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Australia’s Pinot Coast wine trail in Victoria covers 750km of raw coastline along mainland Australia’s southern edge. It spans from the eastern part of the iconic Great Ocean Road to the southeastern corner of Australia near Lakes Entrance.
The coastal city of Geelong is an hour’s drive west of Melbourne along the western edge of Port Phillip Bay. It is also accessible from the iconic Great Ocean Road.
The Cellar Door Experience
You won’t find any big, commercial tasting rooms along the Pinot Coast wine trail in Victoria. Creative, artisanal wineries rule, and it’s common in Geelong and The Bellarine that your cellar door host will be the winemaker or owner themselves.
The Pinot Coast wine trail is also home to some of Australia’s most well-regarded culinary destinations. Many cellar doors offer lunch options throughout the week, from cheese platters and wood-fired pizza to more substantial offerings. Wineries such as Clyde Park Vineyard, Oakdene Vineyards and Jack Rabbit, among others, have award-winning restaurants that showcase the area’s independent producers.
The locals you’ll meet are truly dedicated to the region. In many cases, they’ve been here for years, figuring out the best way to get such beautiful wines from such an exhilarating landscape. They’ll show you what they’ve made and tell you about how they managed it.
Best Places/Things to eat
The Pinot Coast wine trail is one of Australia’s most spectacular culinary destinations. There are more chef’s hat-awarded (Australia’s equivalent of a Michelin star) restaurants here than anywhere else in regional Victoria.
Geelong offers a creative, modern dining scene with a number of exceptional restaurants and cafes along the waterfront. Fishermen’s Pier offers local seafood like barramundi and scallops right on the marina, while degustation-only two-hatted restaurant Igni, a little further inland, is renowned thanks to celebrity chef Aaron Turner.
A drive to nearby Bellarine wineries such as Terindah Estate or Provenance Wines in Geelong reveals dining rooms that focus on the best local produce and showcase the region’s culinary capabilities. Trying the region’s chocolate, olives and cheeses, as well as Portarlington’s famous mussels, is a must.
Best places to stay/types of accommodation
The natural beauty of the Pinot Coast in Victoria is evident in the region’s accommodation offerings, many of which offer views across Port Phillip Bay, Bass Strait or the vines.
In Geelong, visitors can stay in the city itself in the chic industrial style Devlin Apartments, just a short walk from waterfront cafés and restaurants. For something more invigorating, bed down along the peninsula in small townships like Point Lonsdale and Indented Head, where resorts Lon Resort and Spa and Starhaven Retreat overlook the rugged ocean.
Beyond the cellar door
Port Phillip Bay is one of the most biodiverse areas along the Victorian coast. It is home to the weedy sea dragon, as well as dolphins, whales, fur seals, penguins and a huge array of fish. Visitors can go scuba diving, snorkelling or whale watching, particularly along the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas in the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, or around Wilsons Promontory National Park in Gippsland.
For visitors who are handy on a surfboard, Torquay and Bells Beach are two of Australia’s most iconic surfing spots, just a half hour drive from Geelong. Surf with the locals here or wander along the breathtaking beaches.
What to take home
There are 146 cellar doors to visit along the Pinot Coast wine trail, so there is a diverse range of fresh, complex wines to bring home. Collecting an assortment of wines from Gippsland, Geelong and Mornington Peninsula will demonstrate the subtleties of these three regions – what sets them apart from each other, and what makes them similar.
The region is also blessed with local produce so pick up honey, truffles, cherries, fruits and more at farmgates, farmers markets and deluxe general stores. Visitors can even forage for mushrooms or pick their own strawberries.
The creativity that has been applied to the Pinot Coast’s three wine regions is also clearly evident in the trail’s chocolate, olive oil, preserves, cheeses, cider, beer and spirits, such as gin and whisky.
Robin Brockett
Scotchman’s Hill
Ray Nadeson
Lethbridge Wines
Scott Ireland & Sam Vogel
Provenance Wines
Nick & Gary Farr
By Farr Wines
Matt Holmes
Bannockburn Vineyard
Russell McGlashan
McGlashans/ Wallington Estate
Lyndsay Sharp
Leura Park / Jack Rabbit / Yes Said the Seal
John Durham
Austins Wines
Australia’s Pinot Coast wine trail wraps around some 750km of Victoria’s raw and spectacular Southern Ocean coastline. The trail consists of three distinct regions – Geelong/Bellarine, Mornington Peninsula and Gippsland – all of which produce outstanding maritime pinot noir. With some 146 cellar doors and some of Australia’s most acclaimed fine dining restaurants there are plenty of opportunities to try these wines.
For more information about exploring the Pinot Coast wine trail, visit visitvictoria.com/pinotcoast
The Pinot Coast project would not be possible without the generous support of Wine Australia, the Victorian Government and our wider sector partners. It is part of the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package and the Victorian Government’s Wine Industry Development Strategy funding.
For more information go to www.visitvictoria.com/pinotcoast
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