One hour’s drive outside of Melbourne, Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s most renowned wine regions – and can be explored on a number of organised tours.
(Photo: Wildlife Tours Australia / Courtesy Viator)
The picturesque valley in Victoria, southeast Australia is filled with vineyards that thrive in the cooler climate, set back from the coast. Wine-tasting tours offer visitors the chance to glimpse what goes on behind the scenes before tasting the local varietals right at the source of creation. For those based in Melbourne, it may be tempting to organise your own excursion, given the close proximity to the valley. But letting somebody else organise the specifics, and the driving in particular, allows you the freedom to taste, sip, and quaff at will. There are many options to choose from – and here are five of the best.
Yarra Valley Day Trip with Local Wine Tastings
Well balanced, full bodied and not too many tannins. That quite aptly describes the itinerary for this excellent food and wine tour from Melbourne. Well, perhaps not the tannins bit. But there’s an excellent mix of food and wine tastings, the latter taking place at two boutique Yarra Valley wineries. Also included is a visit to a chocolaterie and ice creamery (yes please), an Italian lunch at the Killara Estate Winery, and a visit to a microbrewery, where you can defy all conventional wisdom and mix grain in with those grapes. From $106 per person.
Yarra Valley Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Ticket
(Photo: Hop It / Courtesy GetYourGuide)
For maximum flexibility – and affordability – it’s hard to beat a one-day hop-on hop-off bus ticket that lets you create your own schedule and explore Yarra Valley at your total leisure, stopping off at any number of designated wineries as and when you please. The service allows you to pick from two separate routes – red and green – each featuring some of the region’s most renowned wineries. On board you can listen to commentary providing insights on the area and its rich wine heritage. Tastings at individual wineries are not included and must be purchased separately. From $60 per person.
Full-Day Gourmet Tour with Lunch
Food, wine, food, wine and food, wine, food. That pretty much sums up the itinerary of this excellent full-day gourmet tour from Melbourne. As though trying to prove that you can have both quality and quantity, during this eight-hour tour you’ll try fruit at an orchard, wines at wineries like De Bartoli and Yering Station, then also sample gourmet chocolate and dairy products such as cheeses at a local farm. There’s also a lunch stop at Rochford Wines, with a meal and a glass of wine. Transport is by bus, which has onboard wifi, with pickup available from a number of hotels in central Melbourne. From $127 per person.
Wine, beer and chocolates Yarra Valley Tour
(Photo: Dancing Kangaroo Tours / Courtesy GetYourGuide)
As the title suggests, indulgence is yet again a core principle of a Yarra Valley tour that has consistently received good feedback from travellers. This tour starts out with a sharing platter of local produce from the Gateway Estate to line the stomach for a microbrewery tasting. There will then follow two winery tasting tours, with the first one including lunch as well. To round off the indulgence, this tour stops at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, which produces 200 different chocolates. You’ll get the chance to try at least a handful of them. Please note that this tour does not run on Tuesday and Wednesday. From $102 per person.
Yarra Valley Food & Wine Tour in a ’56 Chevrolet
If you know your wines well already and you want to cruise past the vineyards in style, this private Yarra Valley wine tour is ideal. With a price fixed regardless of whether you travel alone or with another person, you’ll get to sit back and watch the picturesque country whizz by from a classic 1956 Chevrolet. Tell your driver and guide along the way what you’re looking for so that the tasting sessions are tailored to your preferences, grab lunch in Healesville and then head back to Melbourne in the afternoon. This tour lasts approximately 4.5 hours and departs in the morning only. From $102 per person.