Mornington Peninsula

Winery

Merricks Estate

One of the Mornington Peninsula's founding vineyards, the Kefford family planted these slopes above Western Port Bay in 1977. Open only on select weekends, the cellar door sits at the end of Thompson's Lane, surrounded by bushland and old vines. Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon — the 2016 Shiraz took the trophy for best peninsula red at the Cool Climate Wine Show.

Distillery

That Spirited Lot Distillers

A premium craft spirits distillery located in Seaford, VIC, earning an exceptional 5-star Google rating from visitors. This local distillery focuses on producing high-quality craft spirits for the community.

Cidery

Mr Little Beverage Co - Cider & Spirits

Since 2014, this Dromana cidery has built an award-winning range from Mornington Peninsula apples and pears — including flavoured ciders and a vodka line developed more recently. The cellar door on Brasser Avenue pours tastings alongside food, with the production process on view.

Winery

Principia

Established in 1995 in Red Hill, this gravity-fed winery produces elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from its 8.5-acre vineyard using minimal intervention methods, with all wine transfers done by gravity rather than pumps.

Winery

French Island Vineyards - Winery and Cellar Door

Getting to French Island requires a ferry, which means the Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Pinot Gris poured at this cellar door arrive with genuine context. Sandstone soils, salt air and an insect population distinct enough to influence viticulture — the island's isolation does real work in the glass.

Winery

Portsea Estate

At the peninsula's very tip, the century-old Tintagel property sits above Bass Strait on deep limestone and calcareous sand — soils that push minerality hard into the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Visits are by appointment, four to twelve people, which keeps things appropriately focused. Winemaker Will Ross also runs the property's Main Ridge plantings, a newer venture still finding its feet.

Cidery

Seven Oaks Farmhouse Cider Pty Ltd

Fourth-generation orchard in Merricks North where Lisa Cresswell presses 35 apple varieties — including Kingston Black and Belle de Boskoop — using rack and cloth methods. Thirteen single-varietal ciders, no added sugar or concentrates. The cellar door runs by appointment; call ahead.

Winery

Tallarida Vineyard and Winery - Cellar Door

The Tallarida family has farmed this Boneo Plains property since the mid-1980s, working sandy limestone soils that have long suited Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. The cellar door sits about an hour from Melbourne, quietly removed from the Peninsula's busier wine trails. Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon round out the range.

Brewery

TWOBAYS Brewing Co - Brewery Mornington Peninsula

A dedicated coeliac's reprieve on the Mornington Peninsula, TWØBAYS brews naturally gluten-free beer — IPA, Amber Ale, Czech Dark Lager, Stout — from a purpose-built facility with a taproom attached. Nothing is processed to remove gluten; the brewery is wholly GF from the grain up. For the coeliac who gave up on beer, this changes things.

Winery

Myrtaceae

At 3.5 acres, Myrtaceae is the highest vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula — a fact that killed the original Cabernet Sauvignon and redirected John and Julie Trueman toward Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Production stays under 5,000 bottles per vintage. Julie makes the wine; John manages the vines and a Land for Wildlife-registered property that feeds the headwaters of Main Creek. Cellar door weekends only.

Distillery

Original Spirit Co

Mornington Peninsula distillery making lower-ABV gins under the GinFusion label — Blood Orange with Japanese Yuzu, Country Rhubarb with Ginger, Summer Peach with Passionfruit among them, all sitting at 30% ABV. A limited Limoncello and a natural-flavour vodka line called Boozooka round out the range. Mail-order focused, with flat-rate national shipping.

Distillery

Chief's Son Distillery

A family-owned small batch distillery on the Mornington Peninsula crafting handmade Australian single malt whisky using artisan ingredients and a totally manual system. Their signature releases include Forge, aged in French oak casks, and annual Distiller's Select bottlings featuring unique cask combinations like ex-red wine and imperial stout barrels.

Distillery

Penni Ave Distillery

This craft distillery in Rye, VIC has earned an impressive 4.8/5 Google rating from visitors. Located on the Mornington Peninsula, it offers quality spirits and a welcoming experience for those exploring the region's growing distillery scene.

Distillery

JimmyRum Distillery, Bar & Restaurant

Dromana's rum distillery centres on Matilda, the copper still responsible for the Navy expression that took Best Australian Cane Spirit at the 2023 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards. The bar puts Matilda in plain sight — sit at the barrel-wall counter or take the garden — while the RumRum, winner of gold at the World Rum Awards, makes the case for why you ordered the tasting flight.

Winery

Barmah Park Restaurant & Cellar Door

Cattle country turned wine estate over five decades: Barmah Park planted its first pinot noir vines in 1998, harvested in 2002, and hasn't stopped since. The restaurant — rebuilt in 2017 with panoramic vineyard views, a log fire and a sprawling deck — pours from three tiers: Arthurs Seat, Lighthouse and Vintage labels. Solid Peninsula address.

Winery

Mont Rouge Estate

Red Hill's cool maritime air slows ripening here, which is the point. Mont Rouge pours five wines at tasting — Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rosé, Pinot Noir and a dessert Honey Gris — for $10 a head, redeemable against a bottle. The onsite Cocoa Rouge Chocolaterie adds chocolate, ice cream and lunch to the equation. Open Wednesday to Sunday.

Winery

Stonier Wines

Brian Stonier planted here in 1978, and the winery's trajectory — a Decanter Best New World Red in 1999, then Best Chardonnay at London's International Wine Challenge in 2001 — helped put the peninsula on the global map. New local owners took over in 2022 with a mandate to pick up where that story left off. The Daryl Jackson–designed cellar door in Merricks takes walk-ins weekdays; dogs welcome on the lawn.

Winery

Moorooduc Estate

Richard McIntyre spent his first career as a general surgeon before planting vines on the Mornington Peninsula. His daughter Kate is one of fewer Masters of Wine than there are astronauts. Son Peter handles the architecture, the cooking, and the cellar door playlists. A family operation, plainly stated — the wines are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the cooler northern end of the Peninsula, around Moorooduc.

Brewery

Smart Brothers Brewing

A family-friendly brewery on Mornington Peninsula's Western Port Bay, crafting 14 small-batch beers on tap including their flagship Pale Ale and popular Western Port Mid. Features wood-fired pizzas, flame-grilled burgers, and lively events like music bingo in their welcoming taproom.

Winery

Yal Yal Estate

On Yal Yal Road in Merricks, this small winery runs a cellar door, wine club, and an art collection alongside its bottles. The combination of wine and art in a single operation on the Mornington Peninsula makes it worth the detour.

Brewery

Mr Banks Brewing Co

Chris and Penny Farmer started brewing at their Seaford home in 2016, naming the operation after their dog. The beers — among them a stout that declares itself a stout that tastes like stout — suggest a brewery comfortable with directness. The taproom runs Thursday to Sunday; bookings online.

Winery

Quealy Winemakers

Quealy's cellar door sits inside the winery itself in Balnarring, which tells you something about the setup. The range leans Italian and Spanish — Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir dominate the shelves, with single-vineyard bottles like Seventeen Rows and Musk Creek sitting alongside more accessible pours. Subscriptions available for those who want the range delivered.

Distillery

Bass & Flinders Distillery

Founded in 2009, Bass & Flinders was the first distillery on the Mornington Peninsula. Now run by second-generation distiller Holly, the operation double-distils Victorian wine in a gas-fired alembic pot still — a Charente-derived technique that forms the base of their grape-to-glass gins, brandies and liqueurs. The Ochre brandy, aged in the French tradition, remains the flagship.

Winery

Yabby Lake

Multi-estate winery with a cellar door and restaurant in Tuerong. Produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay alongside portfolio wines. Open daily for wine tastings and lunch.

Winery

LL Vineyard

Located on an 11-hectare vineyard planted in 1989, this Mornington Peninsula winery specializes in cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The cellar door offers daily wine tastings and tours featuring single block wines and museum releases, with all wines crafted on-site by winemaker Geraldine McFaul.

Brewery

Tar Barrel Brewery & Distillery

Matt Bebe and Andrew Gow founded the Mornington Peninsula's original craft brewery and distillery, turning out award-winning beers alongside house-made whiskey and gin. The wood-fired pizzas have developed their own following. A rare local operation doing both fermentation and distillation under one roof.

Winery

Eldridge Estate

At 225 metres on a north-facing volcanic slope off Arthurs Seat Road, Eldridge runs three hectares of single-vineyard vines trained to vertical shoot position — a Burgundy-comparable site by altitude and latitude. The cellar door flag signals when they're pouring. Solar-powered, spring-fed, quietly doing things right on the Peninsula.

Winery

Willow Creek Vineyard

Premium Mornington Peninsula winery focused on cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with daily cellar door tastings and the acclaimed Rare Hare restaurant featuring wood-fired cuisine.

Winery

Yabby Lake Vineyard

This Tuerong winery offers daily wine tastings and lunch service at their cellar door restaurant. Open seven days a week, they feature an on-site restaurant with online booking available, wine club membership, and maintain a 4.6/5 Google rating from visitors.

Winery

Ten Minutes by Tractor

Three family vineyards in Main Ridge, each ten minutes apart by tractor — that's the origin story and the name. Owner Martin Spedding has been building on that foundation since 1997, adding sites with distinct aspects, soils and Bass Strait airflow. The pinot noir draws serious attention. Cellar door and restaurant on site.

Winery

Crittenden Estate

Four decades in, the Crittenden family are still farming pinot noir and chardonnay at the foot of Red Hill. The lakeside estate in Dromana runs a cellar door, restaurant, and overnight villas. The 2020 Cri de Coeur Savagnin — aged sous voile — is the one to seek out: a White Wine of the Year finalist that signals this is more than a weekend-drive winery.

Winery

Nazaaray Estate Winery

Param Ghumman bought 50 acres of exposed hillside farmland on the Mornington Peninsula's southern tip in 1991, converting it into the peninsula's southernmost winery. At the cellar door, Ghumman pours his small-batch, single-vineyard wines alongside Indian fusion dishes — pakoras, lamb rogan josh, sourdough naan — with Greens Bush forest reserve filling the view below.

Winery

Trofeo Estate

Located on the Mornington Peninsula in Dromana, this winery is the home of Terracotta Wine and offers visitors wine tastings, dining at their restaurant, and wedding venue services. With a 4.5/5 Google rating, guests can browse and purchase wines while enjoying the complete winery experience.

Winery

Stumpy Gully Vineyard and Restaurant

The Zantvoort family has run this Mornington Peninsula vineyard for three decades, now into its second generation. Four labels span the range — from the entry-level Peninsula Panorama to the Stumpy Gully Reserve — with a cellar door open Wednesday to Sunday and a restaurant serving Asian fusion alongside the estate wines. Fifty minutes from Melbourne; no bookings needed for walk-ins.

Winery

Main Ridge Estate

The Mornington Peninsula's first commercial winery, operating since 1975, sits in a bush valley at Red Hill where volcanic soils and a cool maritime climate shape its small-batch, single-vineyard wines. The winemaking team pour and talk through the wines themselves. Lunch runs Friday to Sunday; dogs are welcome on the deck.

Cidery

Mock Red Hill

The Mock family have been growing apples on this Red Hill property since 1895, certified Demeter biodynamic since 1974 — one of Australia's earliest. Four generations still work the farm. Visit the farmgate and cider lounge for apple cider, juice, and pie, or take a picnic into the orchard. The freeze-dried chocolate strawberries are worth the trip alone.

Brewery

Devilbend Farm Beer Co

Fourth-generation Tuerong farmers who grow their own hops and grain, then brew them into lagers, pale ales and dark ales on a 15HL three-vessel system. One of few Australian breweries running a koelschip — the open vessel that lets wild yeast and local bacteria spark spontaneous fermentation. The taproom pours four beers direct from tank alongside beef raised on the same land.

Winery

Pt. Leo Estate

Set on 330 acres in the Mornington Peninsula, this award-winning winery combines exceptional cool-climate wines with three distinct dining experiences and Australia's largest privately-owned sculpture collection. The estate features contemporary architecture with spectacular vineyard and Western Port views, plus a 16-acre outdoor gallery showcasing world-class sculptures from renowned Australian and international artists.

Winery

Red Hill Estate

The Fabrizio family has been working Main Ridge's cool-climate slopes since 1989, keeping intervention low across pinot noir, fiano and blanc de blancs. Lunch runs long at the restaurant; Gigi's Piazza handles the more relaxed, picnic-style version outdoors. The farmhouse cellar door does guided tastings Thursday through Monday.

Winery

Paringa Estate

Lindsay McCall started making wine at Red Hill South in a shed — and, in his first vintage, a repurposed fish tank. That was 1987. Now 380 tonnes of pinot noir, chardonnay and shiraz pass through a proper winery each harvest, with the barrel room sunk partly below ground to hold temperature. The north-facing home vineyard, on volcanic soil at 140 metres, is trellised in a distinctive U-shaped Lyre system.

Winery

Ocean Eight Vineyard

Winemaker Mike Aylward works Red Hill's ancient volcanic soils to produce Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris that Jancis Robinson has noted. The reserve tier — Aylward Reserve Pinot Noir and Chardonnay — sits at the serious end of Peninsula winemaking. Visit the cellar door, or order direct; delivery runs Australia-wide.

Winery

Foxeys Hangout

Tony and Michael Lee planted this Red Hill vineyard in 2002, later bringing on winemaker Chris Strickland — a Peninsula local who switched his university studies from science to winemaking after joining as cellar hand. Three of Foxeys' vineyards now hold full organic certification, with sparkling wine a particular focus: Michael runs an on-site disgorgement program inspired by the Champagne benchmark.

Winery

Polperro Winery

Located in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula, this winery specializes in single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that express their maritime terroir. Known for exceptional hospitality and award-winning wines, particularly their acclaimed Chardonnay that earned recognition as one of Australia's finest.

Winery

Morning Sun Vineyard

A family-owned vineyard offering estate-grown, medal-winning wines and Italian-inspired shared dining in Main Ridge. Founded by the late Mario Toniolo, who planted vines at age 70 after working in Italy's Veneto region, the property features a terrace with vineyard views and cozy cellar room for year-round dining.

Brewery

Dainton Brewery

Dan Dainton started in a Brunswick West shed in 2008; by 2020 the brewery he built with his father Kev was named Champion Independent Large Brewery of Australia. The Carrum Downs production taphouse, open since 2016, pours the beers that earned that reputation — among them the Cherrywood Smoked Rye Baltic Porter and the double-trophy-winning Red Eye Rye Red IPA.

Winery

Montalto

Thirty acres of Mornington Peninsula vines, kitchen gardens designed by Royal Botanic Gardens landscape architect Andrew Laidlaw, and a winemaking program led by Simon Black across five vineyard sites. The Restaurant and The Piazza draw directly from what's growing outside — chefs pick herbs and flowers for the day's menus. Cool-climate pinot country, taken seriously.

Brewery

Dainton Family Brewery

Dan Dainton started brewing in a Brunswick West shed in 2008. Sixteen years and 50-plus awards later, the family operation runs a production brewery and taphouse in Carrum Downs. The beer earns its reputation: the Cherrywood Smoked Rye Baltic Porter won Champion Australian Beer; the Red Eye Rye Red IPA has been around since 2013 and is still picking up trophies.

Winery

Dromana Estate Winery

Three wine ranges — Dromana Estate, Mornington Estate, and Tuerong Park — pour from a heritage-listed homestead on Old Moorooduc Road. Tastings run Wednesday to Sunday, with the restaurant alongside for lunch. An hour from Melbourne via the M11; take exit 19.

Brewery

Jetty Road Brewery

Dromana, Mornington Peninsula. Cold beers, no performance required. Jetty Road pitches itself as the antidote to pretension — a place to stop running the day's mental tab and just sit with a drink. The beers are described as daring alongside the expected approachable, which suggests a range worth working through.

Winery

Port Phillip Estate and Kooyong Wines

Rammed earth and limestone walls spiral out of the Red Hill South hillside — an architectural statement that earns its drama. Inside, the Gjergja family's cellar door and dining room open onto vineyard views stretching to the coast. Winemaker Tim Perrin focuses the estate on Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Chef Sam Borley handles the kitchen. The building does a lot of the work, but the wines justify the trip.

Brewery

Red Hill Brewery - Mornington Peninsula

Karen and David Golding started Red Hill Brewery in 2005, growing their own hops on a hillside plot that doubles as the taproom setting. Small 800-litre batches run year-round — Kolsch, Scotch Ale, Wheat Beer — alongside seasonals: Imperial Stout in winter, Hop Harvest Ale in autumn. Oak barrels sourced from local wineries age some batches for up to a year.

Brewery

Peninsula Beer Garden

A walk-in venue in Boneo offering live music, craft brews, cocktails and food with scenic views. They serve lunch from 11:30am-3:30pm and dinner from 5:30pm-7:30pm, regularly hosting tribute shows and live entertainment.

Brewery

St Andrews Beach Brewery

Former racetrack, now brewery. Co-founder Andrew Purchase built the Mornington Peninsula property for the Freedman Brothers' horses in the early 2000s; by 2015 the stables had become a taproom. The 92-acre site still carries its history — 8,000 apple and pear trees grow along the old training track, while Sandy Road Cluster hops supply the brewery's own beers and seasonal ciders.

Winery

Green Olive at Red Hill

Greg and Sue O'Donoghue run this 27-acre farm at Red Hill with their kids Sam and Sophie, two Kelpies, a Maremma, Wiltshire Pole sheep, and Indian Runner ducks. Olives, grapes, lemons, herbs, and bush food grow in volcanic soil an hour from Melbourne. The all-day menu runs from 9am; wine paddles available throughout.

Winery

T'Gallant Vineyard

T'Gallant's recently reopened Main Ridge property spreads across six distinct spaces — from the open-air Spuntino Bar to the converted winery Barrel Room. The Italian-leaning menu runs to pizzas with 'nduja and pumpkin, burrata, and crushed potatoes. Bench seating overlooks the vines; the cellar door offers tastings and a bite without a booking.