A hit list of Coonawarra wineries and cellar doors to visit

Dilvin Yasa Dilvin Yasa
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It’s hard to go past a destination devoted to cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and other bold reds, but the very best Coonawarra wineries also sweeten the deal with fireside feasts and produce platters aplenty.

If you know wine, you know the numbers: take a 20-kilometre-long, two-kilometre-wide Limestone Coast stretch teeming with wineries, and make it home to over 25 cellar doors – many of them devoted to showcasing the region’s celebrated reds, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz in particular.

Prefer a dry white, or perhaps even a sparkling? It’s worth noting that Coonawarra isn’t only about reds, a new generation of winemakers working tirelessly to reenergise the region with new and innovative winemaking styles and alternative grape varieties.

Of course, Coonawarra wineries offer a wealth of experiences far beyond a quick quaff; you could enjoy a gourmet picnic nestled within a vineyard, feast fireside on a gourmet platter, and/or glamp under a blanket of stars.

Be sure to add the following to your Coonawarra experience.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate

Founded by Scottish pioneer John Riddoch who planted vineyards in 1891 – making this one of the region’s longest established vineyard sites, every visit to Coonawarra should begin here at Wynns Coonawarra Estate where each drop is produced under the wizardry of winemaker Sue Hodder.

an array of wines on the table at Wynns Coonawarra Estate
Taste the Wynns Premium Collection. (Image: Ewen Bell)

Many keep their eyes peeled for the label’s two flagship reds – John Riddock Cabernet Sauvignon and Michael Shiraz, but a visit to Wynns cannot be a quick dash in and out. Leave time to walk around the onsite interpretive centre detailing the history of the vineyard and winemaking within the region, and say yes to a tasting of up to six wines from the Wynns Premium Collection, which includes the iconic Wynns Black Label and modern Wynns V&A wines. Priced at $30, redeemable on purchase.

A ‘Make Your Own Blend’ tour experience is also available.

people dining in the al fresco area of Wynns Coonawarra Estate
Leave time to enjoy the grounds. (Image: Ewen Bell)

Address: 77 Memorial Drive, Coonawarra; (08) 8736 2225

Patrick of Coonawarra

Behold the ultimate family operation, a second-generation winery that’s a celebration of everything founder Patrick Tocaciu stood for. Opened in 2004 with the release of their 1998 Home Block Cabernet, 2001 Shiraz and 2003 Riesling, the cellar door for Patrick of Coonawarra now welcomes groups to enjoy not only their wines, but produce platters (best enjoyed on the lawn), as well as tastings as wide-ranging as ‘Crickets and Cabernet’ – essentially a platter which has all manner of insects including ant candy and crunchy crickets – as well as a more classic chocolate and wine pairing ($25 each). Indoor seating where the opportunity to buy much of the produce available on the platters ($50 including two glasses of wine) is always recommended, but it’s hard to beat taking time out in their Eco Gardens, planted with indigenous species native to the area.

The five-star rated winery (James Halliday), is noted for its premium Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.

Address: 15598 Riddoch Hwy, Coonawarra; (08) 8737 3687

Zema Estate

The first few minutes at Zema Estate can feel strangely discombobulating; you’re walking on that rich Coonawarra terra rossa, yet you’re also somehow in Italy at the same time. There’s good reason for this of course; this generations-old family winery which has a solid reputation for delivering premium quality Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, harks back to the traditions – and passions – of its Italian heritage.

the vineyard exterior of Zema Estate
Zema Estate is known for its premium Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. (Image: Zema Estate)

It’s possible to visit the Cellar Door overlooking the hand-pruned vines only to enjoy a complimentary tasting of Zema Estate’s current release wines, but it would be foolish to miss checking out the family photos, or shopping the large selection of gourmet food and gifts, including Mrs Zema’s homemade chilli paste and olive oil.

wine and cheese platter at Zema Estate
Build a take-home produce platter featuring Mrs Zema’s homemade chilli paste and olive oil. (Image: Zema Estate)

Address: 14944 Riddoch Highway, Coonawarra; (08) 8736 3219

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Penley Estate

Look, no man is an island and while you wouldn’t necessarily visit Penley Estate – one of the region’s leading wineries – for a single person, we can’t help but point out that the winery’s Kate Goodman has recently nabbed Wine Companion’s Winemaker of the Year 2024 award.

wine barrels inside Penley Estate
Penley Estate has been making premium wine since 1988. (Image: Stephen Carter)

It might be a recent award, but Penley Estate has been making premium wine since 1988 and specialising in producing classic Coonawarra reds, be it cabernet, shiraz or red blends. Best of all, Penley Estate wines are truly estate-grown and registered by The Vegan Society.

grapes grown at Penley Estate
The award-winning wines are all estate-grown and registered by The Vegan Society. (Image: Stephen Carter)

Top tip? Come in for a taste but stay for a picnic on the lawn.

Address: McLeans Road, Coonawarra; (08) 7078 1853

Rymill

Wine critics have long described Rymill as one of the ‘must visit’ stops at Coonawarra with good reason. While the iconic Stallions Rampant statue embodies the strength of the wines, this high-tech winery – born in the 1970s and launched by Peter Rymill, the great-grandson of John Riddock (essentially the founder of Coonawarra) – is all about providing the perfect experience as much as serving up the perfect wine.

a couple exploring the vineyard at Rymill, Glenroy
The vineyards at Rymill. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Rymill winery and cellar door sit nestled within their vineyards, with the latter offering an inside look at viticulture and winemaking from their multi-level observation decks.

wine bottles on display inside Rymill, Glenroy
The cellar door doubles as an art gallery. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Enjoy a Classic Cellar Door Tasting ($10 but redeemable upon purchase) featuring their classics – some of which are exclusive to the cellar door. Why not match it with a custom platter of South Australian produce? Your feast can be enjoyed either while browsing the art gallery inside, or while you sit outside on the picturesque lawns.

a couple wine tasting inside Rymill, Glenroy
Sample wines that are only available onsite. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Address: 110 Clayfield Road, Glenroy; (08) 8736 5001

Brand’s Laira

Sometimes you need more than a holiday, you need an experience that takes you back in time some 130 years. Turning up to iconic winery, Brand’s Laira, provides that sensation, opening the door to generations of Coonawarra history which begins in 1893 when Captain Henry Stentiford bought a block of land and named the estate ‘Laira’ after his ship.

friends sitting in front of a long wooden table inside the cellar door of Brand’s Laira, Coonawarra
Brand’s Laira has a rich history that stretches back over 130 years. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission/Adam Bruzzone)

What happened next? You’ll have every opportunity to find out once you drop by Brand’s Laira’s newly renovated Cellar Door to try their award-winning wines and Cellar Door exclusives.

wines on display inside the cellar door of Brand’s Laira, Coonawarra
Pick from an array of award-winning wines at the newly renovated Cellar Door. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission/Adam Bruzzone)

Featuring a modern indoor dining area, a beautiful al fresco area and yes, a lounge with fireplace for those wintry days, there’s no better place to take part in a guided wine tasting ($5 but redeemable on purchase).

a look inside Brand’s Laira, Coonawarra
Partake in a guided wine tasting at Brand’s Laira. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission/Adam Bruzzone)

Address: 14860 Riddoch Hwy, Coonawarra; (08) 8736 3260

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DiGiorgio Family Wines

Want more from your winery visit than a lazy afternoon of (quality) quaffing? DiGiorgio Family Wines, a small family-owned and operated winery, which also happens to be the second oldest in the region, has got you covered.

the exterior of DiGiorgio Family Wines surrounded by vast vineyards
The family-owned and operated winery is the second oldest in the region.

Visiting the cellar door not only gives you the opportunity to taste premium wines from their extensive portfolio (the DiGiorgio family produces premium wines from Coonawarra and Lucindale, but also sources specific varietal fruit from different areas of the Limestone Coast) but you can book in for a tour and private tasting, enjoy a glass of wine alongside a ‘Pick your own produce’ platter or lock in a pasta making (and eating) session.

Aerial view of di Giorgio winery in Coonawarra
The cellar door opens onto an expansive grassed area.

Address: Riddoch Hwy, Coonawarra; (08) 8736 3222

Cuvée-Co Wines

Will it be a prosecco or a sparkling shiraz? Peta Baverstock, the name behind Cuvée-Co Wines, has spent decades focusing on the appreciation, making and branding of sparkling wine.

Located in Penola’s old Post Office, a wonderland teeming with all manner of quirky gift ideas, there’s every chance you’ll pop in for a tasting – or to pick up a bottle of Ivy Elliot Non Vintage Rose – but you’ll end up walking away with a suitcase full of goodies.

Address:46 Riddoch Street, Penola; 0412 561 931

Do the Coonawarra Wine Trail

Remember that the cellar door experiences are only a short walk from each other, so download the Coonawarra Wineries Walking Trail app to follow the trail between six of the region’s wineries by foot.

The five-kilometre walk will take in: Brand’s Laira, DiGorgio Family Wines, Ottelia, Redman Wines, Wynns and Zema Estate.

Call in the experts at Coonawarra Experiences

Of course, if you’d prefer a curated experience featuring behind-the-scenes access to Coonawarra’s top wineries, exclusive wine tastings, gourmet lunches with local produce, and air-conditioned transport between each stop, let Coonawarra Experiences be your go-to for the ultimate hosted journey.

Whether you’re after a half-day tour including lunch, a full-day tour or a multi-day adventure, the team can create a bespoke itinerary based on your interests.

Explore more of the Limestone Coast from Mount Gambier’s sinkholes and lakes to Robe’s coastal delights.
Dilvin Yasa
Dilvin Yasa is a freelance journalist, author and TV presenter whose travels have taken her from the iceberg graveyards of Antarctica to the roaring rapids of Uganda. Always on the lookout for that next unforgettable meal, wildlife moment or 80s-themed nightclub, she is inexplicably drawn to polar destinations despite detesting the cold.
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Good food, beautiful nature & history: your guide to a long weekend in West Gippsland

(Credit: Rob Blackburn)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    From rainforest walks and scenic drives to historic gold-rush towns and standout regional dining experiences, you can find it all in West Gippsland.

    Hover over West Gippsland on Google Earth and you’ll see vast tracts of land spread out like green velveteen around the Toorongo Falls Reserve. It’s a landscape that feels almost impossibly lush for a region sitting little more than an hour from Melbourne.

    Track southeast in late autumn and early winter and you’ll see pockets of the Mt Baw Baw Plateau dusted in snow. In addition to the forests of mountain ash veined with creeks and rivers, there are pastures and farmland cross-stitched together to form pretty patchworks.

    But West Gippsland isn’t defined by scenery alone: in addition to its awe-inspiring nature, a Venn diagram of the region includes gold-rush history and great culinary experiences.  Spend a long weekend here and it quickly becomes clear how often these three overlap.

    Getting there

    Messmates Dining west gippsland
    Spend the weekend eating and exploring in West Gippsland. (Credit: Messmates Dining)

    Getting to West Gippsland involves as easy drive – it’s just over an hour out of Melbourne along the Monash Freeway.

    Not driving? Catch the train from Melbourne on the Gippsland line, terminating at either Traralgon or Bairnsdale, and hop off at Warragul or Drouin.

    Visit historic villages

    Walhalla historic township
    Wander into Australia’s Gold Rush history at Walhalla. (Credit: Rob Blackburn)

    The West Gippsland region is on the Traditional Lands of the Kulin and Kurnai nations, specifically linked to the Bunurong, Gunaikurnai and Wurundjeri Peoples, whose connection to Country stretches back thousands of years.

    European settlement occurred in the 19th century as timber cutters, farmers and gold seekers pushed into the region’s dense forests. Small towns grew around sawmills and railway lines, and many of those gold rush settlements, timber towns and railway villages still shape the character of the region today.

    The most evocative of these is Walhalla Historic Township, a remarkably preserved gold-rush township tucked deep in the mountains. In the late 1800s, it was one of Victoria’s richest goldfields. Today visitors can step inside that history at the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine, where underground tours reveal the scale of the mining operation that once powered the town’s prosperity. Nearby, the Walhalla Goldfields Railway retraces part of the original narrow-gauge line through the valley, offering a slow journey past forest and river scenery.

    Further west, Noojee is a classic mountain village. It’s surrounded by dense forest and waterfalls and has become a natural base for exploring the Baw Baw region. Just outside town, Noojee Trestle Bridge stands as one of West Gippsland’s most striking relics of the rail era. The towering wooden structure is the tallest surviving trestle bridge in Victoria and today forms the centrepiece of an easy scenic walk with wide views across the valley.

    Alpine Trout Farm west gippsland
    Catch your own lunch at Alpine Trout Farm. (Credit: Nicky Cawood)

    At Alpine Trout Farm near Noojee, visitors can fish for trout in mountain-fed ponds before enjoying the catch prepared fresh onsite. It’s a simple experience that reflects the area’s long connection to the surrounding waterways.

    Back in Warragul, the region’s main service town, the story shifts from heritage to modern regional life. With galleries, restaurants and sweeping views across the rolling farmland of Gippsland, the town has become a lively hub linking the district’s past with its evolving food and cultural scene. Drive through the town and you’ll find heritage buildings, old pubs and weatherboard cottages that hint at the area’s early days as a frontier landscape.

    In other towns the past survives in quieter ways – a historic hall here, a century-old bakery there.

    Walks, waterfalls and wild places

    Toorongo Falls in west gippsland
    Stroll Toorongo Falls Reserve. (Credit: Nicky Cawood)

    Even simple roadside stops can feel cinematic in West Gippsland. The region also delivers plenty of opportunities to lace up your walking shoes.

    One of the region’s most rewarding nature escapes lies just outside Noojee at Toorongo Falls Reserve. A network of walking tracks winds through the cool-temperate rainforest where towering mountain ash trees filter the light and the air smells of rich, damp earth. The 2.2-kilometre trail to the viewing platform overlooking Toorongo Falls is short, but spectacular, as the water cascades down over moss-covered rock faces into a cool, green gully in Little Toorongo River.

    Further north, the Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort offers year-round adventures. In winter, the mountain attracts skiers and snowboarders. The warmer months are just as compelling, with scenic drives to see alpine wildflowers, mountain bike trails and panoramic hiking routes that open across the plateau.

    Cyclists and walkers looking for a more relaxed pace can follow the Rokeby Neerim Rail Trail, which traces a former railway line through farmland and small Gippsland villages. The mostly flat trail passes rolling paddocks, creeks and historic bridges, making it an easy way to drop it down a gear when exploring the countryside.

    Taste the best eats of West Gippsland

    Hogget Kitchen west gippsland
    Taste the best of the region at Hogget Kitchen.

    For many travellers, the real drawcards of West Gippsland are the food and wine. The region sits in the heart of Victoria’s fertile dairy country, and that agricultural backdrop has helped shape a dining scene where seasonal produce and local provenance take centre stage.

    Hogget Kitchen has helped put Warragul firmly on the radar for serious regional dining in West Gippsland. Here, head chef and owner Trevor Perkins runs the kitchen alongside well-known winemakers William (Bill) Downie and Pat Sullivan. Hogget Kitchen lives up to its promise of exceptional destination dining; what lands on the table depends largely on what nearby farms have harvested that week as well as a wine list from Wild Dog Winery and other Gippsland producers.

    Warragul is also where you’ll find Messmates Dining where the kitchen team is led by Michelin-trained chefs. The Euro-leaning bistro and wine bar brings a polished edge to the local dining scene using produce sourced from across West Gippsland.

    For something more casual, the century-old Noojee Hotel is the kind of hub that every traveller dreams of finding after a long drive. Expect generous pub classics served on the sunny deck in summer or beside the crackle of a log fire in winter.  Nearby, rustic Toolshed Bar, Bistro & Cabins is the place to go for a wood-fired pizza topped with smoked local trout paired with Gippsland wine, making it a rewarding stop for lunch or an overnight stay.

    Time your visit with the Truffle Festival

    Food lovers visiting in winter should consider timing their trip to coincide with Noojee Truffle Festival, running from 10 July to 2 August 2026. The inaugural event celebrates the region’s emerging truffle industry with tastings, special menus and events built around one of winter’s most prized ingredients.

    Start planning your long weekend in West Gippsland at visitgippsland.com.au.