Yarra Valley winery pioneer St Hubert's revamped as Hubert Estate in Coldstream
One of the Yarra Valley's oldest wineries, St Hubert's, aims to become one of its premier destinations. It has just unveiled stage one of a redevelopment that's added a restaurant, cellar door, art gallery and events space.
Hubert Estate, as the Coldstream property is now known, was bought in 2017 by Gerry and Andrew Ryan, the father-and-son team behind Mitchelton Estate in Nagambie and The Prince Hotel's rejuvenation in St Kilda.
"It's kind of the gateway as you come into the Yarra Valley," says Andy Ryan. "I just love looking out towards the Dandenongs, surrounded by vineyards."
St Hubert's 21 hectares were first planted in 1862 before being rejuvenated in 1966.
The $13 million redevelopment adds a brand-new cellar door, replacing the humble tin shed used for tastings since the 1960s. The elongated bell curve of a building features both subterranean and above-ground levels and a grass-covered roof that blends into the landscape.
From one angle it looks like hilly terrain but another reveals two banks of windows overlooking nearby hills and vines. Upstairs is the cellar door and wine shop stocking labels from the portfolio of Treasury, St Hubert's previous owners. Downstairs is a gallery of Indigenous Australian art, mostly paintings, a passion of Gerry Ryan's.
Quarters is the new estate restaurant led by Michael Smith (ex-Tonka, Jorg), who is cooking pork skewers over charcoal, prawn and confit garlic wood-fired pizzas, and other share-friendly fare. An extensive children's menu and favourites such as beef burgers keep diners of all stripes happy.
The restaurant, seating 180 inside and 120 outside, is in a shed-like building that nods to the previous cellar door, and is matched by a similar building occupied by events space Harriet, which can cater for groups of between 30 and 350.
By December 2023, Andy Ryan hopes to complete phase two of Hubert Estate, an 80-room hotel with spa and upscale dining. Plans were approved by Yarra Ranges Council in December.
The revamped winery adds to the Yarra Valley boom, with the new Four Pillars Gin cellar door in Healesville opening later in April, the reopening of Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley last year after a fire, and the completion last May of an imposing new winery and events space at Levantine Hill.
Cellar door open daily 10am-5pm, restaurant open Wed-Thu & Sun 10am-6pm, Fri-Sat 10am-9pm.
1-3 St Hubert's Road, Coldstream, 03 8756 1600, hubertestate.com.au
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