Revealed: Top 5 smaller wineries Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula
From humble beginnings to a hugely popular destination in the Yarra Valley known for its amazing pizzas, find out how owner Rod Micallef transformed Zonzo Estate.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Autumn is here and there is no better time than to enjoy a top drop in front of an open fire or enjoy the last rays of sunshine before winter sets in.
And the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula have no shortage of amazing wineries to visit.
Although some of the big wineries are well known to tourists and locals alike, there are also smaller operators producing incredible drops.
Check out our picks for the best venues to explore.
NAZAARAY ESTATE
266 Meakins Road, Flinders
This winery produces just 900 boxes of wine a year and a session at the cellar door is like no other.
The property, which has the southern most vines on the Mornington Peninsula, was a cattle farm when Paramdeep Ghuman bought it with his wife Nirmal in 1991.
“The land exceeded our budget and our wildest expectations. We had no idea what we would do with it,” Mr Ghuman said.
He considered planting olives, fruit trees and even pomegranate but kept returning to his dream of creating a vineyard.
Nazaaray Estate was the result and the Flinders winery has become known for its “heavenly” pinot noir and creamy chardonnay.
Mr Ghuman hosts weekend tastings at the cellar door and in a nod to his homeland serves a plate of Indian treats including a selection of pakora, samosa, seekh kebab and tikki.
All cellar door tasting fees go to a charity set up to save the Bengal tiger.
“We are also involved in another project with the Indian government helping to supply water pumps to areas that don’t have access to fresh water,” Mr Ghuman said.
Closer to home the Ghumans focus on sustainable growing.
“Once our vines are established we don’t irrigate. We want the roots to grow deep,” he said.
Nazaaray Estate also limits the chemicals it uses on the vines and soil.
“We are not certified organic but we use organic techniques wherever possible,” Mr Ghuman said.
RAHONA VALLEY
48 Collins Road, Dromana
This cellar door isn’t nestled among picturesque rows of vines – it’s in an industrial estate.
And the owners are hoping the recent move to Dromana Habitat will help more people discover the stellar sparlings produced by Rahona Valley winery.
“We really are a hidden gem,” co-owner Dianne Gardiner said.
When she and partner Toby Pieters bought the secluded vineyard in Red Hill South in 2014 it was one of the smallest commercial vineyards on the Mornington Peninsula.
The couple have since expanded their production, taking on several new vineyards, built their own winery and launched a specialised sparking production facility – the Australian Cuvee Centre.
“Sparkling wine is the most difficult to make using the traditional method,” Ms Gardiner said.
“It’s complex and technical and requires specialised equipment that most wineries don’t have.”
The centre, which is also based at Dromana Habitat offers winemaking, automated bottling and packaging and wine storage.
“The aim is to help wineries on the Mornington Peninsula and beyond to make the best possible sparkling in a sustainable way.”
The centre isn’t Rahona Valley’s only new baby.
The label recently launched a new drop that has been flying out the door.
Sorrento Moon Cuvve Spritz blends sparkling wine with a unique aperitivo made from Australian natives including Davidson plum, rosella flowers Tasmanian pepper berry and Australian oranges.
“I was inspired by the Aperol spritz craze and decided we should be our own spritz,” Ms Gardiner said.
“Our is fresh and tart and light. It doesn’t have a lot of sugar so it doesn’t give you that full feeling.
“We were floored by how popular its been over the summer.”
Try Sorrento Moon and other Rahona Valley sparkling and still wines at Rahona Tasting and Bar with platters of meat and cheese, every Saturday from 12-6pm and Sunday from 12-5pm.
SOUMAH WINES
18 Hexham Road off Skye Rd, Gruyere
Wine lovers can get a taste of Northern Italy and the south west of France at this picturesque winery in the Yarra Valley.
Soumah Wines started in 1997, with the Hexham vineyard established at the Gruyere site that same year.
In 2010 the Soumah brand was launched, with the first vintage of savarro, chardonnay, pinot noir and syrah released.
Now the stunning venue is a hit with visitors who can enjoy tastings and tuck into some authentic Italian dishes, including a popular Swiss brown mushroom pizza, at the winery’s restaurant.
Soumah Wines director of sales, marketing and logistics Dmitri Lazariuc said Soumah’s wine styles and varieties were typical to Northern Italy and the south west of France, due to the climatic conditions of its vineyard.
“When we set up the vineyard we did quite a bit of research to try to find varieties that would suit our little block,” he said.
“Our wine styles and the fact we have so many different alternative Italian varieties on site, it gives people an opportunity to try something that they may not have experienced before.”
Popular varieties include its chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot grigio, with more than 20 different wines for customers to choose from.
The winery is open seven days offering three types of tastings – from the normal cellar door to premium wine tasting, as well as a self-guided wine flight.
Its restaurant is also open for lunch every day of the week, with bookings required.
As well as everyone’s favourite, the Swiss brown mushroom pizza, the Margherita is also a hit.
There’s also a number of other Italian favourites up for grabs, including the pork cutlet, slow cooked beef ragu, smoked trout, and pastas.
The winery also holds small private functions and offers accommodation, with a four-bedroom villa on site and four new cottages expected to be built by next summer.
Mr Lazariuc said they loved being part of the inspiring Yarra Valley community.
“Not just the wine community but the wider community in general,” he said.
“Everyone is engaged and inspired and offering so many different products including wine, cheese, beer and fruit.
“The Yarra Valley’s proximity to Melbourne makes it a quick weekend getaway destination.”
ZONZO ESTATE YARRA VALLEY
957 Healesville-Yarra Glen Rd, Yarra Glen
When owner Rod Micallef opened Zonzo in 2007, he wanted to create a family-friendly restaurant serving beautiful handmade food.
He previously owned an inner city restaurant, but wanted to leave the big smoke for country surroundings.
“In Italy the locals understand if you want to get proper Casalinga food, or proper family handmade food you have to leave the city and head to the country on the weekends,” he said.
“That’s where you get family-run restaurants that are probably less commercial and a lot more enjoyable.
“That was the dream – to open a venue in the country where we could open a beautiful family dining restaurant.
“We came past here (what is now Zonzo Estate) and it was just a shed in the middle of a paddock and that’s where the dream started.”
He said in 2007, most wineries in the Yarra Valley weren’t offering family dining and weren’t welcoming children.
“Wineries then were very much adults only,” he said.
“But I didn’t let that concern me – I wanted to have a family restaurant were kids and adults alike were welcome and everyone could have a good time together and that’s what we established.”
The restaurant brought the first proper Italian pizzas to the Yarra Valley, and they’ve been a hit ever since.
Originally a tenant in the old dairy building on the site, Mr Micallef bought out the landlords and now owns and operates the whole farm.
Set on 174ha (430 acres), Zonzo Estate also makes some beautiful wines Mr Micallef said they were very proud of.
A new vineyard with another 70 acres of vines are also going in.
Zonzo also built a new winery facility in Lilydale in 2020.
And Mr Micallef said they had decided to have some fun alongside their serious wines.
As well as the normal Yarra Valley range, featuring pinot and chardonnay which the region is famous for, Zonzo has also launched Australia’s first Bellini- featuring prosecco and peach nectar- and a world first Limoncello Spritz.
Zonzo is also a popular wedding venue, and hosts many special celebrations, including birthdays and anniversaries.
A special treat for staff is when couples who wed at the venue return for their first meal out with their newborns.
“We call them Zonzo babies,” Mr Micallef said.
He said they loved being part of the Yarra Valley.
“The beauty of the region is incredible,” he said.
“And the accessibility is amazing.
“The Yarra Valley is an easy day trip return to Melbourne and it’s so much fun an hour from the CBD.
“The fact we can do so many fun things – we can have helicopters land here, we can have hot air balloons – it’s vibrant and fun and everyone comes out here for a good time.”
ELMSWOOD ESTATE
75 Monbulk-Seville Rd, Seville
Elmswood Estate has been operating since the late 1990s, and is believed to be one of the first few venues that offered weddings in the early 2000s period.
Only open to the public on weekends services offered include wine tastings, high teas on Sunday, Shabu Shabu hot pots on Saturdays in winter, weddings and functions.
General manager Jeannie Howe, whose parents Jack and Vivian own the estate, said all of their wines are well loved, including sparklings, whites, reds, dessert and museum wines.
The estate is well known for the spectacular panoramic view from its newly built deck.
Ms Howe described the Yarra Valley wine region as “the backyard for Melburnians to come out and enjoy on weekends”.
“As a small family run business, we do our best to bring a pleasurable experience for all our guests,” she said.
OTHER TOP PICKS
BOAT O’CRAIGO
458 Maroondah Highway, Healesville
Family-owned Yarra Valley vineyard, renowned for producing premium, handcrafted, “bloody delicious” wines.
MANY HANDS WINERY
2 Maxwells Rd, Coldstream
Award-winning wine, inviting atmosphere, delicious wood fired pizza.
FENIAN WINES
295 Dunns Creek Rd, Red Hill
Award-Winning Family Estate Wine.
Cellar Door: Every Saturday plus first weekend of month 12 noon to 4pm.
PRANCING HILL ESTATE
39 Paringa Rd, Red Hill South
The organic and biodynamic winemaking pioneers of the Mornington Peninsula. Single vineyard, estate-grown wines plus some very special imported wines
