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There are a few boxes that you need to tick when you’re thinking about going on a wine holiday. The Grampians Wine Region constructs the idealistic package deal of what to expect when you’re on the perfect getaway. First and foremost, there are the wineries, Grampians wineries hold a high level of regard in the Victorian wine game, offering incredible and personal cellar door experiences. The informative yet exciting Grampians wine tours are in abundance. Throw in a few wine tastings, world-class dining experiences, breathtaking views and if you time it right a possible venture to the Grampians Grape Escape Food and Wine Festival you’ve got yourself a time.
So which Grampians wineries are you going to check out? Wine Regions Australia has compiled a list of the 6 best wineries in the Grampians alongside the inside goss on what their cellar door experiences entail. But first a bit of knowledge on the region.
The Grampians Wine Region
This ten out of ten wine region is held together by a community that has spent over 150 years perfecting their craft. The Grampians winemaking community know they’re on to something and that’s why they are so passionate about sharing their knowledge and respect for the earth, and what it can yield (they don’t mind pouring a glass or two of their yield either).
https://www.facebook.com/visitgrampians
The Grampians Wine Region is known for its peppery, fruity Shiraz and their mature sparkling wines which covers the cold nights around the campfire and the stella hot days of celebration. No matter your mood, the diversity of grape varieties in the Grampians surpasses most regions, and you’re guaranteed to find a wine that will tickle your fancy. The most practical way to sample the plethora of vino is wine tasting tours in the Grampians. You can try a small amount of a variety of wines and then buy a bottle of your favourite one, everybody wins!
Since the gold rush in the 1860s, the Grampians wine industry has grown exponentially. The region is built on a foundation of historical appreciation which makes the wine tours in the Grampians full of flavour, forging the very essence of its integrity. The region is located 200 kilometres west of the state’s capital, Melbourne, falling under the West Victorian Wine Zone. A lot of the complexities of the wine in the Grampians comes from its elevation. Some vineyards in the Grampians Wine Region lie reach up to 1,160 meters above sea level. With elevation comes cooler temperatures which give the region’s varieties their own personality due to their life span on the vine before ripening.
During the dry season, the Grampians Wine Region heavily depends on it terroir for its life and sustenance. The sandy, loamy based soils hold just the right amount of water to keep the vines fresh and hydrated during the growing seasons.
The Best Grampians Wine Tours
Sometimes the best way to see and experience a region is to make someone else drive. That way, you can look out the window without swerving like a maniac, and you can have more than one glass of wine when you get to your destination.
Grampians Wine Tours
This informative and friendly tour company offer a range of different experiences that cater to your specific requirements. Whether you want to see a bit of the national park itself, you want to focus only on the Grampians wine, you fancy a tour of a brewery, or you want to do a bit of everything, Grampians Wine Tours will put on a show!
The Grampians Heli Wine Tours
Capture the stunning region from a different perspective, flying over mountain tops, vineyards and sunsets. The Heli Wine Tour package includes a visit to Best’s Winery
and Dog Rock Winery with a cheese platter, underground cellar tour and a special meet and greet with the winemaker. The pilot that commands the vessel is fluent in all things ‘Grampians’ and hearing about the region while flying over really is an experience to remember.
The Top 6 Wineries & Cellar Door Experiences in the Grampians
Providing you with the best possible experience is at the top of Wine Regions Australia’s priority list. Out of the 23 wineries we have culled a list of the 6 best wineries in the Grampians for your reading pleasure.
Best’s Great Western
The Best’s Great Western Vineyard is a firm of historical notches on the old victorian belt. They started as a cattle farm and butchery in the 1860s, feeding the hard-working miners that flooded in from the gold rush. The property slowly developed into the winemaking veteran that it is today. Though its roots are deep in the soils of time, it’s not to say they are irrelevant, rather masters of their craft. The Thomson family, who purchased the business from the Best family in 1920, believe in bringing forth the complexities of the fruit in a minimalistic approach. They believe that “great wines are made in great vineyards.”
Best’s offers some fantastic wine tastings including the ‘cheese and wine experience’ where you can taste three different wines matched with three different kinds of cheese and sliced meats put together on a Smörgåsbord of pickles and condiments. Maybe you’re feeling a little fancy, and you want to try the top shelf, jump onto the ‘premium wine tasting’ which includes wines from both the Growers Collection and premium Concongella Collection.
If you hadn’t quite reached the wine enthusiasts’ ideal version of a climax, then check out the self-guided tour through the underground cellars of the Best’s Great Western. The cellar tunnels were dug out by hand and date back to the 1800s!
Reviews:
4.8 ⭐️ Google Review from 79 reviews
4.5 ⭐️ Trip Advisor from 140 reviews
Seppelt
https://www.facebook.com/SeppeltWine/
Seppelt has one common goal, to produce wine that is “balanced, complex and most importantly, delicious.” Drawing inspiration from the founding fathers of wine in the Grampians Wine Region; Joseph Best, Hans Irvine and the Seppelt family, the winemakers at Seppelt strive to maintain the quality of wine produced. There’s also a fascinating historical correlation to the Best’s story, Joseph Best once owned the Seppelt estate until his death in 1888 upon where Hans Irvine purchased the Winery. By 1900 Seppelt wines was the largest winery in Australia dealing in mass production to England.
Today, Seppelt is a gorgeous estate with beautifully laid gardens, and a friendly cellar door to have a drink and a nibble. Seppelt offers the Drives wine tour where you can check out their historical underground cellar door experience, finished off with a gourmet bbq banquet put on by the chefs of the estate.
Reviews:
4.7 ⭐️ Google review from 99 reviews
4.5 ⭐️ Trip Advisor from 172 reviews
Pomonal Estate
Grampians wineries are at an elite level, and Pomonal Estate is no exception. Pomonal Estate is on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to historical influence. Founded recently in 2014 by Adam and Pep, this small family-owned business is making waves in the region.
There’s nothing they can’t do at Pomonal Estate; they are, on top of being one of the best wineries in the Grampians they also brew craft cider and beer, talk about over-achievers! We recommend trying their Lost Emu Pilsner or the Blue Beetle Pomonal Stout all of which you can find at the cellar door alongside a fantastic selection of Riesling, Shiraz and Sparkling!
Reviews:
4.8 ⭐️ Google Review from 139 reviews
4.5 ⭐️ Trip Advisor from 63 reviews
Montara wines
A tight-knitted community of wine-lovers ties the Grampians Wine Region together and the Stapleton family are a vital link to the chain. The Stapleton family consist of 6 siblings that run the vineyard giving in a fresh exuberance that doesn’t always exist in a wine region burdened with tradition and historical preference.
You can’t go past the stunning views of the Grampians Wine Region sitting on the Montara Wines veranda sipping on excellent vino and tasting the quality produce sourced from local farmers. There is almost too much to choose from when it comes to the wine list. Anything from Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir to a mature musky nip of Tawney.
Montara Wines has teamed up with Grampians Helicopter Tours to forge the most incredible wine tour in wine tour history. The Grampians Package includes;
- Three nights at the Down Under log Cabins in either the Luxury Tree House or Mountain View Cabin
- Breakfast hamper and a local bottle of wine
- A half-day local tour of the Grampians National Park (catered to your fitness level)
- A half-day wine tour and Lunch included at Montara Wines.
Reviews
4.7 ⭐️ Google Review from 18 reviews
5.0 ⭐️ Trip Advisor from 19 reviews
Summerfield Wines
For 40 years the Summerfield family has been toiling away at building a quality wine-producing legacy. Ian Summerfield has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft through meticulous care and consideration for his plantings and land. People associate viticulture with elegance and beauty, but when it comes down to it, hard work is the key ingredient to making wine.
The grapes are checked almost hourly and sampled (willingly) every day; they are then hand-picked and produced in small batches to maintain the quality. The Summerfield’s attention to detail has awarded them mainly accolades for their excellent wines.
There’s no better way to enjoy Grampians wine than sitting in the Summerfield Wines restaurant looking over the vineyards and gardens enjoying a gourmet wood-fired pizza. Treat yourself to a quality vino that you know has been hand-picked, crushed and brewed for your enjoyment.
Reviews
4.7 ⭐️ Google Review from 33 reviews
4.5 ⭐️ Trip Advisor from 44 reviews
Grampians Estate
Tom and Sarah Gutherie are to blame for the empire that is Grampians Estate. Though it’s one of the youngest kids on the block, they racked up a number of awards including ‘Best Shiraz’ at the 2002 Victorian Wine show, ‘Best Shiraz’ at the 2005 National Wine Show, Winestate Magazine’s ‘Best Sparkling’ for 2010 and so many more. All of these award-winning wines are available to buy from the cellar door.
You’d be silly not to try the ‘2010 Kelly’s Welcome Blanc de Blanc’ it’s 100 % chardonnay grapes, it has an ideal length and balanced acidity and summery peach and apple flavours bursting through with every sip.
Wine Regions Australia is a massive fan of the gold medal 2017 Streeton Reserve Shiraz. It has deep peppery notes with the integration of fresh raspberries and oak on the pallet.
There certainly is a plethora of quality Grampians wine to try here at Grampians Estate.
Reviews
4.4 ⭐️ Google Reviews from 67 reviews
4.5 ⭐️ Trip Advisor from 81 Reviews
Things To Do in the Grampians Wine Region
The real question is what isn’t there to do in the Grampians Wine Region. Well firstly and obviously there is the surplus of Grampians wines to sample and wineries to visit, and once you’ve ticked that off your list, you can move on to the secondary activities. Here is Wine Regions Australia’s top pick of things to do in the Grampians Wine Region.
The Grampians National Park
Well, it would be a crying shame if you were in the Grampians Wine Region but didn’t visit the national park itself. There are some great day walks if you want something casual or you are with the kids. Check out the Venus Baths, Mackenzie Falls or the Silver Band Falls along the way; you could even cool off and have a dip! If you’re feeling adventurous, prepare yourself for three days of stunning views and mountainous trails as you trek to the summit of the Grampians Peak Trail.
Halls Gap Zoo
Halls Gap Zoo is a perfect opportunity to get your cute animal addiction satisfied for a year. They hold over 160 species of native & exotic mammals, reptiles and birds including their “inquisitive meerkats, gigantic giraffe, colossal rhinoceros, swift cheetah, regal red panda, playful lemurs and colourful macaws”. Halls Gap Zoo is the largest regional zoo in Victoria and honestly replicates what it might be like on safari on the plains of Africa!
Bunjil Shelter
The Grampians holds 80 % of South-East Australia’s Aboriginal rock art. Located in the Black Range Scenic Reserve near Stawell lies the Bunjil Shelter. The Bunjil Shelter is considered one of the most critical and influential cultural pieces of art in Australia. It’s said that he was an indigenous man who looked after communities and brought peace through laws and beliefs.
“Bunjil created our land, our people, the plants and animals, our religion and the laws by which we live. He is the leading figure in our spiritual life, essential in teaching our young people the importance of our laws and beliefs” – Levi Lovett, local custodian, Parks Victoria.
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