Feast your way through the culinary heart of the Pyrenees along the Road to Red. Let your taste buds lead the way as you sip and dine your way through Victoria’s best wineries, restaurants and artisan produce.
Just a 45 minute drive west of Ballarat, the Pyrenees is one of Victoria’s great wine regions, famous for its full-flavoured red wines including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Grenache. Third generation growers tend to some of the state’s oldest vines and the winemakers themselves are often the ones to greet you at cellar door.
Download the Road to Red Cellar Door Guide and take yourself on a deliciously decadent drive. Here’s our guide to the best things to see, do and most importantly taste along the way.
How to select the perfect Pyrenees Cellar Door
Our beloved region is renowned for its award-winning wines, stunning scenery, and charming hospitality. But with so many Cellar Doors to choose from, how do you select the perfect one for your visit?
Fear not, red wine lovers! This guide will help you navigate the region’s wineries like a pro. Whether you’re a certified red wine lover or a casual sipper, we’ve got you covered to find the best Cellar Doors in the Pyrenees.
Determine your wine preference
Before you head out to find the best Cellar Doors in the Pyrenees, it’s a good idea to determine what type of wine you enjoy. Are you a fan of full-bodied reds like Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon? Or do you like a smooth Merlot? Knowing your wine preference will help you narrow down your search. The Road to Red Cellar Door Guide lists each wine variety that can be found at each cellar door.
On the other hand, we don’t mind if you’re not sure about your palate preferences. In fact, helping you figure out which wine you like best is one of the many specialties of our cellar door staff.
About our Cellar Doors:
Amherst Winery – a small boutique winery that is open by appointment. Amherst produce small batches of elegant, complex and handmade wines. Please ensure you call ahead to avoid disappointment
Bigibila – Nestled atop of a hill, Bigibila cellar door enjoys exquisite views over the valley in every direction! The large windows make it easy to admire the views from inside the cellar door by the fire. Owners, Peter and Jill will lead you through the Bigibila range of wines. Described as full-bodied, fruit-driven, long-lasting – everything a great Pyrenees wine should be. You can own a slice of Bigibila by adopting a vine and receive 12 bottles of Bigibila wines annually. Take in the views, savour a bottle of your favourite wine, and enjoy a mouth watering platter featuring local produce.
Blue Pyrenees Estate – Blue Pyrenees Estate was established in 1963 by the French company Remy Martin and was among the modern Australian wine industry’s first ventures into cool climate viticulture. Today, Blue Pyrenees is 100 per cent independently Australian owned. Blue Pyrenees have one of the largest selection of wine varieties in the Pyrenees from bold reds to sweet whites and sparklings. A visit to the cellar door provides you the opportunity to taste and purchase wines that can’t be found anywhere else and reserved exclusively for club members and cellar door visits. Settle in for lunch at Cellar Door and spend the afternoon indulging.
Dalwhinnie – Labelled ‘the highest and most remote vineyard in the Pyrenees’ and provides the most spectacular views. Dalwhinnie hang their hat on Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines that have formidable cellaring potential. The Eagle Shiraz is the holy grail. It is only released in true great vintage years, with only 12 wines produced in 33 years. To drink this wine with 10 years bottle age is one of life’s great treats.
Dogrock Winery – The Dogrock winery is nestled above the small township of Crowlands on the Western side of Victoria’s Pyrenees mountain range. Surrounded by rocky ridges on three sides, the vineyards lie in a horse shoe-shaped valley, each vineyard with its own distinct microclimate. Dogrock is forging a new style that revolves around making wines that are softer, with more textural palate weight and that will age and drink well for decades.
Equus@Moonambel – More than just a cellar door, Equus is also home to the largest wooden horse museum in the southern hemisphere. The cellar door offers a wine tasting of ‘different’ red wines and pale rosé. Equus may not carry the enormous scale of other Pyrenees wineries but its quaintness makes it beloved for that reason alone.
Forest Gate Estate – Forest Gate provides a relaxed and personal experience for their valued visitors with a seated tasting offered as a standard practice with the owner Chris who is always generous with his time. The vineyard produces brilliant fruit and wine with a focus on making elegant and complex red wines by hand.
Kara Kara Estate – Hungarian-born Steve Zsigmond comes from a long line of vignerons and is passionate about his wines and loves telling everyone about them! All of the wines available for purchase at cellar door are available for tasting. From time to time you can also purchase some museum wines exclusively available through Cellar Door. Steve’s partner in crime, Marlene is a sensational cook and has a passion for making preserves, jams and sauces, all available at cellar door.
Mount Avoca Winery – Mount Avoca is Australia’s most highly awarded organic winery, offering a beautiful and relaxed cellar-door experience along with unsurpassed quality. A visit to the cellar door is where you will discover how Mount Avoca became accidentally organic due to their focus on clean viticulture and their simple goal to make amazing wines. Renowned for its reds, the classic Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are perennial medal winners and the Tempranillo, Lagrein, Reserve Shiraz and Sparkling Shiraz add an extra dimension to an already formidable array.
Mrs Bakers Still House – Now I know it isn’t wine but Mrs Baker is worth visiting! Trundle up a hidden valley and discover an award winning micro-distillery, making craft gins and liqueurs from locally farm grown fresh botanicals. The flavours and colours of these spirits are vibrant and genuine. We highly recommend the Shiraz gin!
Peerick Vineyard – Don’t let its no-frills appearance fool you. Peerick is an endearing no nonsense cellar door producing limited quantities of premium wines. They achieved the goal of being awarded Best Shiraz in the 2022 Western Vic Wine Challenge, outscoring 40 other wineries in Western Victoria.
Sallys Paddock – Another tiny but mighty pick from the mass of Pyrenees wineries, Sallys paddock is the place to go for big, bold reds guaranteed to impress at your next dinner party. The atmosphere in the tasting room/cafe was is second to none and you are guaranteed a personlised experience. Adding an extra bit of atmosphere every Saturday over lunch-time (also Sunday on long weekends) our local musician, Graeme Akers, plays his guitar and banjo in the Cellar Door.
St Ignatius Vineyard – Home to Argentinian hospitality, award-winning wines and rich history, St Ignatius Vineyard pride itself on creating a welcoming atmosphere. With wine making heritage expanding over three continents, including Italy and Argentina, St Ignatius is the house of the Australian Malbec.
Summerfield Wines – Mark Summerfield is a 4th generation owner of Summerfield Winery and Accommodation. Like all of our Pyrenees winemakers, Mark is passionate about his wine, he considers his shiraz, cabernet and merlot to be the heroes but we recommend you taking the time to taste them all and you decide which is best. More than just wines, Mark has extended the Summerfield cellar door to include a restaurant and grows his own pork and lamb which he butchers himself and bakes his own bread and pastries on site. You can find Mark in the vineyard, the winery, making woodfired pizzas or baking in the kitchen but he will always find time to talk to you about his wines.
Taltarni – Taltarni Vineyards & Winery is rated in the top 9.8% of wineries in Australia. Taltarni produces a diverse range of high-calibre still red and white wines and moethode-traditionnelle crafted sparklings. Enjoy a wine tasting in the cellar door and relax by the fire in the impressive modern showroom.
Wayward Winery – The short drive to Wayward Winery is definitely worth making a part of your trip. The fire-licked food in the restaurant is delectable, playful and fun, offering a new world of flavour to the Pyrenees. With a wood-fired oven taking centre stage in the kitchen, a smoky, heady aroma of grilled meat permeates the air. The wine brings the wow factor. W.O.W is written across the wine labels. Your guess is as good as ours about what it stands for. Maybe wines of wayward? Anyway, this newest winery/restaurant in the Pyrenees is bringing the wow factor in every way possible.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Pyrenees Cellar Door staff are there to help you have the best experience possible. If you’re not sure what to taste, ask for recommendations. If you have questions about the winemaking process, book a winery tour.