Best wineries on the Mornington Peninsula
Just an hour south of the city, the Mornington Peninsula has been a hot spot for wine lovers ever since Main Ridge Estate opened the region’s first cellar door in the 1980s. Today, the Peninsula is home to over 50 cellar doors (and even more wineries), offering wine tastings at a minimum and often world-class dining, accommodation, and other attractions as well.
As well as Main Ridge, the region counts among its founding wineries Crittenden Estate, Moorooduc Estate, Paringa Estate and Stonier. Kooyong was another pioneer, although it has shared winery and cellar door facilities with the majestic Port Phillip Estate since it was bought by Giorgio and Dianne Gjergja in 2004.
After they sold Kooyong, the Aylward family established Ocean Eight in Shoreham. Foxeys Hangout, Garagiste, and Polperro also set themselves up around this time, and, in the years since, they’ve been joined by names such as Kerri Greens, Onannon, and most recently, Elanto.
Best wineries on the Mornington Peninsula for lunch or dinner
If you’re looking for more than a wine tasting, there are many options on the Peninsula for lunch or dinner. Montalto has been a firm favourite for years, its offerings spanning picnics on the lawn, pizzas in the Piazza, and a one-hat dining experience in the Restaurant. Ten Minutes by Tractor is another Peninsula fine diner that should be at the top of your list. Awarded two hats in the Good Food Guide 2024, each dish on chef Hayden Ellis’s menu tells a story of the region.
In previous years, Avani has hosted a series of chef pop-ups, but as of November they now have their own permanent restaurant. Helmed by Shashi and Devendra Singh’s two children, Retu Kaskana and Rohit Singh, and chef Deepak Mishra, Cellar Kitchen offers a vibrant selection of Indian (and specifically Lucknowi) snacks and mains.
Also new this season, Quealy will host Pizza Luna every weekend during summer. Pop in for sourdough pizzas and glasses of organic, skin-contact wines – including the Halliday award-winning Feri Maris Pinot Grigio.
Mornington Peninsula’s best wines
It may once have been touted as Victoria’s answer to Bordeaux, but time and experience have shown the Mornington Peninsula is more like Burgundy. Pinot noir and chardonnay are its star varieties – seek out examples from Yabby Lake, Prancing Horse, and Handpicked, as well as the wineries mentioned above – although the region also produces exceptional gamay (try Eldridge Estate), pinot gris (try Ocean Eight) and even aligoté (try Garagiste).
Here's a list of 20 of the Mornington Peninsula’s best wines to get you started.
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