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Looking for the best Daylesford wineries? Fantastic! You’re in the right place.
Below, you’ll find our complete Daylesford winery guide, so you can relax at the best wineries in the Daylesford region.
This handpicked collection of Daylesford wineries includes cellar doors open daily or on weekends.
Some have on-site dining options, including picnic areas and sharing platters as well as restaurants.
Taking an organised tour is the ideal way to explore the region’s vineyards.
Our favourite tour not only introduces you to the wineries but also includes, lunch and visits to popular local attractions, all without the hassle of driving!
Click here to check out Daylesford Wineries Tours now.
Ready to discover the best wineries in Daylesford? Let’s get to it!
Best Daylesford Wineries
Rolling vineyards, restaurants with a view, and of course sampling rich reds, crisp whites and top-notch fizz.
It’s no wonder visiting wineries in Daylesford is among the most popular Daylesford things to do!
If you want to find a winery in Daylesford, read on to discover the best in town – as well as a couple you can find conveniently close by!
1) Passing Clouds Winery
This popular Daylesford winery is home to the recently upgraded Passing Clouds Dining Room. So you can dine here, as well as tasting and buying Passing Clouds wines.
With a heritage dating back to 1974, the winery is located in the lovely village of Musk, just outside Daylesford.
Passing Clouds produces delicious red, white, and rosé wines. Grape varieties used include shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and chardonnay.
If you like rich, fruity, spicy reds you’ll love it here, as there are around six versions of Shiraz available at any one time.
The cellar door at Passing Clouds is open between Thursday and Monday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Tastings may be booked on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, too, but only by appointment. If you’re visiting as a group of six or more, you’ll need to arrange this in advance, too.
You’ll also have to book a table if you want to dine at the restaurant. This opens at midday on Fridays, weekends and Mondays. A fixed La Famiglia menu applies daily, and this comprises three courses made from fresh, local produce.
A half-ton charcoal fire pit is the main focus, with mains centred on meat. Vegetarian alternatives are available with 24 hours’ notice.
Sharing starters and a sweet treat to finish, complete the meal – all washed down with Passing Clouds wines, of course!
Where: 30 Roddas Lane, Musk 3461
When: Thursday to Monday, 10 am to 4 pm
Phone: (03) 5348 5550
2) Captains Creek Winery
If you’re visiting Hepburn Springs and Daylesford at the weekend, you can sample delicious Captains Creek organic wines at their vineyard in Blampied on Saturdays and Sundays.
The 80-hectare farm at the base of the Kangaroo Hills was first purchased by the family who still own it in 1909, and switched to organic farming during the 1980s.
After cultivating a broad range of crops at Captains Creek, the family added a cellar door in 2006.
Packed with character and charm, it’s housed in a historic farm worker’s hut with a shingle roof and the original fireplace. The accompanying tasting room was also built using cypress milled onsite.
In 2009, a small kitchen was added, so now visitors can also savour yummy, simple lunches served along with their drinks.
The Captains Creek Tasting Plate, for example, includes marinated farm vegetables, cured meats, homemade dips, sourdough and even Captains Creek olives.
Lunch is available between midday and 4 pm on weekends. Regardless of whether you choose to eat or not, you can pick up local cheeses and other produce to take away, too.
The range of organic Captains Creek wines includes pinot noir and chardonnay varietals, as well as sparkling red and white wines.
Captains Creek also offers cider made from its own apples, so there’s something here for those who aren’t keen on grape-based drinks too.
Interestingly, one of the ciders is crafted using the traditional champagne method.
Where: 120 Kangaroo Hills Road, Blampied 3364
When: Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm
Phone: (03) 5345 7408
3) Sailors Falls Estate
Sailors Falls is surely the best of the wineries near Daylesford for those who want to stay over in the region. It’s all about “villas and vines” here, combining luxury accommodation with boutique-style, cool-climate wines.
As one of Australia’s coldest vineyards, Sailors Falls produces wines from grapes grown 620 metres above sea level.
The varieties used include pinot gris, gamay, Gewürztraminer, pinot noir, and chardonnay. Grapes are still harvested by hand at this family-run vineyard, and the range includes sparkling white and rosé wines.
The Sailors Falls Estate comprises a couple of villas, backed by the Wombat State Forest, which is crisscrossed by walking tracks. It can be booked for up to ten people, or as two separate units.
Both have two bedrooms, a wood burner, a spa bathroom, and spacious living accommodation including a full kitchen. There is also a studio apartment for two upstairs, also housed within the same Italian-style building.
Sailors Falls is named for the tumbling waterfalls close by. As well as these and the forest, visitors are welcome to enjoy the grounds, which have a wood-fired oven perfect for pizza as well as a barbecue.
Sailors Falls Estate is only five minutes by car from Daylesford.
Where: 1073 Telegraph Road, Sailors Falls 3461
When: Weekends and public holidays, 11 am to 5 pm
Phone: (0431) 689 692
4) Attwoods Winery
You can sample Attwoods wines at their cellar door in Glenlyon, close to Daylesford. The vineyard also has a restaurant, Le Bouchon, and specialises in cool climate wines, chiefly, those made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.
Attwoods wine has now been produced here for two decades, and you can visit the cellar door on Fridays and Saturdays as well as weekends.
A kitchen garden is also located here to provide food for the restaurant, and the outdoor deck and gardens overlook both this and the vineyard.
There is a small charge for tastings here, or for a more full-on experience, you can book a two-hour guided tour between Friday and Monday.
This includes exclusive entry to the barrel room, rare wine tastings, and grazing platters loaded with cured meats and French cheeses. These sharing platters can also be ordered by casual visitors not taking the tour.
Alternatively, book lunch at Le Bouchon for a real French-inspired feast. Dishes are prepared using fresh, local produce, and are of course complemented by Attwoods European-style wines.
Lunch menus consist of three or four courses, or you can opt for a more relaxed steak frites single course on a Monday or Friday.
Johnny Alloo in Ballarat also hosts Le Bouchon once per month, as a pop-up dinner. This is priced the same as the main restaurant but is hosted at this beautiful heritage venue in Ballarat.
Where: 260 Green Gully Road, Glenlyon 3461
When: Mondays and Fridays, 12 pm to 4 pm; Saturdays 11 am to 5 pm, Sundays 11 am to 4 pm
Phone: (0493) 081 712
5) Red Hare Winery
Another of the best wineries in Daylesford to add to your hit-list is the Red Hare estate vineyard. Also in the Glenlyon area, it’s close to Attwoods, as well as Daylesford, Trentham, Malmsbury and Kyneton.
If you want to sample some prosecco during your Daylesford wine tour, this is the place to come. The estate produces its own Italian-style fizz, alongside wines made from pinot grigio, riesling, pinot noir, sangiovese, pinot gris, and shiraz.
The Italian-style wines produced at Red Hare are made from cool climate grapes grown in small quantities to ensure top quality.
You can sample these at the cellar door, and if you like you can book a picnic rug with bean bag seating, a table for up to seven, or a barrel for two to four people.
If the weather is kind (we’re keeping our fingers crossed), you can enjoy your picnic up by the grapevines. Both barrels and tables can be booked indoors or out.
Food options include marinated olives, sardines with Turkish bread, and cheese or charcuterie platters with accompaniments.
Tempting though the summer weather is, never be put off visiting Red Hare in winter, as you can snuggle up by the fire with a warming glass of red during the colder months.
Where: 1225 Daylesford-Malmsbury Road, Denver 3461
When: Mondays, 9 am to 5 pm
Phone: (0499) 607 603
6) Wombat Forest Vineyard
Wombat Forest Winery focuses on quality, rather than quantity. This boutique vineyard can be found in Denver, conveniently close to Red Hare and Attwoods, and a 15-minute drive from Daylesford.
It’s open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, between 11 am and 5 pm.
As the name suggests, the vineyard borders Wombat State Forest, and there are soothing woodland views from the courtyard and cellar door.
The owners are committed to sustainable practices and are also passionate about the area they live and work in.
Wombats of course are part of the local ecosystem, and the cool climate that suits the creatures is also conducive to producing refined cool climate wines.
French oak barrels combined with an extended ripening period ensures rich, fruity wines. Wombat Forest whites are made from chardonnay and pinot gris, while reds are crafted using cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir.
It’s all about stunning views, genuine country hospitality and delicious, elegant wines at Wombat Forest Vineyard.
Seasonal platters can also be enjoyed while sipping fine wine by the fire during winter, or savouring a glass or two in the open air in summer.
Where: 189 Springhill Road, Denver 3461
When: Friday to Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm
Phone: (0427) 239 334
7) Zig Zag Road Winery
Zig Zag Road Winery also produces wines reflecting the hot days and cool nights of the Macedon Ranges.
The 50-year-old grapevines here are over 500 metres above sea level and the volcanic soil results in wines with good minerality.
Syrah, pinot noir, and riesling are used to make high quality wines at Zig Zag Road. The owners also run a winery in the south of France, so they can draw on their knowledge of old and new world wine-making.
Zig Zag Road Winery is very much part of the local community. Visitors from the local area and elsewhere are warmly welcomed at the cellar door between Friday and Sunday.
Expect contemporary, fresh, medium-bodied wines which fully express the natural fruit flavours.
A partnership with Daylesford Picnic Boxes means you can savour a delicious picnic at the vineyard, dining al fresco on the deck or the lawn.
Each box is packed to the brim with locally produced food, plus non-alcoholic drinks where selected.
Order ahead and you can reserve both a box of goodies and a table if required.
Zig Zag Road can even accommodate a couple or solo traveller in their on-site converted train carriage. This is an original Melbourne red rattler from the 1950s, now all decked out in fresh white to provide a comfortable place to stay.
Where: 201 Zig Zag Road, Drummond North 3446
When: Friday to Sunday, 12 pm to 5 pm
Phone: (0478) 181 214
8) Winespeake Cellar + Deli
If you’re interested in foodie Daylesford attractions as well as wine, Winespeake could be the store for you. Incorporating a deli, the shop also offers one of the largest ranges of wine in the region.
You can buy orange, sweet, and fortified wines here, plus spirits, as well as the usual red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines.
Winespeake Cellar + Deli began life as Wine and the Country in 2013, based on the owner’s family vineyard, Eastern Peake. Dos Deli was added, next door, in 2020.
Since then the businesses have come together under one roof at new premises on iconic Vincent Street. And it’s now the Daylesford shopping destination for lovers of wine, cheese, and other drinks and deli products.
Everything sold in this beautiful, light-filled building is carefully sourced, showcasing produce from the region and beyond.
As Winespeake Cellar + Deli sells food and drink from a range of suppliers, what stands out is the sheer amount of choice.
A range of unusual liqueurs and spirits is offered, alongside wines, including European products. There’s also a great selection of sparkling, orange, and rosé wine, plus various special releases.
Food-wise, Winespeake Cellar + Deli also offers a pleasing amount of choice. There are pickles, oils, truffles, sauces, fish, vinegar, crackers, French pantry products, and even sweet treats such as local honey and cuvee chocolate.
Whether you’re packing a picnic or craving something different, paying Winespeake Cellar + Deli a visit is a must! It’s open daily and located in central Daylesford.
Where: 4/26 Vincent Street, Daylesford 3460
When: Monday to Thursday, 12 pm to 9 pm; Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 9 pm; Sunday 10 am to 6.30 pm
Phone: (0480) 286 838
Best Wineries Near Daylesford
9) Hanging Rock Winery
One of the finest wineries around the Daylesford area can be found in Newham, which is around 40 minutes by car from town. This one’s open seven days between 10 am and 5 pm, so it’s ideal for an impromptu trip.
Try something new at the cellar door, or stock up on your favourites.
Hanging Rock sells some of the most affordable wines available from Daylesford vineyards. The range is also perfect for anyone seeking a bottle or two of bubbly, as there are options such as sparkling shiraz, brut rosé, sparkling moscato, and a picnic pinot noir chardonnay.
Despite the affordable prices, though, the winery has received numerous awards and accolades for the quality of its products.
When two Australian winemakers met during the 1970s, this eventually led to the establishment of Hanging Rock, via the Rosemount Estate and Tisdall’s wineries.
The couple, John and Ann, chose the Macedon Ranges for their vineyard due to the characteristic cool climate. The first Hanging Rock vines were planted in 1983.
You don’t need to book or pay for a wine tasting here, and you can order a cheese platter after arrival. There are picnic tables and a large lawn for dining outdoors, plus a cosy heated marquee in winter.
Visitors to Hanging Rock can also view the sculpture exhibition Art in the Vines, comprising a range of creations from local and Australian artists.
Tours are available for groups of eight or more, at a modest fee.
Where: 88 Jim Road, Newham 3442
When: Daily, 10 am to 5 pm
Phone: (03) 5427 0542
10) Mount Towrong Vineyard
This Macedon Ranges winery is located in the Mount Macedon area surrounded by beautiful bushland.
The family-run vineyard offers an authentic Italian welcome, with food and wines to match.
It offers cellar door tastings on Saturdays and Sundays and there’s a dining area, where guests can enjoy Italian-style fare.
Menus feature Italian favourites such as olives, local salami, mortadella, mozzarella, and olive oil cake. Mains, meanwhile, are typically based on ingredients like sardines, fennel sausage, eggplant, trout, and chicken.
The owners originally hail from the Veneto region of Italy. The wines produced at Mount Towrong reflect this and are made using Italian varietals, and traditional methods including picking and pruning by hand.
Chardonnay, pinot noir, nebbiolo, and prosecco are grown on-site while some Italian varietals are sourced from other local vineyards.
If you fancy fizz, prosecco is always an option here. This type of grape is well suited to the cool climate, as it’s normally grown in northern Italy.
Where: 4 Taylors Road, Mount Macedon 3441
When: Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
Phone: (0488) 155 088
Daylesford Wineries Map
Final Word
So, which of these wineries near Daylesford whets your appetite most? Whether you’re seeking an Italian-style feast, want to pick up a picnic, or would like to dine out with a view, many local vineyards offer so much more than just wine.
From a Wombat Forest winery to Winespeake Cellar + Deli in the heart of town, which of these will you be trying first?
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By Audrey Chalmers
Audrey grew up in Victoria and travelled the world but she always called Victoria home. She loves nothing more than exploring her home state and sharing it here.