Mornington Peninsula has long been a favourite foodie and coastal destination for Melburnians, Victorians, and tourists alike. Here's what to do and where to eat.
Food & Wine
Yal Yal Estate
Mornington Peninsula's best boutique wineries and cellar doors
Explore the best Mornington Peninsula wineries near Melbourne, known for cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay, and unforgettable wine tasting experiences.
The Mornington Peninsula is one of Australia's most distinctive cool-climate wine regions, shaped by sea breezes, volcanic soils, passionate growers and a commitment to small-batch winemaking.
While the region is well known for its elegant pinot noir and refined chardonnay and boasts around 60-odd wineries, its real charm lies in the boutique cellar doors scattered across the peninsula - each offering its own unique taste and winemaking philosophy.
Whether you're planning a relaxed day trip, a weekend of tasting or a longer stay at a local resort, here are the Mornington Peninsula's best boutique wineries and cellar doors.
Opening times for cellar doors are provided as a general guide; please refer to each winery’s website for the most up-to-date details.
Related reading: The best wineries and cellar doors in the Yarra Valley
Mornington Peninsula's best boutique wineries
Nazaraay Estate
266 Meakins Road, Flinders. Open 11am-4pm Saturday and Sunday
When winemaker Paramdeep Ghumman and his doctor wife Nirmal emigrated to Australia from India in 1981, they never imagined they'd end up owning their own winery on the Mornington Peninsula. So when they purchased 50ha of cattle farmland, it was the beginning of a wild new adventure.
Fast forward to today and Nazaraay Estate has a range of multi-award-winning wines served at some of Australia's best restaurant tables. Their single-vineyard wines are grown totally by hand following the traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques. Pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and syrah are the current plantings.
Nazaraay Estate's vibrant cellar door features two decks with panoramic rooms, vintage railway carriages and indoor rooms that seat up to 20 people. You can even pair your wine flights with Indian tasting plates. All proceeds from tastings are donated to the Tiger Water Life Project, a conservation organisation dedicated to saving Royal Bengal Tigers from extinction.
Quealy
62 Bittern-Dromana Rd, Balnarring. Open 10am-5pm daily.
When it comes to single-site pinot noir, pinot gris/grigio and rare Italian varietals, they don't get much better than at Quealy.
Kathleen Quealy and Kevin McCarthy helped shape the Peninsula's identity in the early days of regional winemaking. Now Quealy is directed by their son Tom McCarthy, who continues strictly organic winemaking across the estate's five vineyards: Home Vineyard, Campbell & Christine, Musk Creek, Tussie Mussie and Halarah.
Quealy's cellar door offers a marquee and tables under the sun to sit and enjoy the wines (and snacks like cheese plates or Mount Zero olives) with friends and family. Groups of seven or more are asked to book ahead.
Nazaraay Estate's cellar door features a vibrant outdoor area.
Ocean Eight
271 Tucks Rd, Shoreham. Open 12-5pm Friday and Sunday; 12-3pm Sundays; public holidays.
Ocean Eight was fathered by winemaker Mike Aylward, with Luke O'Connor as Head Viticulturist. 'Young Gun of Wine' Mike cut his winemaking teeth at his then family-owned Kooyong Estate and was mentored by Melbourne sommelier Grant van Every. His first solo release was a pinot gris immediately recognised as one of the best in Australia.
More than 21 years on, Ocean Eight has become one of the Mornington Peninsula's most respected wineries. Its cool-climate vineyards capture both volcanic soils and ocean breezes to produce wines of balance, depth and site expression.
Ocean Eight is worth a visit just to drive down the enchanting entrance framed by towering trees. The small, warehouse-style cellar door keeps the experience focused on the wine: ideal for visitors who prefer quiet tastings over crowds.
Avani
98 Stanleys Road, Red Hill South. Open 10am-5pm Thursday to Monday.
Avani, meaning 'mother earth' in Sanskrit, specialises in natural, minimal-intervention wines made without additives. If you enjoy biodynamic wines or small-scale artisanal producers, Avani is one of the Peninsula's most fascinating stops.
Established in 1998, Avani is run by Shashi Singh (who has a Masters in chemistry as well as a double-degree in viticulture and oenology) and now her son Rohit. The vineyard is biodynamically farmed and chemical and pesticide-free, specialising in premium cool-climate wines with minimal intervention.
The mud-brick cellar door and restaurant is rustic and peaceful, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the rolling vineyards. It's run by Shashi's daughter Retu, with an Indian-inspired menu created by Chef Deepak Mishra (ex-Executive Chef of The Hotel Windsor, The Langham, Fairmont Raffles). Seated wine tastings include five current-release wines, including the premium syrah, presented by expert vignerons. The cellar door is small, hosting a maximum of eight people at a time.
Elan Vineyard
17 Turners Rd, Balnarring. Open 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday (or by appointment).
Elan Vineyard in Balnarring is one of the Peninsula's quiet achievers: warm, family-operated, and known for well-made wines that reflect the land.
This small 2.5ha vineyard was planted in the early 1980s on a sloping Balnarring hillside. Elan's estate-grown wines are hand-crafted from grape varieties both classic and unusual. Dappled sunlight, limited interference and wild yeast combine to produce high grape quality.
For travellers who value old-fashioned hospitality and affordable boutique wines, Elan is a rewarding stop. Pop to the cellar door for a tasting, then sit and sip in the rotunda overlooking the vineyard while your kids run wild in the playground. Barbecue and picnic facilities are also available.
Phaedrus Estate
220 Mornington-Tyabb Rd, Moorooduc. Open 11am-5pm daily.
Established by Ewan Campbell and Maïtèna Zantvoort in 1998, Phaedrus Estate is a friendly, unpretentious cellar door that focuses on expressive wines made from estate-grown fruit.
Phaedrus Estate's range now includes pinot noir, pinot gris, shiraz, rosé, chardonnay, sparkling, fiano and fumé blanc.
Tastings often include experimental batches alongside their classic range, making it perfect for curious drinkers. Expect knowledgeable conversation and a relaxed tasting area ideal for unrushed visits. Wash it all down with a cheese platter.
Ocean Eight is one of the Mornington Peninsula's most respected wineries. Image: Visit Victoria
Yal Yal Estate
21 Yal Yal Rd, Merricks. Open 12-5pm Friday to Sunday. Bookings essential.
Yal Yal Estate, located near Merricks, is a true hidden gem. The picturesque winery overlooks 8ha of untouched bushland, offering one of the Peninsula's most tranquil tasting environments.
Liz and Simon Gillies launched the Yal Yal label in 2010, working with renowned winemaker Rollo Crittenden. They make single-estate chardonnay, rose and pinot noir from the 1997-established vineyards, and source fruit from carefully selected Peninsula vineyards for their pinot gris.
Open by appointment, Yal Yal Estate's cellar door offers an intimate wine tasting with premium Yal Yal wines and delicious food platters sourced from local producers.
Rahona Valley
3/48 Collins Rd, Dromana. Open 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday (closed Sundays during September).
If you love sparkling wine, Rahona Valley is an essential stop. Rahona Valley was originally a secluded vineyard in Red Hill South, purchased in 2014 by Toby Pieters and Dianne Gardiner. Their passion for premium sparkling wine led them to launch the Australian Cuvée Centre in Dromana: a a state-of-the-art winery dedicated to the art of sparkling wine.
Rahona Valley now produces over 10 unique sparkling wines, alongside a selection of cool climate table wines including pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonnay and syrah. It also supports other boutique wineries in producing their own sparkling wines.
Book or walk in to the Dromana tasting room and wine bar for a lovely wine tasting - perhaps paired with a cheese or grazing platter - on leather couches amid wine barrels or under umbrellas in the courtyard. Well-behaved dogs are welcome too!
Paradigm Hill
26 Merricks Rd, Merricks. Open 12-5pm Saturday and Sunday.
Ruth and George Mihaly gave up their careers in food and medical research for viticulture and winemaking after a paradigm shift. Now they own more than 4ha of north-facing, gently sloping vineyards.
Paradigm Hill has maintained a zero-carbon footprint since 2016 as the Mihalys are passionate about producing an environmentally sustainable vineyard with ecologically responsible practices. Their winemaking philosophy is minimal intervention, with maximum varietal character from their terroir. Their wines - pinot gris, pinot noir, shiraz, riesling - are estate-grown only.
Tastings take place in a stylish, architect-designed space overlooking immaculate vines, and are often guided by the winemakers themselves.
Yal Yal Estate offers intimate wine tastings in stunning surrounds.
Tallarida Vineyard
148 Browns Road, Boneo. Open 11.30am-5pm Friday to Monday.
Tallarida Vineyard is a boutique 10ha winery, established in the mid-1980s and still owned and operated by the Tallarida family. Originally purchased by Rocco Domenico Tallarida, it's now managed by his children and grandchildren.
It's known for producing benchmark and award-winning chardonnay thanks to the sandy, mineral-rich soil of its Boneo location. More recently, Tallarida Vineyard has moved into pinot noir, pinot grigio, merlot and cabernet.
Tallarida Vineyard's cellar door is a lovely, laid-back spot where you can ask questions and hear the story behind each wine while munching on cheese platters, olives or Chappy's chips. The cellar door also hosts an ongoing calendar of art exhibitions featuring exceptional Australian artists.
Abelli Estate
1052 Mornington-Flinders Road, Red Hill. Open 11.30am-5pm Thursday to Monday.
It's hard not to fall in love with the wines and their makers at Abelli Estate, an inviting boutique winery with stunning cool-climate wines.
Abelli Estate was previously a daffodil farm until it was purchased as a hobby farm, with vines planted in 1996. Its wines (pinot gris, chardonnay, pinot noir, rosé and moscato) are produced from the fruit grown at their Red Hill vineyard.
The cellar door offers a gorgeous Greek-inspired tapas menu ('Abelli' means 'vineyard' in Greek) full of fresh seafood, charcoal-cooked meats, fresh salad and more - all paired with Abelli Estate wines.
Stonier Wines
2 Thompsons Lane, Merricks. Open 11am-5pm Wednesday to Sunday (bookings by appointment on Monday and Tuesday).
For anyone exploring the Mornington Peninsula's winery origins, Stonier is essential. This vineyard was established in 1978, when founder Brian Stonier became one of the region's pioneer vignerons.
Since then, the winery has gone from strength to strength, achieving international acclaim for its classic pinot noir and chardonnay. Stonier helped to put the Mornington Peninsula on the fine-wine world stage. Sold by Stonier in 1999, three local families: Drummond, McLeod and Thickins, have since acquired the winery and vineyard in 2022.
A gravel path beneath a lush vine-swept arbour leads you to Stonier's intimate cellar door. Lovers of both classic, structured cool-climate wines and architecture will appreciate the striking cellar door, designed by renowned Melbourne architect Daryl Jackson. Tastings are hosted by knowledgeable staff, with a hightop bar, private tables, fireside lounges inside and picnic rugs and long tables outside. You can indulge in local produce and admire works by local artists too.
