5 Best Bellarine Winery Tours: A Local’s Guide (2024)

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By Audrey Chalmers

Are you looking for the best Bellarine winery tours?

We can help you with that! As locals, we’ve spent a fair amount of time visiting the Bellarine wineries, and we’re here to help you enjoy them too.

Taking one of the organised Bellarine winery tours is the best way to experience the wineries.

You won’t have to worry about how to get to the Bellarine Peninsula wineries, for a start. And let’s face it, you’ll have much more fun when you can sample as many ​​Bellarine wines as you like, without risking an accident or losing your driving licence! 

Some of the best tours aren’t limited to Bellarine wineries. You can also visit a craft brewery or a cider maker or distillery.

It’s not only about Bellarine wine, cider, gin, or beer, either, as selected top day trips can include a slap-up lunch at a vineyard restaurant too.

One tour even ensures you’ll arrive in style, after enjoying a bird’s eye view over the region. 

If visiting a Bellarine Peninsula winery is on your must-do list for Victoria, then the following list of the top five tours is essential reading!

Here are the best Bellarine winery tours to take from Melbourne.

5 Of The Best Bellarine Winery Tours

1) Bellarine Peninsula Small Group Wine Tour With 2 Course Lunch

Duration: 8 hours

Food and drinks included: 2 course lunch with a glass of wine

Kicking off this list of winery tours on the Bellarine Peninsula, this full-day tour will take you to all the best boutique wineries in the area.

In total you’ll stop at four or five wineries during the course of the day. And because you don’t need to worry about driving, you can sample as much as you like at each. 

It’s not only about the wine, though. As your driver takes you from one place to the next, you can admire the stunning landscapes of the peninsula. You can also take in breathtaking views of the ocean. 

A mouthwatering two-course lunch is also included with this Bellarine Peninsula winery tour, showcasing the fact that this region produces really good food as well as fine wine.

A glass of local wine is served with your meal. 

This is a small group tour, so the itinerary can easily be adjusted to suit where everyone wants to go. The maximum number of guests is seven, and pick-up from any hotel in central Melbourne is included.

Check Prices and Availability Here

You’ll set off at 9 a.m, so you don’t have to get out of bed too early!

There’s a wide range of wines to sample that are made from the grape varieties grown in this region.

The unique microclimates mean that wines from this area are quite unlike anything from other parts of Australia, and there are red, white, rose, and sparkling wines to please every palate. 

Your guide will explain the local vintages to you throughout the day, and keep you entertained at the same time. 

What past guests have said:

Highly recommend. Our tour guide was knowledgeable, wineries lovely, and lunch superb. A great day was had – elysebrasher

Read more reviews

Summary

This eight-hour tour of boutique Bellarine wineries includes a two-course lunch with wine, and you’ll enjoy breathtaking views while touring four or five different vineyards. 

🍷Book this Small Group Wine Tour with 2-Course Lunch Here!

🍷Book this Small Group Tour with 2-Course Lunch Here!

2) Bellarine Food and Wine Taste Trail

Duration: 9 hours

Food and drinks included: Lunch and alcoholic drinks

Why stick to wine tours of the Bellarine Peninsula when you could taste it all?

The Bellarine Food and Wine Taste Trail Tour is about more than just wine. With this trip, you’ll also learn all about the area’s brewing, distilling and foodie scenes, as well as sampling a range of local products.

This is the ideal tour for those who also like beer, cider, and spirits – or when the two or more of you travelling have different preferences. 

In addition to lunch, the trip includes alcoholic drinks, and there’s no need to worry about driving around after sampling the best local vintages, as air-conditioned transport is included.

You’ll set off from central Melbourne at around 8 a.m, and there’s a choice of four pick-up locations. Drop-off later in the day should be between 5.30 and 6 p.m approximately, leaving you time to fulfil any evening plans. 

Check Prices and Availability Here.

Once you’ve left Melbourne, your first destination is the Geelong waterfront, where you can take a stroll along the esplanade to start your day on the right foot.

Next up is Scotchmans Hill Winery and Cellar Door, where you can sample the wines within a historic French-style barn house tucked away among the grapevines. 

Jack Rabbit Vineyard is the second winery you’ll visit, and you’ll also stop for lunch here.

It’s not a bad idea to line your stomach before the next stop, which is the Queenscliff Brewhouse. Here you can try a selection of beers, ciders and wines, including top drops from the Bellarine, Otway and Moorabool regions.

The last stop will no doubt be the favourite among fans of apple-based beverages.

The Flying Brick Cider Co will provide you with a tasting paddle to enjoy on the spacious lawns, and you can also sample some craft beers and even fair trade coffee here too. 

What Past Guests Have Said:

…Great fun, great wine and an exceptional tour guide in Matt – Lynette

Read more reviews

Summary

This tour showcases beer and cider produced in the area as well as the wine. It includes a yummy lunch, plus a range of alcoholic drinks. 

🍷Book the Bellarine Food and Wine Taste Trail Here!

🍷Book the Bellarine Food and Wine Taste Trail Here!

3) Around The Bay Food and Wine Taste Trail

Duration: 10 hours

Food and drinks included: Lunch and alcoholic drinks

This tour of the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas showcases all the best that wine making country in Victoria has to offer.

You’ll have 10 hours to tour the region’s wineries, breweries and food producers, so you’ll taste local food as well as sample the area’s finest wines and beers. 

The day trip also includes a boat cruise on Port Phillip Bay, and you’ll also see the famous bathing boxes of the Mornington Peninsula.

These colourful huts lining the beaches of the bay are an iconic sight, and of course, you can capture some Instagram-worthy photos as a memento of your trip!

Lunch at a restaurant at one of the vineyards you’ll visit is included with this tour, and tastings at the breweries and winemakers are also covered.

In all, you’ll call at two wineries, a vineyard restaurant and a brewery during the day. 

Check Prices and Availability Here.

If you’re visiting in summer, then you’ll be glad to know you’ll travel by air conditioned vehicle so you can beat the heat.

Several central Melbourne pick-up and drop-off locations are offered, and you’ll make a start at around 8 a.m, arriving back in Melbourne between 6 and 6.30 p.m.

Like the Bellarine food and wine taste trail tour detailed above, the first stop of the day is at Geelong waterfront, so you can enjoy some fresh sea air before heading to Scotchmans Hill Winery and Cellar Door.

Your lunch break is taken at Jack Rabbit Vineyard, and then in the afternoon you’ll also tuck into a Devonshire tea while taking a cruise on Port Phillip Bay. 

One of the afternoon stops is at St Andrews Beach Brewery, which once upon a time was a horse training centre. Now it’s a craft brewery, and you can experience a paddle tasting at the cellar door. 

Last up are stops at Murrays Lookout at Arthur’s Seat, and the aforementioned bathing boxes the peninsula is famous for.

Not many Bellarine Peninsula winery tours include these sights on the itinerary!

What Past Guests Have Said:

Our tour guide Kyle was very friendly and extremely informative. We had sufficient time at our stops and took in some spectacular scenery – Leann_S

Read more reviews

Summary

Taking in a brewery, wineries, Murrays Lookout and the bathing boxes of the Mornington Peninsula, this tour showcases the very best of the region.

🍷Book the Around The Bay Food And Wine Taste Trail Here!

🍷Book the Around The Bay Food And Wine Taste Trail Here!

4) Wine Tasting and House Made Bellarine Estate Charcuterie Platter

Duration: 1 hour

Food and drinks included: Wine or gin plus a charcuterie platter

Whether you’re short of time for taking full-day Bellarine Peninsula wine tours or would love to experience the local food and drink in another way, this wine tasting and charcuterie platter experience is ideal.

It includes wine or gin, so you can pick according to your preference. The charcuterie platter can also be tailored to suit special dietary requirements. 

The winery you’ll visit is owned and run by a local family, and their Pinot Noir varieties are especially impressive.

During the experience you can learn from the experts about wine production in the New World, as well as tasting wine or gin and local produce. 

This Bellarine Peninsula wine tour is a more personal experience than the average day trip and is perfect for those who’d like to engage with local producers.

Check Prices and Availability Here.

A standard charcuterie platter comprises cheeses, cured and smoked meats, olives and freshly baked bread, and the selection has been chosen to complement the Bellarine Estate wine.

You can opt for the wine tasting which includes half a dozen different vintages, or instead plump for sampling some Thirty Acres Distillery gin. With the wine option, three red wines and three whites are supplied. 

Only up to two of you can book this experience, so it’s ideal for couples. As well as anyone who wants to try the fine wines, gin and food of the Bellarine Peninsula. 

Summary

Choose between Bellarine Estate wines and Thirty Acres Distillery gin, accompanied by a charcuterie platter, to savour during this personal tasting experience. 

🍷Book this Charcuterie Platter & Wine Tasting Here!

🍷Book this Charcuterie Platter & Wine Tasting Here!

5) Private Helicopter Lunch at Jack Rabbit on the Bellarine

Duration: 4 hours

Food and drinks included: Three course lunch and alcoholic drinks

If you like to travel in style, then you’ll love this luxury experience that takes place on the Bellarine Peninsula.

With panoramic views, it commences with a helicopter ride from central Melbourne. You’ll also enjoy lunch served in fine dining style, plus sampling some award-winning wines.

Yep, we’ve saved the best of the Bellarine wine tours till last!

The Jack Rabbit Restaurant at the vineyard is the setting for your three-course feast.

This is a fine dining experience that includes dishes such as confit duck or smoked loin of kangaroo, sweetcorn fondant and a warm ginger and pear cake made with quinoa.

Gluten-free and vegan alternatives are also available. 

Jack Rabbit’s best wine varieties to try include Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc for white wine fans.

Their Cabernet Shiraz is favoured by those who prefer red, and the company also produces some delicious rose wines. 

There are incredible views from the Jack Rabbit Vineyard, and of course, unparalleled panoramas from the air as you travel between central Melbourne and the winery.

Check Prices and Availability Here.

En route you can see the Docklands area of the city, You Yangs National Park and Geelong.

This experience isn’t cheap, but it’s unforgettable and undoubtedly the best possible way to sample the area’s unique cool climate wines.

Alcoholic drinks are included as well as the three-course lunch, and you’ll even be supplied with premium Bose headphones to cancel out the helicopter noise. 

The price varies according to the size of the group, so if you can get a few people together then the cost per head becomes a lot more affordable. 

Summary

A once-in-a-lifetime experience including a three course fine dining lunch, cool climate wines and a private, scenic helicopter flight from central Melbourne.

🍷🚁Book This Private Helicopter & Lunch At Jack Rabbit Winery!

🍷🚁Book this Private Helicopter & Lunch At Jack Rabbit Winery!

Why You Need a Bellarine Peninsula Winery Tour

The Bellarine Peninsula is a beautiful place to visit in Victoria. With its stunning scenery, world-class wines, and interesting history, The Bellarine is a must-visit for any wine lover.

A Bellarine winery tour is the perfect way to relax and escape from the daily grind. Not to mention it’s a great way to learn about wine and wine making.

The best way to learn about wine is in its natural setting, and the Bellarine Peninsula is the perfect place to do so.

Trying to decide which is the best winery to visit can be overwhelming, and often involves endless scrolling on Google. And if you’d like to visit more than one, you have to worry about transport and who will be the designated driver.

With a local wine tour, all of those problems disappear. You’ll be able to visit several wineries in one day, sample as much wine as you’d like, and have someone else worry about getting you home safely.

Also, they even come with mouthwatering food and detailed information about the vineyards and wine.

So you’ll feel like you’ve had your own personal sommelier, rather than just sipping wines you have no clue about.

Tips To Make The Most Of A Wine Tour

• Eat beforehand to lessen the effects of the alcohol.
• Drink lots of water too.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your guide is there to provide information and help you learn about wine.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Bring a jumper or light jacket – the peninsula weather is changeable.
• If you’re going to buy bottles of wine, have a plan. Think about your preferences and the logistics of getting it home or abroad.
• Be considerate of other tour members. They want to have a good time too.
• Don’t drive for the rest of the day. In Victoria, fully licensed drivers must drive with a blood alcohol concentration below 0.05.
• Have fun! A wine tour is a great way to relax and explore the Bellarine Peninsula’s award-winning wineries.

Final Word

So which of these winery tours on the Bellarine Peninsula appeals to you most?

Whether you splash out so you can arrive by helicopter or stick to a great value group trip, taking at least one Bellarine wine tour belongs on everyone’s Victoria bucket list.

From affordable group winery tours to ​​luxury winery tours when you really want to spoil yourself, the best Bellarine wineries await.

Which will produce your new favourite wine, we wonder? 

Book your Bellarine winery tour today! ⬇️

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