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!

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

The obligatory cafe at a winery, that produces very nice Heathcote region reds and some whites as…read morewell. The cafe has a variety of high quality choices and uses a number of locally grown produce including some of their own. I recommend that you try the semi-dried olives made themselves. I had never come across these before and I had a second helping; they were that good. The owners and staff are friendly and relaxed and makes for a nice drive in the country.

I'm really split on this place because it was beautiful but with a couple of glitches. The food was…read morereally tasty and the cellar door women Georgie down to earth . As soon we sat down they offered us bread , which we later realised wasn't complimentary; we thought that was a bit cheeky. The lamb shank was great, but we had to send back the sticky date because it was cold, which seemed a bit dodge. Overall good although the discount advertised for staying in their motel didn't get applied.

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!

This is how wine tours should be done…read more We were picked up from our accommodation by Joe, our super friendly driver and host who's set up base in the heart of the region. Joe's not just a chauffeur, he's made it his business to get to know winemakers in the region on a personal level and proved a wealth of knowledge about who's who, and where's best to go. Heathcote is what the Yarra Valley was 20 years ago. It's a renowned wine region, especially for Shiraz, but it's not properly geared up for tourists just yet, so a knowledgable guide is indispensable. This tour will tend to avoid the lager, more corporate wineries, in preference for smaller boutique venues, where winemakers are often on hand to talk through their product and production methods. This was exactly what I was hoping for - if I can buy it at Dan Murphy's, I'm not interested when I'm on a tour. It's the littler places you'll only fine when here that have my attention, and Joe's too. That's why this kind of tour genuinely supports the local industry. We opted for the day tour, consisting of 4-5 wineries and a lunch. There's also a shorter version where you'll be whisked to 2-3 wineries over the course of a morning or afternoon. Go for the day, if you can. It's well sort it. Joe was relaxed, friendly and talkative in a good way. He was happy to accommodate a stop for coffee first thing, and adjust his plans depending on what kind of venue we fancied visiting or wine we felt like tasting. His suggestions were spot on. We benefited from being the only couple on the tour, but I can imagine a great time being had even if the small van was full. Totally recommended to all.