping 360-degree views over the Yarra Valley. It’s an undiscovered gem that is well worth the visit.
En Vie Blanc de Noir at Helen's Hill
Seville
Seville Estate
65 Linwood Road, Seville. Open Monday – Saturday, 11:00am to 4:00pm.
The Seville Estate restaurant is a juxtaposition of classic and contemporary, refined and rustic. Its menu focuses on using local produce and is constantly evolving based on what’s available and in season.
Try the four-course feed-me feast with matching wines, or a drop of the 2014 Estate Riesling.
Elmswood Estate Winery
75 Monbulk-Seville Road, Seville. Open weekends 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Escape the hustle and bustle of Maroondah Highway and head to the other side of the Yarra Valley. Often referred to as the 'Upper Yarra' thanks to its higher altitude and cooler climates, it is here you'll find the underrated Elmswood Estate.
This small, family-run vineyard offers a selection of exquisitely crafted, award-winning grape juice, matched with panoramic views to rolling ranges and beyond.
Even better, RACV Members save 15 per cent* on any dozen wines purchased when they show their card at the cellar door.
^Terms and conditions: Offer applies to take-away wine purchases only and excludes wines already discounted. Not valid with any other offer and RACV membership card to be shown at the time of purchase.
*Terms and conditions: Not valid with any other offer. RACV membership card to be shown at the time of purchase.
