This unique wine tour takes in two of Australia's favorite wine regions - the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley. Both located within an easy drive from the cosmopolitan city of Melbourne, you will be delighted in the wines you will savour and the sights you will experience.
The Mornington Peninsula was rated this year in an international survey as one of the top ten regions in the world to live, anywhere. Our initimate knowledge of the Peninsula means you will explore and discover the wonderful wineries, superb restaurants and local attractions only as a local can. Join Nathalie as she takes you to her favorite wineries and vineyards, as well as those out of the way places that will truly delight you. Renowned for it's cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, the Peninsula offers a winter escape from the northern winter that you will remember for ever. It's a truly enchanting region.
The Yarra Valley is just north of Melbourne and compared to the Peninsula, offers a different taste of Australia and it's wines. The Yarra Valley was Victoria's first wine growing district – with a history stretching back nearly 180 years. Vines were first planted in 1838 by the Ryrie brothers, on their property known today as Chateau Yering (which is now luxury accommodation and where our guests stay on this tour). Viticulture spread rapidly through the 1860s and 1870s with exports of local wines to the British and European markets that were winning awards around the world. Today the Yarra Valley is one of the worlds leading cold climate wine growing regions, with internationally known names such as Domaine Chandon, St Huberts, De Bortoli, Yering Station, Oakridge and Coldstream Hills.
Our theme for this tour is Old World / New World. It's an opportunity for you taste and compare the best of the Old World wines from France to their New World equivalents. Australian wines and winemakers have been recognised internationally for decades now. Nathalie will guide you though the nuances and subtle differences as we visit the finest wineries and taste their premium wines. Nathalie's exhaustive knowledge of Old World wines will then come to the fore as we compare the French and European varities.
Some Highlights- Enjoy private tours through the best of the award winning Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley wineries. We will enjoy tours with the winemakers themselves and learn of the New World winemaking techniques that are finding their way back to the Europe and beyond.
- You will experience some of the highlights of living in this special region, quaint country villages, superb bay and ocean beaches, natural hot springs or even swimming with dolphins if you choose. A round of world class golf perhaps?
- Fine dining each evening where Nathalie will co-ordinate with the restarants Chefs de Cuisine to present wine from 8 different wine regions of Australia with a specially prepared menus, each matched with wines from 2 different regions over 4 evenings. A feast of world-class dining matched with equally impressive Australian wines.
- After dinner, you will retire and enjoy 4 nights in the luxurious Port Phillip Estate country retreat, right in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula. Your suite has it’s own balcony that looks out over the vineyard and the ocean of Westernport Bay.
- Spend 2 nights in the superb Chateau Yering country hotel that dates back to 1854. Dine in Eleonore’s Restaurant, rated as 2013 Victorian Regional Restaurant of the Year.
- Start your Yarra Valley experience with a morning hot air balloon flight. Allow the breeze to usher you along the valley, enjoying a wonderful Yarra Valley sunrise
We will also
- Visit various cultural and scenic highlights of the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley, including seeing some of the unique Australia animals the country is famous for in their natural environment.
- Schedule a visit to explore a bushland haven for Australian wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary. Your chance to see koalas, kangaroos, platypus, emus.......
- See first hand the unique viticulture of Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley wine growing regions
- Nathalie's partner and co-guide was born on the Peninsula so you get to discover the tastes and experiences that only the intimate knowledge of a local can provide.
Mornington Peninsula Wine Region
Pristine beaches and gloriously green hinterland – this much-loved holiday favourite is just an hour's drive from Melbourne. It's home to more than 50 boutique cellar doors and is renowned for it's cool climate pinot noir and chardonnay.
Regions within a region
You will taste different styles as we tour around this compact and diverse region. Climate, topography, land and soil structure create distinct micro-climates around the hinterland villages of Red Hill, Main Ridge and Moorooduc, and Merricks, Balnarring and Dromana on the coast.
The rich red soils grow the most abundant seasonal produce and the beautiful natural environment creates an enviable lifestyle. All this has attracted the most passionate winemakers and top city chefs seeking inspiration and a sea change.
This is one of the few regions in Victoria where you can choose casual cafés, chic restaurants and Chef ’s Hat fine dining both in the coastal villages and hinterland hamlets.
You’ll find a award winning restaurants, casual piazzas overlooking kitchen gardens, acclaimed outdoor sculpture and private summer picnics in beautiful estate, or there’s casual fare on the sunny deck, alongside beautiful accommodation.
We will dine in elegant dining rooms, with decks and terraces overlooking vineyards so close that you feel like you’re dining amid vines. The menus are adventurous and creative, with local produce including mussels, whiting, beef, artisan cheeses and handpicked berries.
A reputation for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, all with a true sense of place, has been gained by the region.
What Else is There to See and Do?
The Mornington Peninsula is an aquatic wonderland. Try something you’ve never done before, like learning to scuba dive or swimming with dolphins. You can also go surfing, sailing or stand up paddle boarding. Do you enjoy golf? There are a dozen world class golf courses on the Peninsula for you to enjoy a round or two. The Peninsula Hot Springs is a wonderful destination and I'm sure we can organise a visit if you need to relax even further.
Because our tours are all customised to suit the tastes and needs of our guests, we have the flexibility to build the tour around you.
Yarra Valley Wine Region
Less than an hour from Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is a whole life experience away, offering quality local food and wine, breathtaking scenery, romantic hideaways and indulgent adventures.
The Yarra Valley is recognised as one of the world's premier wine growing regions with over 80 sensational cellar doors, superb restaurants serving fresh regional produce, luxury accommodation, iconic scenery and stunning artwork.
We will visit the award winning vineyards, cellar doors and wineries and wander the back roads, discover the secrets, share the stories and shake the hands that picked the grapes.
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