This region may not be best known for wine, but dotted around the coast and countryside are some incredible cool climate wineries to discover. Create your own wine tour, stopping at cellar doors for tastings and sampling local produce. Or settle in for a long lunch among the vines. Whether you’re looking for somewhere with good vibes and live music, a venue where the kids can run wild or a romantic weekend escape, here’s your vineyard hit list.
One of the few winerys located right on the Great Ocean Road, Bellbrae Estate lies among the rolling hills of the Surf Coast. Five minutes from Bells Beach, the winery is naturally influenced by the sea and surf and you might recognise some of the names of local surf breaks on the labels. Head to the cellar door for wine tastings, or swing past on Sundays for wood fired pizzas and live tunes. Spend a sunny arvo session on the lawn, with a glass of Winkipop sparkling shiraz or Bells syrah in hand.
Another stop on the Otway Harvest Trail, “Heroes” celebrates organic wines and sustainability. And yes — that name is a nod to David Bowie! The vines are unirrigated and organically grown with no synthetic pesticides. Wines are made with minimal intervention, resulting in premium cool climate wines. The cellar door is open on weekends from December to Easter and is kid and pooch friendly. Pick up a bottle of their zingy Deeds Not Words sparkling rose, we think Bowie would approve.
Discover a boutique vineyard on the Great Ocean Road, between Warrnambool and Port Fairy. Basalt’s organic and biodynamic wines are enriched by the region’s fertile volcanic soils. Visit the cellar door for wine tastings and tapas. Or stay for a seafood-studded long lunch, paired with award-winning riesling. While you linger over good wine and conversation in the cafe, the kids can kick the footy or experience farm life. They’ll adore meeting the babydoll sheep and roaming ducks and chickens.
Situated deep in dairy farming country, Keayang Maar is a family-run vineyard overlooking a dormant volcanic crater. Come for the bucolic views, stay for the gorgeous cool climate wines. The cellar door is open Wednesday to Sunday for wine tasting and pizzas. If you’re lucky you might even catch a gig. Keayang Maar is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans trail. If you have time, take a delicious detour to the other foodie hotspots on the map.
This micro-winery has mastered the art of winemaking and so much more. Suffoir is a family-owned and run boutique winery, brewery, cidery and distillery near Budj Bim National Park. All their drops are produced on-site in small quantities, so every visit can be different. Head to the cellar door for a tasting and a cheese board. It’s sipper’s choice here, will it be a wine tasting, craft beer selection or a gin paddle?
The lush rainforest climate of the Otways offers the perfect conditions for grape growing, and those views are pretty spectacular too. This one is another crowd-pleaser with a winery, brewery, cidery and distillery onsite. Otway Estate swings open its cellar door on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tour the vineyard and taste the handcrafted wines. Got someone in tow who prefers a pale ale? Otway Estate is also home to Prickly Moses Brewery.
Back on the Otway Harvest Trail, we’re landing in the romantic gardens of Yeowarra Hill. The beautifully manicured gardens overlook the rolling hills, lake and vines, with views all the way to the Otway Ranges. Yeowarra Hill is open by appointment only, but it’s worth planning ahead for an intimate tasting of their small batch pinot noir, chardonnay and vintage cuvee.
In the foothills of the Otways, this Deans Marsh winery is doing magical things with pinot noir. Visit the cellar door on weekends November through June to try it for yourself. The grapes are hand pruned and picked, and wines are made with minimal intervention. In addition to the pinot, you can also sample a “Champagne style” sparkling wine from their pinot grapes and a rose.
You don’t have to go to a winery to sample the region’s best wines. Just drop into Tastes of the Region. This Apollo Bay tasting room and bottle shop does what it says on the tin, with tastings of all the best local drops. Load up on local jam, chutney and honey to take home, alongside a few bottles of course!
Ready to taste your way through the wines of the Great Ocean Road? Ensure you drink responsibly and have a designated driver. Cheers!
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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
