Your guide to one of Yarra Valley’s most-awarded wineries

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Oakridge is a must-stop in the Yarra Valley for award-winning wine and food, not to mention epic views.

Just one hour from Melbourne lies one of Australia’s premier wine-growing regions, and one of Australia’s most award-winning wineries. As one of Victoria’s best days out, Oakridge winery offers incredible wine tasting, high-end vineyard tours, and award-winning dining with some of the best views of the peaceful rolling hills around Coldstream.

Book a table, take a masterclass or simply visit the cellar door with friends to discover the Yarra Valley’s premier winery experience: Oakridge.

Oakridge entrance
Let the red entrance call you inside.

Oakridge cellar door

An architecturally striking, bright red entrance breaks up the surrounding greenery and invites travellers inside for the opportunity to discover why Oakridge’s wines have earned so many accolades.

A member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA), Oakridge has won hundreds of wine awards. Most notably, it’s rated number one on Halliday’s Top 100 wineries list for 2023, and was named Real Review’s Winery of the Year 2023. In 2017, Chief Winemaker David Bicknell was named Gourmet Traveller’s Winemaker of the Year, and in 2022, it was named Champion Victorian Winery at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards. It also won best value winery at the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Awards.

Oakridge wine barrels
Get a taste of Oakridge’s award-winning wine.

A visit to the cellar door is a chance to get to know these wines. A great experience to share with friends, Oakridge offers four distinct tasting experiences all led by friendly and knowledgeable staff, keen to share their passion with newcomers and wine connoisseurs alike.

Try the Oakridge Experience for a casual 30-minute tasting of five wines from across the Oakridge portfolio. Bookings are encouraged but not essential. Those with a little more time can try the 45-minute Top Rated Vineyard Series, sharing a taste of the current release 2022 Vineyard Series – from chardonnay to pinot noir.

Or, kick things up a notch with Oakridge’s two masterclass options: one focused on Oakridge’s award-winning Chardonnay, the other on the 864 Single Block range. Not to be missed, the latter features a tasting of the full portfolio of this range, which are selected for their age and maturity and produced from a single vineyard.

Oakridge wine tasting experience
Be introduced to the range by knowledgeable staff.

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Arrive in style

For a truly unforgettable luxury adventure, take a helicopter from Melbourne on Oakridge Wine’s  Extraordinary Yarra Valley Experience.

Flying into the Yarra Valley offers a different perspective of the wine-growing region. Enjoy a birds-eye view of the Great Dividing Range’s enormous scale and the geological forces that shaped the valley, all dominated by neat lines of vineyards the region is famous for.

Oakridge itself is part of the Yarra Ranges Ribbons of Green program, and flying in from above offers a chance to see how native plants have been used to restore biodiversity to the site.

Oakridge kitchen garden
Join a tour of the kitchen garden.

When the rotors have stopped turning, take a personal tour with the chef of Oakridge’s aforementioned kitchen garden, before touring the vineyards to learn about the unique terroir of Yarra Valley, the sustainable methods used to grow the grapes, and finally, the wine-making process.

Later, head inside to private tasting rooms for a masterclass of your choice. Afterwards, guests can settle into a long lunch with matching wines and a stellar view. Finally, when it’s time to depart, take home an included twin pack of your favourite wines.

Oakridge dining on the terrace
Settle into a long lunch with matching wines.

The details

Oakridge Wines is located at 864 Maroondah Highway in Coldstream, around an hour’s drive from Melbourne. Parking is available onsite; Hop It, Yarra Valley A2B and Yarra Valley Transfers all provide transport options in the Yarra Valley.

Oakridge is open seven days a week. The Cellar Door is open from 10am to 5pm. Private functions and masterclasses by appointment, bookings recommended for tastings.

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Shaney Hudson
Shaney Hudson is an award-winning freelance writer based in Sydney, Australia. After five years living in Europe, she now loves jumping in the car to explore Australia with her young family. Most of all she loves to go where the wild things are.
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How to spend a tasty long weekend in Geelong and the Bellarine

    Lucy Cousins Lucy Cousins
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    From rust-coloured foliage and foodie experiences to stunning sunsets, this part of Victoria is best explored as the mild days of winter arrive.

    As the heat of the summer sun subsides and the milder days roll in, the stunning landscapes of Geelong and the Bellarine add pops of colour. The slight chill in the air will stir your taste buds and invite you to explore the peninsula’s foodie hotspots, while the vivid sunsets and cooler evenings will draw you to cosy fireside chats and evening adventures to watch the stars appear one at a time.

    Just over an hour from busy Flinders Street, or a short 25-minute drive from Avalon Airport, Geelong is Melbourne’s cooler, more laid-back cousin with a sparkling marina, stunning surf beaches, impressive museums and a lively foodie scene.

    federal mill geelong in autumn
    Winter is the perfect time to see local sights.

    It’s also the perfect starting point from which to explore the Bellarine Peninsula. Packed full of jaw-dropping scenery, inviting townships and over 40 cellar doors serving up local cool-weather wines, winter here is distinctly beautiful with its change of colours, temperatures and produce.

    Whether you drive or catch the short but incredibly scenic ferry from the Mornington Peninsula, it’s no surprise this region offers up one of Australia’s best long weekend destinations. Here’s how to soak it all up.

    Day 1: Explore Geelong with the locals

    Morning

    Start the day by grabbing breakfast and strong coffee from Pavilion Geelong (try the braised mushrooms on toast) while watching the gentle waves lapping the edge of Corio Bay. After brekkie, join the locals walking along the scenic Art Deco waterfront to explore the historic piers, beautiful beaches and gleaming white yachts in the marina.

    Pavilion Geelong in winter
    Start the day at Pavilion Geelong.

    Afternoon

    After a morning in the sun, venture to the recently refurbished Federal Mill precinct, a grand old woollen mill built in 1915. Explore the industrial history of this area, as well as the gourmet produce on offer, before pulling up a table at the popular Paddock Bakery. Famous for their wood-fired sourdough and tasty pastries, this cafe serves up tasty dishes like their Crème Brûlée doughnuts. Chase your lunch down with an afternoon of gin tasting at Anther Distillery.

    Paddock Bakery Crème Brûlée doughnut
    Try the Paddock Bakery Crème Brûlée doughnuts.

    Night

    For an evening of frivolity and decadence, head back to Geelong for dinner and a show at the newly reopened Geelong Arts Centre. Later, enjoy a mini Negroni with a scoop of Black Pearl Oscietra Gold caviar at the sleek Non Disclosure Bar.

    Day 2: A foodie-centric day in Moorabool Valley

    Morning

    Wake up with the soft winter sun and cooler temperatures, then travel to the lush farmlands and stunning landscapes of Moorabool Valley, the home of Meredith Farm Store. Choose a seat outside in the leafy courtyard and enjoy a tasting platter of fresh produce among the flowers.

    Afternoon

    To explore the area, visit the cellar door at the Moorabool Valley Wine Collective, which encompasses three award-winning winemakers, before stopping by Austin’s Wines for lunch. Not only can you taste over 10 local wines at the dedicated tastings bar, but you can also curate your own cheese platter to eat outside on their shaded deck.

    two people trying the wine at Austin's wines
    Stop by Austin’s Wines for lunch.

    Night

    Continue on your foodie quest with dinner in Newtown at the Asian fusion Two Noble restaurant, or, inside the same venue at Sawyers Arms Tavern, dive into the European flavours of Eileen’s Charcoal Grill on your way back to Geelong.

    table spread at two noble restaurant
    The chef’s hatted Two Noble restaurant is waiting.

    Day 3: Adventures in The Bellarine

    Morning

    For a light breakfast, head 20 minutes out of town to the rustic Ket Baker, an artisan bakery known for their 100% sourdough croissants. Grab a hot cuppa under the gum trees and enjoy the morning chill in the air. Then spend the morning on the foodie-focused Bellarine Taste Trail, visiting local producers like  Bellarine Smokehouse, Flying Brick Cider House and FarmDog Brewing.

    croissants at ket baker
    Enjoy a light breakfast at Ket Baker.

    Lunch

    There’s no better way to enjoy lunch than to make it from scratch. With Harvest Experience’s Pasta & Pinot cooking class, you’ll have a genuine farm-to-plate experience as you learn to make fettuccini and filled ravioli from scratch. Once cooked, sit down, relax and enjoy your hard work with a glass of Bellarine Peninsula pinot noir.

    Afternoon and night

    Burn off your lunch with an afternoon trip to the bayside town of Portarlington, where Australian blue mussels are harvested offshore. Stop by the quirky Ducks Nuts and peruse the trinkets and treasures before making your way to the restored Portarlington Grand Hotel. Built in 1888, this beautiful building now houses four distinct dining experiences, including the new open-air spaces of The Atrium and Lawn, where you can enjoy a local gin as the sun sets over the bay.

    waiter holding mussels at Portarlington Grand Hotel
    Be sure to try Portarlington mussels.

    Start planning your ultimate Geelong & The Bellarine adventure at visitgeelongbellarine.com.au.