Wine touring on the Mornington Peninsula The wineries of the Mornington Peninsula are only 60 minutes drive from Melbourne.. There are over 35 specialist wineries in this region, the fastest growing wine area in Victoria. The climate of the Peninsula is cool (very like the Bordeaux region of France) and the vineyards of this region produce wines of a clean, well-defined character with crisp acidity, resulting in refreshing wines with good ageing potential. The predominant varieties are chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon. Special events, include the Queen's Birthday Weekend Wine Festival in June, the Melbourne Cup Carnival of Wine and a Summer Food and Wine Festival held in February/March each year. To simplify the task of finding wineries the Peninsula has been divided into seven Wine Touring Areas. Simply follow the brown and white Wine Touring Area signage with it's distinctive bunch of grapes logo, then look out for the sign pointing to the winery or vineyard you wish to visit. Click on the area you wish to visit: Moorooduc Area Ermes Estate 2 Godings Road, Moorooduc. Melways Reference 147 A11 Telephone: (03) 59788 376 Ermes Estate was established in 1989 with plantings of Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In 1991 the delicate flavoured Pinot Grigio was added. Ermes wines are 100 percent Estate grown and great care and attention is taken in all stages of cultivation to ensure the production of top quality fruit, the basis for quality award winning wines. A light lunch cooked in a wood fired oven is served every 3rd Sunday of the month. Open every weekend 11am-5pm (and Public Holidays) Merricks North Area Tanglewood Downs Estate Bulldog Creek Road, Merricks North. Melways Reference 151 K12 Telephone (03) 59 743 325 Tanglewood Downs is located in a delightful bushland setting amidst a forest of tanglewood trees with views of Port Philip Bay. Lunch is served the first Sunday of the month, there are also bi-monthly "wine dinners" in the winery - bookings essential. Styles of wine include gewurztraminer and chardonnary, both with a spicy, slight marmalade tang, cabernet merlot and cabernet franc Usually open daily 12 noon-5pm (except Tuesdays in the winter). Balnarring Area Willow Creek Vineyard 166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North. Melways Reference 162 H8 Telephone: (03) 59897 367 At historic Willow Creek, the home of oaked and unoaked wines, you can enjoy the warm hospitality of Peter and Sue Harris. Planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet, this picturesque property prides itself on its meticulous vineyard management ensuring the finest quality fruit to produce outstanding wines. We invite you to come and visit us at our cellar door, sample our wines, enjoy the views, stroll through the vineyard and make use of our picnic and barbecue facilities. Open daily 10am-5pm Dromana Area Dromana Estate Harrisons Road, Dromana. Melways Reference 16O J6 Telephone: (03) 59873 8000 Wine is only part of the Dromana Estate story, the airy tasting centre and restaurant with full-length windows open onto a verandah above lawns which slope down to the lake. Relax over a light lunch either indoors by the wood fire in winter or on the large verandah in summer. Tastings are free and wine to accompany lunch in available by the glass or bottle. Picnic and barbecue facilities are also available. Open daily 11am-4pm Merricks Area Stonier's Winery 362 Frankston Flinders Road, Merricks. Melways Reference 192 F9 Telephone (03) 598898 300 Established by Noel and Brian Stonier in 1978, Stonier's Winery now produces spectacular wines that have won awards both nationally and internationally. The Stonier's Reserve Pinot Noir 1993 won two major trophies at the Adelaide Wine Show and the Stonier's Cabernet 1993 was included in the Sydney International Wine Competition Top 100 Wines. The winery was designed by prominent Melbourne architect Daryl Jackson. A cheese platter is available daily with lunches and functions by prior arrangement. There is a children's playground and winery tours. Open daily 12 noon-5pm Red Hill Area Hanns Creek Estate Kentucky Road, Merricks North. Melways Reference 19I H1 Telephone: (03) 59897 266 The Hanns Creek Estate produces an excellent cabernet sauvignon with an obvious French influence. They also produce a crisp rose and burgundian-style pinot noir and Chardonnay. A 5 course French-style luncheon, complete with gingham table cloths and the strains of Edith Piaf fill the air among the barrels, can be enjoyed on Sundays and public Holidays. Picnic facilities are also available. Open daily: 11am - 5pm Paringa Estate 44 Paringa Road, Red Hill South. Melways Reference 19I D9 Telephone (03) 59892 669 Lindsay McCall, winner of a number of major awards in 1995 including: Best Wine at the Victorian Wine Makers Exhibition - Chardonnay Best Pinot Noir at Victorian Wine Show Best Shiraz at Lilydale Show (Best Mornington Peninsula Red Wine) Trophy for Best Australian Wine - South Africa versus Australia Wine Challenge Open daily (except Tuesday), 12 noon-5pm weekdays. 11am-5pm weekends and daily during January Red Hill Estate 53 Red Hill Shoreham Road, Red Hill South. Melways Reference 190 K12 Telephone: (03) 59892 838. Even the most objective observers heap superlatives on the view here, which takes in the vineyard with its gently undulating rows of premium grape varieties, the blue water of Western Port and beyond to Seal Rocks on Philip Island. Red Hill Estate was established in 1989 by Sir Peter and Lady Derham. The wines of Red Hill Estate are elegant and fruit driven in style. Renowned for their sparkling wine, a Methode Champenoise Brut, winemaker Jenny Bright is also fast gaining a reputation for her Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Cellar Door is open 11am-5pm everyday for wine tastings and sales. Then there's the restaurant serving contemporary Mediterranean food matched with the winemaker's suggestions from the Red Hill wine list. Open daily 11am-5pm Tucks Ridge at Red Hill 37 Red Hill Shoreham Road, Red Hill South. Melways Reference 256 A2. Telephone: (03) 59898 660. Tuck's Ridge is Mornington peninsula's largest vineyard with almost 60 acres of vineyards. It is on an impressive site, with views across Westernport Bay. The Winemaker, Daniel Greene makes a range of wines, including Riesling, Semillon (exotic with hints of passionfruit, kiwifruit and capsicum), Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are reasonably priced and available at the intimate Cellar Door, to taste at no charge. In addition to the classic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, visitors will often find interesting limited releases of special wines made from small parcels of fruit grown on the Company vineyards. Open daily 12 noon-5pm Main Ridge Area Main Ridge Estate William Road, Red Hill. Melways Reference 19O C4 Telephone: (03) 59892 686 Main Ridge Estate was the Peninsula's first winery, established more than 20 years ago. There is a beautiful tasting room above an underground cellar where you can taste Chardonnay, Half Acre Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Merlot. Sunday lunch is served in summer in the airy winery, on the verandah or in the garden courtyard. Fondues by the fire on Winter Sundays. Wines are made entirely from grapes grown on the estate. Very low yields combined with traditional wine making techniques result in wines of great intensity, complexity and harmony. Main Ridge Estate is endeavouring to do more than produce wine with good fruit. They are pursuing more complex, better structured wine capable of ageing for many years. Open every day: Weekends 12 noon-5pm, midweek 12 noon-4pm T'Gallant Winemakers Corner of Mornington Flinders and Shands Roads, Main Ridge. Melways Reference 190 E12 Telephone: (03) 59896 565. T'Gallant have pioneered an innovative range of wine styles and are keen to make an individual statement with their wines. Their love is pinot gris, a white mutation of pinot noir which needs a very cool climate to produce its rich, yet clean character. Their Chardonnay puts full emphasis on fruit quality and offers an alternative to its wooded alter ego. The winemakers, who also make wines for other vineyards, use their intimate knowledge of the region to produce a range of innovative wines including a white Pinot with a rose glow and a dessert wine called Demi Vache, as well as their prized Pinot Grigio. Open daily 11am-5pm
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