Here are 11 of the best Mornington Peninsula wineries for you visit in 2024. Just an hour's drive south from Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is populated with top cellar doors, highly rated restaurants, luxury accommodation, pristine vineyards and pebbly beaches that are perfect for a romantic getaway or a trip for the whole family. As James Halliday has said, "The sheer beauty of the softly rolling hillsides, the green grass of much of the year, the white-railed horse studs, the groves of native and imported trees, and the sweeping sea vistas are a perfect backdrop for visitor or resident alike."
After you've taken a dip or had a massage at the Peninsula Hot Springs or recently opened Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, a crisp glass of wine will be in order. The star varieties of the Mornington Peninsula are pinot noir and chardonnay, but pinot gris/grigio and shiraz are also on the rise in the region. The length of the Peninsula provides variety in growing conditions, producing complex wines characterised by citrus and stone fruits. Given the amount of ground to cover, we recommend staying for at least a weekend to soak in the full experience.
Do Mornington Peninsula wineries offer accommodation?
Yes! Luckily, a few of the wineries below offer on-site accommodation, so that you can relax surrounded by vineyards and you don't have to worry about if you're okay to drive after having a glass (or three!) at dinner.Best Mornington Peninsula accommodation: Jackalope, Crittenden Estate
Are there any Mornington Peninsula wineries with restaurants?
A number of Mornington Peninsula wineries have dining options to suit your every need. Whether you're looking for a cheese platter with your tasting flight, a light lunch or a three-course dinner, there's something in the list below for everyone.Best Mornington Peninsula dining: Paringa Estate, Yabby Lake Vineyard, Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate
Are there any kid-friendly wineries in the Mornington Peninsula?
You're more than welcome to bring your children along to the wineries in the list below, and a few even have additional experiences on offer that don't involve sipping wine at the cellar door. Both Montalto and Pt. Leo Estate have extensive sculpture parks which are sure to delight the whole family.Best Mornington Peninsula wineries with activities for the whole family: Pt. Leo Estate, Montalto
What are Mornington Peninsula wineries best known for?
Pinot noir and chardonnay may be the stars of the Mornington Peninsula, but there are more than 20 varieties planted in the region. There's no better to place to taste these diverse grapes than in the spectacular cellar doors the Mornington Peninsula is known for.Best Mornington Peninsula cellar doors: Ten Minutes by Tractor, Ocean Eight Vineyard & Winery, Stonier Wines, Rahona Valley
1. Crittenden Estate
25 Harrisons Road, Dromana
Crittenden Estate is a family-owned winery based in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. Established in 1982, the multi-generational family are passionate about creating quality, cool-climate wines that represent the region as well as their commitment to minimal input viticulture. With a Wine Centre for tastings, luxury onsite accommodation, and a restaurant that overlooks the vineyard, lake and beautifully kept lawns and gardens, Crittenden Estate has all your needs covered.
5 ★ winery | crittendenwines.com.au | Halliday profile
2. Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate
236 Red Hill Road, Red Hill
Located as it is in one of Australia’s foremost cool-climate maritime wine regions, Kooyong is a specialist chardonnay, pinot gris and pinot noir producer. The cellar door in Red Hill is the home Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate wines. Descend the dramatic staircase into the subterranean belly of the building, and you’ll find yourself in the perfect environment for swirling, sniffing, and savouring their wines. Or if you’re after a different experience, there are accommodation options, wedding venue spaces and a dining room that champions seasonal produce.
5 ★ winery | kooyongwines.com.au | Halliday profile
3. Montalto
33 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South
The cellar door at Montalto offers spectacular views across the estate through floor to ceiling windows. Select from three different seated tastings (Latest Release, Single Vineyard Exploration & Museum vs Latest) all personally hosted by Montalto’s highly trained, friendly staff. Enjoying a tasting before selecting a wine to drink with your lunch in the restaurant or the piazza is one of the great joys of visiting Montalto. Alternatively, purchase a bottle of your favourite in the cellar door and enjoy whilst walking through the gardens or the 1km sculpture trail.
5 ★ winery | montalto.com.au | Halliday profile
4. Ocean Eight Vineyard & Winery
271 Tucks Road, Shoreham
Ocean Eight grows grapes across two locations on the Mornington Peninsula. Winemaker Mike Aylward has been producing wines since 2004, with a focus on elegant wines that express the unique traits of grapes ripened in a cool, maritime Victorian climate. The intimate cellar door is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and allows guests to buy a bottle or a glass and enjoy their wines in the a beautiful garden setting.
5 ★ winery | oceaneight.com.au | Halliday profile
5. Paringa Estate
44 Paringa Road, Red Hill South
Paringa Estate was established in 1985 by teacher-turned winemaker Lindsay McCall. Initially just making wine to share with family and friends, the first commercial vintage was in 1988, and just over ten years later, in 1999, the Paringa Restaurant opened. Recent renovations have added a striking Courbusian façade, and a grand entrance. The restaurant menu is a celebration of locally sourced, seasonal produce.
5 ★ winery | paringaestate.com.au | Halliday profile
6. Pt. Leo Estate
3649 Frankston-Flinders Road, Merricks
Venture over to the often-unexplored Western Port side of the Mornington Peninsula, and you’ll be in for a sensory treat at Pt. Leo Estate. With the rolling vineyards, vast ocean views that grant glimpses of Phillip Island, and the 16-acre sculpture park, there’s more than enough to see here. Once you’ve taken in the view, visit the Cellar Door & Wine Terrace or their fine dining restaurant ‘Laura’ for a different experience.
4.5 ★ winery | ptleoestate.com.au | Halliday profile
7. Rahona Valley
3/48 Collins Road, Dromana
Driven by a passion for cool-climate wines, with a particular love for traditional-method sparkling, owners Toby Pieters and Dianne Gardiner turned their dream of owning a winery into reality in 2014. They moved from the city and purchased one of the smallest commercial vineyards on the Mornington Peninsula. They decided to start working with chief winemaker Natalie Fryar, and since then have invested heavily in sparkling expertise and production facilities to ensure they produce wines of which they are proud.
5 ★ winery | rahonavalley.com.au | Halliday profile
8. Rare Hare
166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North
The first Rare Hare releases were from the 2014 vintage to coincide with the opening of their restaurant and the ultra-luxurious Jackalope Hotel at the vineyard. Planted in 1989, the 11ha LL Vineyard has taken root in the deep volcanic soils typical of the slopes of the Mornington Peninsula, and is known for producing fine, cool climate chardonnay and pinot noir.
5 ★ winery | rarehare.com.au | Halliday profile
9. Stonier Wines
2 Thompsons Lane, Merricks
Stonier Wines is one of the pioneer wineries in the Mornington Peninsula, having been founded by Brian Stonier in 1978. Stonier’s vineyard portfolio boasts some of the region’s oldest vineyards, each one contributing nuances from within the different sub-regions of the peninsula. It is one of the few wineries in Australia to measure its carbon footprint in detail, using the officially recognised system of the Winemaker’s Federation of Australia.
5 ★ winery | stonier.com.au | Halliday profile
10. Ten Minutes by Tractor
1333 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge
Ten Minutes by Tractor began in 1997 with three vineyards in Main Ridge, all located ten minutes by tractor apart. Since then the estate has transformed, with a number of vineyards added from a diverse range of micro-climates across the Peninsula. These include the Coolart Road Vineyard, now home to a new purpose-built winery; the Spedding Vineyard, site of the first large-scale high-density pinot noir vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula; and the Wine Bar Vineyard on the cellar door and restaurant site, the first certified organic vineyard in the region.
5 ★ winery | tenminutesbytractor.com.au | Halliday profile
11. Yabby Lake Vineyard
86–112 Tuerong Road, Tuerong
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 in Tuerong, which is located in the northern part of the Peninsula. Over the past decade, the vineyard has built a reputation for single vineyard chardonnay and pinot noir of great purity and character. Led by winemaker Tom Carson, their philosophy is to craft wines that speak of their site and the season in which they were grown. Visit their restaurant or cellar door, open daily, to taste their wine.
5 ★ winery | yabbylake.com | Halliday profile
To find more wineries to visit, browse some of the best wineries in the Mornington Peninsula here.
