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!

What else would you do in the country but drink wine? I…read moredon't know the answer to that but I do know this modern wine bar is the place you will spend most of your early afternoons in Daylesford if you have any leaning towards grapes. Ridiculously cheap produce platters full of cheese, paté and local oil and a glass of wine from their huge selection of sparkling, white, red, rose and more is a great way to start an evening. If you visit over the weekend then get there early as the spots available to sit are fairly limited. The young ex-Melbourne couple that run the place are totally cool and make me want to leave "city life" and resign in the hills to do the same. Their knowledge of every product (from food to wine and gifts) they have in store is spectacular, and you won't be able to walk out without buying something - they have a knack of conveying the passion of the producer to the consumer. I'm in the country and in love.

I love the name of Wine and the Country because it so accurately sums up what lays inside - wine,…read moreand bits of the country. When I say wine, I mean A LOT OF WINE. There must be well over 100 wines to choose, from all over Victoria, Australia and the world. On my most recent visit I indulged in (one too many) natural wines, which were absolutely outstanding. If you have no clue about wine (like me) the ridiculously helpful staff will help. Seriously, just tell them your favourites colours/flavours/price range and they'll pick something out for you to take home or drink in store - YES, it's a bar too! When I say country, I mean delicious, locally sourced produce from the nearby country-land - Daylesford and beyond. Cured meats, small goods and freshly baked breads - they'll make you a platter to accompany your wine likes nobodies business. If you went to Daylesford, you would honestly be a complete fool to not go to Wine and the Country.

Fine dining at its best. We were able to get a table but, suggest you book!!…read more I honestly wasn't sure when I first saw the menu but, that quickly all went away after the first bite of the eggplant chips with raw beef!!! You could tell the chips were made with care and precision. I was wanting to order another plate. The first of our mains was the 1/2 baby chicken which was a large cut for one. I tend to eat the items on my plate singularly (I'm weird) but, this dish forced you to combine and I simply loved it!! The balance is obviously the main strength. The second main was the duck. I have NEVER had cooked at this high standard and the quince dressing was perfect with it. We were full after all this but we wanted to continue eating because the food was so delicious. I loved the chilli pineapple (with a one-punch) and ice cream sandwich, and the house made apple sorbet was very fresh.

Very sweet interior with mixed pattern antique porcelain plates and cozy environment. My friend and…read moreI started with the fennel salad which was crisp and flavorful. I had a seared piece of barramundi in a crab broth with greens and coconut rice, so satisfying and the broth was spectacular. My friend had the lamb ribs which were well prepared, and a very large portion. The only thing that was a miss for us was her charred kale and purple sweet potato salad which had a dressing too sweet for our palates. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive, would highly recommend!!

Whilst appearing to be a small premium wine bottle shop, Seddon Wine Store is best experienced as a…read morecasual 'wine by the glass' meeting point. The venue, with seating at high tables of 4, is quiet and intimate which is refreshing after noisy restaurants and bars - conversation flows easily whilst your eyes wander over the wall of fine wine imagining all the possibilities. The knowledgeable advice is also a highlight as staff here really do know their product whether it's Presecco or Piedmont they're quick to offer valuable advice to help you with your selection. A delicious selection of cold tasting plates are also on offer. Cheeses, olives, pates, cold meats and white anchovies are presented skillfully to complement the wine. Give it a try!

It probably says something about the area, but the strip that Seddon Wine Store is located on…read morecontains 4 bottle shops. The others are those chain store everything-but-nothing kind of places with cask wine, a lot of beer and premade shooters. Seddon Wine Store is to alcohol what a gallery is to art. Basically, it's small but thoughtful. They cover a range of price points, but they don't have mainstream over-advertised hangovers in a bottle. The owner, Simon, is often in the store and knows his stuff. He's always available for a chat and to dish some advice but isn't a vino snob. Most pleasantly of all, Seddon Wine Store now has an itty bitty wine bar located inside. Just a few tables, but goodness knows they have a great wine list to choose from, and some fabulous little things to munch on (think wagyu salami and nuts and whatnot). The biggest problem I can think of in fact, is that Seddon Wine Store is located directly between my house and the newsagent.

Hey Hello everyone and welcome to your new favorite wine…read morestore... ! By god this place is great- it has a large stock of mainly excellent stock; being the majority is great stock without a lot of the so-so filler wines you get in most places. As they say, all killer no filler. Wine is mostly at the moderate to well price end- you can find most stock ranging between $20-40, and then of course you have your other higher and lower price brackets. What i can strongly suggest, after personal years in the hospitality trade, years of buying and tasting wine, is that you want to go with the aforementioned $20- $40 pricing range. Yes, you spent a little more money, but the qaulity is far superior, and of course, this will reflect in the product itself. You can knock someone's or even your own socks off with just about any bottle in this store as such, I would highly recommend some tight fitting socks! Pay attention all, this is wine, this is good wine, this is where it's at. Fresh, clean, spacious and modern layout, with products that excel. Not in the mood for wine? You will be! But if absconding from such excellent alcoholic grape products, they have here a great range of non-commercial (i can buy that anywhere) ciders, such as the Harcourt apple and pear ciders in that cute labels and packaging. Great boutique beers that you mostly can't find anywhere else; and again, this stuff is better drinking qaulity. Finally, Melbourne wine store is located in that cool little pocket, of St Kilda Road near Royce hotel, Cafe Vue and other rad businesses. This is on the outbound side, between Domain and Toorak roads, in that funny little patch of greatness, "the only part of st Kilda road that isn't daggy, dated, boring, run of the mill, nothing special, bland, boring, insipid and really crappy."

Ah love a good bottle shop…read more If the same-same rows of Sauvignon Blanc at the supermarket liquor store make you sigh and look elsewhere - this is where you should head as your alternative. The prices won't make you baulk either, we picked up some great bottles for under $20. If you're having dinner around the city, this isn't out of the way to pick up a great BYO option and save yourself a good $30 or so on the restaurant ticket price.

Great place and atmosphere. The staff are extremely friendly and very helpful. Wines were great…read morepartnered with some food

Lovely unassuming wine bar, with a great selection to take away, rotating menu of by-the-glass…read moreoptions, or a $10 per bottle levy to drink in. Chats with the friendly staff come free. The cheese and dips selections give you plenty of bang for your buck, and don't be afraid to inquire as to what cheese best matches your wine, as the staff will proudly tell you with a sly smile that they've tasted most wines they stock. Lucky staff. I'd say great pre-dinner drink spot, but to be honest it's just as easy to pop open a second bottle, grab more cheese, and just never leave...

This place has always intrigued me. It's tucked away in a mini stretch of stores right near a…read morecorner of a tight intersection of two busy roads, but due to the end of the tram line, for some reason, you couldn't be blamed for missing it. Anyway, I've noticed it before, and have wanted to try it for a while. Many reviews say the service is very friendly and food is great, but a bit overpriced. I can now give my own opinion on this. Yes, the service is good. The food all came out within good time, and the wait staff were friendly (though I don't love staff touching my back when they fill up my water or something. It's my personal space, and I don't love it though it happened several times during the course of the meal). One thing they do which surprisingly a lot of places don't, is they wait for all at the table to be finished with their meal before clearing away the plates. I like that. It's good service and polite and diners don't feel rushed. The entree was heaven. I ordered the fried buffalo mozzarella sandwich. It was light and cheesy and beautifully presented. Everyone else ordered different items, but they all loved what they got, and were also presented well. They were out of a couple of items, which I don't think is good for a restaurant of this caliber, but I guess these things happen. For main, I got the spinach and ricotta gnocchi in a four cheese sauce and WOW. It was so good. Soooo good. I don't really think they needed to even wash my plate, as it was completely mopped up by the time they came for it. Dessert, though not needed, was the chocolate mousse tart, raspberry compote and a spiced mascarpone. As you can see, it was beautifully presented and plated and I didn't want to really start into it. For my liking, the compote was a bit too tangy, but everything else was lovely. So ... value. Yes, it is a little pricey. It definitely is. But this isn't the kind of place you come to often on a casual night. It's more like a bit of a treat. I mean, I ordered a coke, and it came in a can, but one of the mini cans, and it was $4. The mains were maybe a bit high, but then again the quality is great. Overall, I really would recommend trying it here. There's a great selection of beautiful wines, and a good choice of meals on the menu. Parking isn't too hard, and there's beautiful ambience and a lovely interior design. I will come back again for a birthday or something for sure.

My first time dining at Riserva and it was an amazing night out. Great food, service and atmosphere…read moreI will definitely be back again very soon!

Having recently taken the plunge into the world of wine, I stumbled along this venue by lack and…read morehaven't ever been disappointed amazing service, great knowledge from the staff. I have visited here many times bring friends who have all waljed away raving. The reason i was initially hooked however, was being new to the industry i walked in not know where to look and found great advice here with no pretenious attitudes just very welcoming and most of all an endless selection of amazing wines. Constantly being introduced to some unique and amazing wines

Fantastic little wine bar , very friendly service , great wine selection and a great spot for an…read moreafterwork drink for locals who can walk home come the bar. Tastefully decorated and has a great feel to it.

Had a lovely afternoon there with friends. The guy working was very helpful and friendly…read more Loved it and will be back soon.

From the owner: We're a boutique bottle shop with a great range of smaller boutique wineries and craft beers…read more We also sell wine by the glass and beer on tap! Have in or take away.