Mornington Peninsula is the coastal region located just a one-hour drive from Melbourne. The picturesque wine region is famed for its vineyards, wineries, and breathtaking beaches. The cool, maritime climate is bolstered by its proximity to the ocean, making it an epicentre for chardonnay and pinot noir, along with grapes like pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz.
If you're ready to visit the Peninsula, we're here to help you get a jump start on your planning. At Crittenden Wines, visit the Wine Centre, one of the most gorgeous views on the Peninsula, take in the lake as you get to know the Burgundian varieties (and be sure to try that savagnin). At Eldridge, try the pinot and, of course, the gamay. Pair your tasting with one of the gourmet platters (we love the Spanish anchovy tapas). At Ocean Eight, the cellar door – a transformed horse stable – is an intimate experience. Enjoy your pinot gris, pinot noir or chardonnay, while overlooking the Messmate eucalypt forest.
Time for lunch? The Paringa Estate restaurant overlooks the vineyards and winery. Pair that famous Paringa pinot with the four-course set menu (or dine à la carte). After lunch, stroll through Pt. Leo Estate's world-renowned sculpture park, before selecting one of the three carefully curated tasting flights. Finally, round out the day with a trip to Trofeo Estate. Take part in one of two tastings available (taste the influence of the terracotta amphora) and finish on a high with a classic Trofeo cheeseboard.
Crittenden Wines
H. What do you love about making wine on the Mornington Peninsula?
RC & ZC. Our parents, Garry and Margaret, first planted cabernet sauvignon vines on the property in 1982 at a time when the region was little known as a viticultural destination. Winemaking on the Peninsula has changed significantly since then and here at Crittenden we have refined our processes immensely. It wasn’t long before we realised the potential of the Peninsula’s cool climate to grow exemplary Burgundian varieties, leading to the grafting of the majority of the vineyard to pinot noir within the first two decades of winemaking – a varietal that the region is now known for worldwide.
The remainder of our plantings are chardonnay, plus a few lesser-known varietals in the mix to enable Rollo the joy of experimentation, such as our iconic flor-aged Jura-style savagnin. We continue to evolve our practices here and work in harmony with our philosophy: that great wines are made in the vineyard, not in the winery.
H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
RC & ZC. Our passion for our vines, wine and the environment extends all the way through to the Crittenden Wine Centre, which is a thoughtfully constructed cellar door that overlooks our picturesque lake and offers an idyllic space to get to know our vast array of wines. An introductory seated tasting in comfort is informative, relaxing and will expand your repertoire of favourite wines. The team that hosts the tasting are welcoming, knowledgeable and informative, immediately setting guests at ease no matter what their level of wine knowledge is.
Favourite local spot: Produce store Torello Farm is a hop, skip and a jump away from Crittenden and sells locally grown farm produce following similar sustainable growing principals to our own. If we're looking for an after work glass of wine, we can’t go past The Bodega in Dromana (and you’ll always find a Crittenden wine by the glass there).
Wine to try
2022 Crittenden Wines Kangerong Pinot Noir
The nose of our 2022 Kangerong Pinot Noir has pretty floral notes and subtle spice aromas. On the palate you'll find the richness and intensity of dark cherries and blackberry fruit, refined tannins and a velvety texture due to thoughtful oak handling. Taking out gold at the 2023 Mornington Peninsula Wine Show, it is a great example of pinot from an exemplary vintage in one Australia’s most acclaimed wine regions.Best enjoyed: Serve just above cellar temperature in a nice Burgundy glass. Pair with roast duck, a rare rack of lamb, beef Wellington or grilled pork chops.
RRP $49 | Drink to 2030 | crittendenwines.com.au | Shop this wine
Eldridge
Winemaker says: X
H. What do you love about making wine on the Mornington Peninsula?
E. X
H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
E. X
Favourite local spot: X
Wine to try
Wine
Tasting note
Best enjoyed: X
RRP $ | Drink to | website | Shop this wine
Ocean Eight Vineyard & Winery
Winemaker Michael Aylward says: We have over 20 years of experience growing and making pinot gris, pinot noir and chardonnay on the Mornington Peninsula. These varieties require great attention to detail in the vineyard. The reward for this attention and finesse in the vineyard are wines that are truly expressive of the summer they ripened in each year, making an annual tasting of the wines essential to see the beauty in that difference.
H. What do you love about making wine on the Mornington Peninsula?
MA. It is an absolutely beautiful environment with so many ecosystems that are very close to each other. Just living and working in such an environment is treasured. The wines that can be made from the cool maritime influenced climate are a bonus. They are distinctive, intensely aromatic and elegant.
H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
MA. Driving down the London plane tree-lined driveway, guests will see what looks like a grand burgundy-coloured horse stable. This beautiful building was converted into the winery and cellar door in 2008. Guests will be guided through our wine by the winemakers in the cosy, warm and intimate cellar door. The wines can also be enjoyed by the glass on our terrace, overlooking a special, remnant Messmate eucalypt forest.
Favourite local spot: A jump off the pier into the cool pristine waters of Flinders, followed by a bowl of steaming fresh mussels straight from the boat of Harry’s, who is a Flinders mussel farmer.
Wine to try
2023 Ocean Eight Pinot Gris
I want to highlight the full gamut of flavours from our beautiful vineyard in Shoreham. Ocean Eight pinot gris is barrel fermented to show the pear like softness and richness from the red volcanic soils, balanced by freshness and zing from the cool Mornington Peninsula summer.Best enjoyed: Dishes that use flavours like lemongrass, star anise, chilli, coconut, and coriander really amplify the beauty of pinot gris. Ocean Eight pinot gris is lovely when it is cold, straight out of the fridge.
RRP $45 | Drink to 2025 | oceaneight.com.au | Shop this wine
Paringa Estate
Winemaker Jamie McCall says: Paringa Estate was established by my parents in the mid 1980s. Located in Red Hill South on the Mornington Peninsula – a one-hour drive south-east of Melbourne – our home vineyard is positioned on a north-facing slope, on 10 acres of rich, red, unirrigated volcanic soil at an elevation of 140 metres. My pioneering father, Lindsay (an untrained/unqualified winemaker/grape grower), fermented our first wines in a fish tank in our garage. Since, Paringa has established itself as one of the leading producers of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and shiraz in the country. I joined the team in 2012, before taking over the winemaking in 2017. We pride ourselves on making wines that reflect our cool maritime region and the individual sites they are from – wines that reflect the uniqueness of the Mornington Peninsula.
H. What do you love about making wine on the Mornington Peninsula?
JM. The region is surrounded on three sides by bodies of water, which creates a true maritime climate. This helps to moderate temperature and keeps our maximum summer daytime temperatures several degrees cooler than other neighbouring regions. Mornington is a true cool-climate region, with a great diversity in soil types, topography and microclimates. We are fortunate enough to be able to grow a large number of grape varieties but, in particular, we hang our hat on producing outstanding quality pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot gris. The people (and the wines) of the Peninsula make it a wonderful place to make wine. We are part of a community that openly communicates and is committed to helping each other make better wines, and promote the quality of the wines as a united region.
H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
JM. Our cellar door and restaurant are tucked away off the main roads in peaceful Red Hill South. Guests have the opportunity to taste our full range under the guidance of our experienced team. The fine-dining restaurant overlooks the undulating slopes of the vineyard, where the Toulouse geese roam. Larger windows in the dining room allow you to look down at the winemakers in action. The chef's vibrant and exciting dishes can be enjoyed alongside our extensive wine list including museum Paringa Estate wines. We are open for lunch Wednesday–Sunday and for dinner each Saturday, with wine tastings available each day.
Favourite local spot: My wife and I love to take our son and dog for walks along the tracks around where we live in Mt. Martha and Mornington. Whether it be along the coastline footpaths, any one of the beautiful beaches, along the boardwalk of the Balcombe Estuary or just grabbing a coffee and poking our heads into the beautiful shops and cafes while traveling along Main Street, Mornington.
Wine to try
2021 Paringa Estate The Paringa Chardonnay
Every vintage of this exceptional chardonnay expresses the beauty of this site. The nose is highly perfumed, with notes of grapefruit, lemon zest and flinty sulphides. The complex palate has power, finesse and great length.Best enjoyed: Serve slightly chilled, in a RIEDEL glass, and at the Paringa Estate restaurant we love matching this chardonnay with a pan-roasted John Dory from Lakes Entrance. This is served along side golden squash involtino – thinly sliced squash wrapped around ricotta seasoned with thyme and rosemary and then steamed.
RRP $80 | Drink to 2036 | paringaestate.com.au | Shop this wine
Pt. Leo Estate
H. What do you love about making wine on the Mornington Peninsula?
RL. The overwhelming influence on our grape growing and winemaking is our maritime climate. The Mornington Peninsula is surrounded on three sides by Port Phillip Bay, Western Port and Bass Strait. These three bodies of water have a moderating influence on our vine growth. The result is typical cool-climate fruit that expresses a fine balance of ripeness and flavour. No two seasons are the same, with wonderful diversity which at times tests our collective experience.
H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
RL. Pt. Leo Estate offers such diversity! The collective cellar door, award-winning restaurants and internationally renowned sculpture park experience makes us a must-visit for those seeking an iconic Australian agritourism destination. Coupled with the amazing views over Western Port and into Bass Strait and the meticulous design detail throughout the building, the vineyard and the grounds, a trip to the estate can fill your day and all your senses.
Much like our wines, every touch point throughout the Estate is considered and methodically curated to ensure an unparalleled guest experience. The cellar door experience at Pt. Leo Estate is no different, with three carefully curated tasting offers available to our guests. The offers highlight the diversity within our wines and the vintages. Our tasting offers also accommodate the experienced cellar door visitor who is looking for a more structured tasting that focuses on a specific varietal across several vintages.
Favourite local spot: Having to nominate a favourite spot within the region for me is akin to having to name my favourite child! Much to the dismay of my two children, and with my tongue firmly in cheek, my response is always my Border Collie, Frankie. Visiting the hinterland and driving through Red Hill and Main Ridge just before vintage fills me with joy. Seeing some of the original vineyards that were planted in the 70s reminds me of how young the region is in old world wine terms, but also how quickly the region has managed to cement itself as a leader in the production of pinot noir and chardonnay.
Wine to try
2020 Pt. Leo Estate Reserve Pinot Noir
Powerful aromas of dark berries and plums with hints of herbs and subtle oak. The flavours are similar to the aromas. The entry is soft and builds in the middle palate with soft sweet fruit and fine tannins towards a lingering finish. This very nicely balanced wine will be best enjoyed over the next five years (longer if you like aged pinot noir).Best enjoyed: Serve in a Burgundy glass and pair with roasted Great Ocean duck breast, salted plums, beetroot and pink peppercorns.
RRP $90 | Drink to 2036 | ptleoestate.com.au | Shop this wine
Trofeo Estate
Winemaker Richard Darby says: Trofeo Estate is located in the Dromana region of the Mornington Peninsula. Planted in 1998, our varieties include pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and we recently planted riesling, all of which are managed organically. Our grapes are all hand-harvested from the sandy loam soils and produced exclusively in Italian terracotta amphora, which allows our wines to mature gracefully and leave the pure fruit flavours and textures from our vineyards.
H. What do you love about making wine on the Mornington Peninsula?
RD. The area itself is filled with great wineries, restaurants, beaches and bush walks with close proximity to the amazing city of Melbourne. There's so much to love about our region – we are a cool-climate region, nestled between Port Phillip and Western Port Bay. With our vineyard situated less than four kilometres from Port Phillip Bay, at an altitude of 50–60m, it enjoys many benefits from our proximity to the water. The dry, cooling afternoon sea winds allow for a gentle ripening period, resulting in wines with stand-out flavours and textural acidity.
H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
RD. Our welcoming cellar door is open seven days a week. We offer two tasting options: our Estate range or our Chosen Few range (the tasting fee is redeemable upon the purchase of one bottle or more). From Wednesday to Sunday we offer delicious cheeseboards, which you can enjoy while having a glass or two of our amazing wines in our outdoor seated area with views of the vines or inside for the cooler days. For those who wish to make a day of it, book a table to enjoy a sumptuous meal in our beautiful restaurant or garden area.
Favourite local spot: I love a bit of late afternoon time on the beach followed by a beer or wine at one of the many bars in Dromana.
Wine to try
2021 Trofeo Estate Chosen Few Pinot Noir
The palate is plush and full of initial mouthfeel. Super bright acidity encompasses those expected offerings of macerated cherry and wild strawberries, a depth of flavour and feathery light tannins complementing a variety of fresh food.Best enjoyed: Pair with lamb cutlets, chicken or mushroom ragout.
RRP $84 | Drink to 2030 | trofeoestate.com | Shop this wine
