This is one of the more notable wineries in Heathcote, because you can buy a meal here as well…read more That's a welcome rarity in this wine region, however its popularity - also attributable to its position on Heathcote's central strip - means what you'll experience here is far more mainstream and slick than a lot of the smaller, boutique wineries out of town. Don't expect to talk to any winemakers here. The selection of wines was average, tasting pours were tiny but in line with larger wineries, and the staff seemed knowledgable even if reading from a mental script. Their premium 'slaughterhouse' Shiraz was wonderful. We stopped off for a meal here as well, and picked up a lamb, and a chicken dish. Both were tasty, although the the rice with the chicken was undercooked and clustered into lumps. The dining room is located in a lovely space with exposed brickwork hosting local artwork you can buy off the wall, all in front of an open fire. I'd recommend this place for a meal, and not just because it's one of the very few places in the region in which you can sit down to eat. It's a great eatery in its own right. If you're sorted for food, pass this by when it comes to wine - there are lots of smaller, more welcoming wineries in the area.

Brilliant wines and excellent, knowledgeable staff members! Try the Mail Coach Shiraz!read more

Amazing Melbourne T had to be one of the high points of our 12 days in Australia then NZ; we spent…read morefive hours w/ Shelly and she turned it into the value of values for this beautiful city of Melbourne---the stops were the best; her love and depth of knowledge of the region and the city made it a day well spent and she is surely known to the many merchants, tourist highpoint stops and neighborhoods that she showed to us; it was an air conditioned roomy van and she began the morning by giving us the history of what we were about to see--if you want value and the chance to see just what you need to see for your time here--then this is the local to book and book now---my guess is she has got to be in demand and I can vouch for time and dollars very well spent/ so do it now/

From the owner: A great guide can make any place memorable. Shelley and Michelle offer interesting and entertaining…read moretours for visitors to Melbourne. All private, all personalised, all the time!

Home to the nicest wine I tasted on our wine tour (their 2008 Reserve Shiraz), Downing Estate's…read morecellar door is actually a literal cellar underneath the winemaker's home! It's custom built and feels a little cold and impersonal, as if you're loitering in someone's garage. It's difficult to imagine how this space could adequately cater to large groups. It was straight down to business on arrival, despite being only the second visitors of the day. Not a great deal was said about the wines, and information was - on the whole - only offered up upon asking. Instead, we were left to read laminated information sheets, which didn't lend to a personable feel. I guess not all winemakers are schmoozers. The wines themselves are mixed. I tasted my first sparkling Shiraz (let's just say that's not on my shopping list) and an unusually tasty Merlot - don't pass that up. The jewel here though is that 2008. It's sensational and I regret I could only afford one bottle. Pop in if you have time.

Yes, the wine is fantastic, but dog fans take note that the super-friendly border-collie Max will…read moretry (and succeed!) to pull your attention away from your tasting. Be prepared to taste in one hand and throw him a ball with the other and all will be well!

Curated wine tasting! We visited the Heathcote Wine Hub at…read moretheir new location in a converted chapel and had a really enjoyable wine tasting. We spent almost 2 hours there and tasted 10 local wines selected by Toby after discussing our preferences and tastes. This is a great way to taste the best of the local wines without driving all over the region! He makes a really good coffee too!!

I was sceptical of this place when we drove into Heathcote town on a whim the other weekend. The…read morelady at the tourist office pointed us in this direction, saying they housed *all* the wines from the whole area, but we figured this would be for drive-by tourists and we'd prefer to visit some cellar doors, so off we went, and a lovely time was had. On the way back though we had a little bit of time before the Wine Hub shut up shop, so we popped in to give it a try. Very impressive wine store indeed. They had 24 wines on free tasting (!!) and the wine guy there took us through all of them letting us know a bit about the wineries behind them. Instead of being an alternative to visiting cellar doors, it really compliments it, and we found we now have a list of cellar doors we must visit next time. Needless to say our car was a little heavier on the drive home than up!