Best Wineries In Gippsland: Cellar Doors, Winery Lunches And Vineyard Stays

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Gippsland’s winery scene offers more than a quick tasting. Across the region, you’ll find relaxed cellar doors, thoughtful winery lunches, and vineyard stays that turn a simple visit into a proper country escape. 

The wineries below have been selected for what they bring to the trip, from seasonal dining and cool-climate wine styles to scenic vineyard settings and easy weekend stays. 

Top Wineries in Gippsland at a Glance

Central Gippsland works well for a fuller estate experience, South Gippsland pairs naturally with a coastal weekend, West Gippsland is easy to reach from Melbourne about 4 hours by car, and East Gippsland rewards travellers willing to stay a little longer.

RegionWineryBest forStandout detail
Central GippslandCarrajung EstateLong lunch, stay, celebrationsEstate-grown wines with on-site dining and accommodation
Narkoojee Winery & RestaurantClassic cellar door and lunchRestaurant and Strzelecki Ranges outlook
Blue Gables VineyardBoutique lunch stopHilltop vineyard with lunch and pizza pairing in the tastings
Glenmaggie WinesRelaxed local hospitalitySeasonal menu and natural settings
The Vines on AvonScenic lunch stop for different functionsScenic Avon River Valley outlook
South GippslandDirty Three WinesInverloch tasting stopIn-town cellar door with entertainment on-site
Waratah Hills VineyardScenic detour near the PromSouthernmost conventional mainland vineyard and cellar door
Fleet WinesSerious hosted tastingIntimate, personal guided experience
Gippsland Wine CompanySmall-batch tastingLoch cellar door with late ripening-grape wines
Harman WinesLunch, platters and pizzaFamily-run venue with pergola and kitchen garden
West GippslandRipplebrook WineryCasual food and wine stopItalian woodfired pizzas at the cellar door.
Bass River WineryQuiet tastingApplying technology to create desired wine taste.
Cannibal Creek VineyardWinery lunchModern-Australian sharing menu and local produce
East GippslandLightfoot WinesScenic tasting board and deckMitchell River Valley views with traditional wine flavours.
Nicholson River WineryPersonal tastingFamily-run winery with Wine & Cheese Matching Classes
Wyanga Park WineryLunch and wide ranges of alternative winesDaily tastings plus lunch cruises
Tambo WineryQuiet rural cellar doorEase temperature on-site, suitable for relaxed wine tastings experience.

Best Wineries in Central Gippsland, VIC

Carrajung Estate

Unwind In Cosy Cottages Surrounded By Nature At Carrajung Estate

Address: 322 Lays Rd, Willung South VIC 3847

Opening hours:

  • Accommodation: Available all week
  • Restaurant Dining:
    • Lunch: Thursday – Sunday, 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM.
    • Dinner: Thursday – Saturday, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
  • Cellar Door & Wine Tastings
    • Friday – Sunday: Set tasting times at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM.

Highlights: estate-grown wine varieties with restaurants onsite, Strzelecki Ranges setting, boutique accommodation, weddings and events.

Carrajung Estate is a strong first stop for anyone searching for wineries in Gippsland that offer more than a tasting. The estate pairs estate-grown cool-climate wines with a produce-led restaurant, crafting from locally sourced ingredients surrounding Gippsland’s specialties: grass-fed beef, artisan cheeses, and homemade pasta. 

With a range of award-winning wines, Carrajung Estate introduces visitors to an exceptional tasting experience, walking through the Estate’s signature wine, including Carrajung Estate’s Gold Medal 2024 Chardonnay as well as Pinot Noir. 

Narkoojee Winery & Restaurant

Narkoojee Winery & Restaurant

Highlights: Cellar door tastings, restaurant dining, cool-climate wines, Strzelecki Ranges views.

Narkoojee is one of the best-known Gippsland wineries for travellers who want a classic cellar door experience with lunch built in. The winery is known for premium cool-climate wines, and the restaurant adds real depth to the visit, complementing the experience. 

Narkoojee Winery is a good pick for couples or small groups wanting a peaceful afternoon with sweeping views over the landscapes and an established wine-and-food experience.

Blue Gables Winery

Blue Gables Winery

Highlights: Boutique vineyard, lunch and wine tastings, elevated setting above the Newry flats.

Sits high above the surrounding country and leans into a lunch-and-tasting format, Blue Gables suits visitors who like smaller boutique wineries in Gippsland with a clear sense of place. 

The family-run background and hand-picked fruit help them capture the bursting flavor of the grapes, while the hilltop position gives it a different feel from the flatter vineyard pockets further east. All of the relaxed settings make Blue Gables a desirable winery in Gippsland that you should try. 

Glenmaggie Wines

Glenmaggie Wines

Highlights: Share-style menu, wine tastings, local produce, pet-friendly settings, welcoming deck, and valley outlook.

Glenmaggie Wines is worth adding to a Central Gippsland wine trail if you prefer something relaxed and personal. The cellar door mixes tastings with a share-style food offering, which makes it easy to settle in, and a guide from the owners to the sample of fruits he has been preserving in the kitchen. 

Every part of Glenmaggie is imprinted with memories, which makes the atmosphere more personal than polished, and that is part of its appeal, especially for travellers looking for warm hospitality and regional produce in one stop.

Avon Ridge Vineyard

Avon Ridge Vineyard

Highlights: Avon River Valley views, breakfast or lunch focus, local produce, Sunday sessions often noted in regional guides.

Avon Ridge Vineyard works best as a scenic lunch stop rather than a formal tasting destination. Regional listings consistently point to its valley outlook and produce-led food offering, which is why it suits visitors wanting to enjoy their time around breakfast or lunch. 

Sunday sessions are often mentioned as part of the experience, so it is a good choice for anyone who wants Gippsland scrumptious food and wine with a more casual, local rhythm.

Top-Rated Wineries in South Gippsland

Dirty Three Wines

gippsland wineries

Highlights: Guided tastings, local grazing platters, convenient in-town cellar door.

Dirty Three Wines is one of the handiest South Gippsland wineries to visit if you are staying near Inverloch. The cellar door is in town, making it feel more like a modern wine bar with a cellar door licence. 

Dirty Three Wines is suitable for a casual tasting, a platter and a glass, or a wine break that fits easily into a coastal weekend. When arriving, guests also have a chance to participate in live music and entertainment, making the experience more engaging and joyful.

Waratah Hills Vineyard

Waratah Hills Vineyard

Address: 20 Cottmans Rd, Fish Creek VIC 3959
Opening hours: 

  • Friday and Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM – 10 PM
  • Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Highlights: Southernmost mainland vineyard and cellar door, low-intervention focus, strong Pinot Noir and Chardonnay credentials.

On the way to Wilsons Promontory, a wine stop that feels genuinely tied to the place like Waratah Hills can be a nice add-on destination in the south of Victoria. 

Located in the mainland Australia’s southernmost vineyard and cellar door, Waratah Hills is also a restaurant onsite, combining wine tasting and dining within the Wilsons area, with special dishes like gnocchi and pork belly often amaze visitors. 

Fleet Wines

Fleet Wines

Address: 154 Old Korumburra Rd, Leongatha VIC 3953
Opening hours: By appointment
Highlights: Guided tastings with seasonal snacks, pet-friendly facility, small-group format, immersive hosted experience.

Fleet Wines is better suited to visitors who want a deliberate tasting rather than a casual drop-in. Bookings are essential, and the hosted format gives guests time to explore six wines alongside seasonal snacks, with interesting lores about the region’s originality. 

This combination is particularly appealing for drinkers interested in site expression, minimal-intervention winemaking.

Gippsland Wine Company

Gippsland Wine Company

Highlights: Small-batch cool-climate wines, delivery available, tastings and vintage masterclasses, Loch cellar door with rolling hill views.

Gippsland Wine Company is a smart stop for travellers exploring wineries near Melbourne, where wine tasting is curated to personal preferences. The cellar door focuses on small-batch, cool-climate wines and also runs tastings and vintage masterclasses, which gives the visit a bit more substance. Here, visitors can have a talk with the owner, understanding better about the craftsmanship behind each batch of wine varieties. 

Harman Wines

Harman Wines

Highlights: Family-run cellar door, tapas and woodfired pizza, pergola seating, kitchen garden and local produce.

Harman Wines is one of the more rounded South Gippsland wineries for visitors who want food as much as wine. The venue combines tastings with lunch, dinner, platters, and woodfired pizza, bringing Italian flavours onto the table. 

Besides scrumptious meals, the pergola, grassed seating and kitchen garden all help Harman Wines land as an easy-going place to gather with friends.

Highly Recommended Wineries in West Gippsland

Ripplebrook Winery

Ripplebrook Winery

Highlights: Cellar door food offering, woodfired pizzas, casual regional stop.

Ripplebrook Winery is a good example of a winery where travellers can keep relaxed at lunch. The cellar door is currently paired with Laura Rae’s Kitchen, you can match tasting with woodfired pizzas and simple, shareable food rather like gnocchi and mushroom handmade fettuccine. 

Ripplebrook Winery is well suited to a casual afternoon in West Gippsland, especially if you want a winery tasting and add-on activities such as visiting the farm later on. 

Bass River Winery

Bass River Winery

Highlights: Peaceful cellar door, established South Gippsland vineyard, quiet tasting setting.

Bass River Winery is a sensible choice for travellers looking for a quieter cellar door in Gippsland without a big restaurant scene attached. Bass River Winery works well as a low-key stop, with its wine applying technology like cold and hot brewing to gain the desired flavours, while exploring the Bass Coast and South Gippsland region. 

Cannibal Creek Vineyard

Cannibal Creek Vineyard

Highlights: Produce-driven sharing menu, French-inspired wine style, local suppliers and on-site kitchen garden.

Cannibal Creek stands out among West Gippsland wineries with a proper vineyard restaurant and a clear food-and-wine philosophy, combining dining onsite with small batches of estate-grown wines. The menu is Modern Australian and share-friendly, while the wines take inspiration from French regions including Bordeaux and Burgundy. 

Visiting Cannibal Creek can give you a comprehensive view of food and wine experience in Gippsland, helping you understand the background of this philosophy.

Must-Visit Wineries in East Gippsland

Lightfoot Wines

Lightfoot Wines

Highlights: Mitchell River Valley deck views, tasting boards, local platters, and a relaxed cellar door.

Lightfoot Wines is one of the most scenic East Gippsland wineries for a tasting that can easily stretch into the afternoon. The cellar door sits above the Mitchell River Valley, and the deck is a big part of the experience, especially with a tasting board or local platter in front of you. 

It is a strong choice for visitors who want wine tasting Gippsland style without needing a full restaurant booking, as the wineries welcome walk-ins also. 

Nicholson River Winery

Nicholson River Winery

Highlights: Personal tastings, European-styled Australian wines, preservative-free and natural options also available.

Nicholson River Winery suits drinkers who prefer family-run producers and a more hands-on conversation about wine. The winery has long focused on European-styled Australian wines, and its broader range includes preservative-free, sulphite-free, and natural wines as well. 

As soon as guests arrive, they are already invited to do wine tasting, smoothly transitioning into the place. Nicholson River Winery is a good fit for travellers who like hearing the thinking behind the bottle, with warm welcomes to the community.

Wyanga Park Winery

Wyanga Park Winery

Address: 248 Baades Rd, Lakes Entrance VIC 3909
Opening hours: 

  • Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday to Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday and Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Highlights: Daily tastings, lunch service, cruise option, lake-and-bush setting near Lakes Entrance.

Wyanga Park Winery is one of the more distinctive East Gippsland cellar doors, offering more than the standard drive-in tasting with fusion cuisine from East to West. Alongside daily wine tasting and lunch, the property also runs lunch cruises, which give visitors a different way to experience the area. 

Tambo Winery

Tambo Winery

Highlights: Tambo Upper cellar door, single-site character, peaceful rural setting.

Tambo Winery is a quieter East Gippsland option that rewards visitors who enjoy slower cellar door experiences. The winery places a strong emphasis on fruit character and site expression, and its Tambo Upper setting gives it a distinctly rural, refreshing option while tasting a chilly glass of wine. 

Tambo Winery is a good inclusion on an East Gippsland wine trail if you want something personal, with some pet-assistant on-site.

All In One Place For Winery Experience In Gippsland

The ideal way to enjoy wine tasting is to pair it with a relaxed lunch, but staying onsite gives you even more time to slow down and immerse yourself in the rural setting. At Carrajung Estate, cottages are prepared for long rest, perfect for visitors who want to spend a weekend and enjoy all amenities in one place.

This makes Carrajung Estate especially appealing for couples, weekend travellers, and groups who want food, wine, accommodation, and celebrations to feel connected rather than rushed across different venues.

Easy Steps to Host Luxury Corporate Lunches & Retreats at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland

Top Wines to Taste at Carrajung Estate

  • 2024 Gold medal-winning Chardonnay (Gold Medal, 95 points – Gippsland Wine Awards 2025)
  • Pinot Noir
  • 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2024 Estate Riesling
  • 2022 Estate Rose
  • 2020 Vintage Sparkling Chardonnay
  • 2024 Sparkling Rosé

For travellers looking for a place where they can eat, drink, stay and celebrate in one setting, Carrajung Estate offers a distinctly complete way to experience Gippsland. Book directly with Carrajung Estate to enjoy the best rates and a more personalized experience.

FAQs

1. Are Gippsland Wineries Close Enough For A Day Trip From Melbourne?

Yes. Several wineries in Gippsland are accessible for a day trip, especially in West and South Gippsland with around 1.5 to 2 hours driving from Melbourne, while Central and East Gippsland work better if you want to add lunch, extra cellar doors or an overnight stay. 

2. What Styles Of Wine Is The Gippsland Wine Region Known For?

Gippsland is best known for cool-climate wines, especially Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, although producers across the region also work with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and sparkling styles. The combination of coastline, hills and long growing seasons gives the region a broad but recognisably cool-climate profile.

3. Do You Need To Book Wine Tastings In Gippsland?

It depends on the winery. Some cellar doors welcome walk-ins, while others strongly recommend bookings or run by-appointment tastings only. Fleet Wines, for example, is booking, while Narkoojee and several others advise reserving ahead, especially for groups and weekends.

4. Are There Any Pet-Friendly Wineries In Gippsland?

Yes. If you’re planning a Gippsland winery escape with your pet, Carrajung Estate is a practical choice, with pets allowed in selected onsite cottages, making it easy to enjoy a relaxed weekend in Gippsland without leaving your pet behind.

5. Where Should You Stay If You Want To Turn A Gippsland Wine Trip Into A Weekend Escape?

A stay on or near a winery makes the trip much easier, especially if you want dinner, a second tasting, or a slower morning the next day. Carrajung Estate is one of the clearest options for that style of trip, combining vineyard accommodation, dining and wine in one destination.

Catering & Take Away Menu

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  • Fri – Sun @ 11am, 3pm or 5pm ($15pp).
  • Generally adjacent to lunch or dinner bookings. Note: wine tastings are not available during meal service.
  • By appointment only all other days 12-5pm.