Experience Yarra Valley wineries’ culinary offerings on an extraordinary gourmet journey! Meet passionate winemakers while tastings, food stalls, masterclasses and entertainment take place among stunning vineyard settings.
Explore world-famous wineries like TarraWarra Estate and experience how Australian expertise marries with French Champagne heritage. Bike along a winery tour or take Puffing Billy for an immersive mountain experience.
1. Shedfest
Shedfest, an annual family-owned vineyard festival held over October 14 and 15, highlights 11 small wineries that specialize in family vineyards. Over two days (14-15) visitors can explore their cellar-door specials, taste wine specials from new vintage releases as well as enjoy tastings with tasting menus that include homemade pies, cheese platters and slow-cooked meat dishes at each shedfest venue.
There’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained during Shedfest, including lawn games such as croquet and petanque, live music performances and children’s entertainment. Tickets are reasonably priced – in fact children and non-drinkers get in free! Shedfest tickets make a fantastic way to spend a day or weekend exploring Yarra Valley wine country.
Shedfest offers workshops dedicated to wine making for anyone with a deep interest. You can meet winemakers and learn how they create their wines; or join one of Shedfest’s knowledgeable team members on an optional winery tour.
Shedfest offers the perfect chance for friends or families to explore Melbourne and surrounding suburbs with ease and relaxation. Epicurean Food and Wine Tours’ Shedfest tour makes planning easier by picking you up at your accommodation and transporting you directly to its venues at your convenience – not to mention providing you with transport, transfers, souvenir glasses and entry into all four participating wineries for just $150 per person per tour!
Shedfest takes place every year at Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve in Bedminster and is hosted by Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA), a charitable organisation dedicated to safeguarding Yarra Valley land and clean waterways. At this year’s Shedfest you can listen to Hub Hollow, Nick Dunbar and Sad Cowboy perform live, as well as sampling food trucks as well as trying local craft beer or cider from Sunken Silo Brew Works and Burnt Mills Cidery.
2. Yarra Valley Food & Wine Festival
The Yarra Valley Food & Wine Festival is a spectacular extravaganza dedicated to local produce. Showcasing cheeses, jams and chocolate from around the region as well as culinary workshops and masterclasses available, live performances by musicians as well as interactive experiences suitable for all ages are just part of what makes this celebration great!
The Yarra Valley is known for producing world-class wines, but also boasts an equally esteemed food scene attracting visitors from around the globe.
Yarra Valley’s food scene is defined by its distinctive soils, climate and topography that define its distinct terroir – this sense of place translates directly into its vineyard wines produced there.
Experience some of this delicious local cuisine in one of the region’s many restaurants, such as those found at Balgownie Estate and Coldstream Dairy, Yarra Valley Pizza, Yarra Valley Chocolaterie or Jude’s Gin Garden.
Wine enthusiasts can explore Yarra Valley Wineries with a Winery Tour. This experience includes shared return transfers, an English-speaking driver-guide and lunch at one of its wineries.
On this tour of Yarra Valley wineries and gourmet foods, you’ll get to taste wines from various wineries while sampling expertly made gourmet cuisine. Enjoy a four-course dinner matched with wines at Billanook Estate or Steels Gate Boat O’Craigo; or treat yourself to Jude’s Gin Garden’s Gin and Tonic Tasting Paddle for something different altogether.
The Yarra Valley is an exquisitely beautiful region that blossoms throughout each season. Springtime sees Tesselaar Park filled with blooming tulips while National Rhododendron Gardens bloom with camellias and rhododendrons ablaze with color. Plus, taking in nature is easy with hiking and walking trails in Dandenong Ranges offering access to these natural spaces!
3. Fireside Winter Twilight Market
Fireside Winter Twilight Market returns this year after its successful pilot event last year, this time with an emphasis on local wine and food producers. Drawing inspiration from the famed European Christmas markets, this evening will take place at Healesville Railway and tickets cost $45 or $55 on the night – tickets include wine tastings as well as one glass of wine, beer or cider to take home with you and food from Lulu’s Bar & Burgers, Hubert Estate or Stone & Crow Cheese Company to name just some!
Food and beverage experiences will range from grazing tables displaying seasonal winter produce, to an authentic Christmas dinner complete with live entertainment, with cooking demonstrations and interactive experiences also offered as part of their experience.
With so much on offer in the Yarra Valley, it is no wonder why it makes for such an ideal family getaway destination. From taking in Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary’s spectacular animal habitats to relaxing steam train cruises or discovering stunning vineyard landscapes – there’s plenty for everyone here!
If you are looking for something more intimate, why not visit Milk the Cow Licensed Fromagerie for a Cheese and Wine Pairing Experience. Delight in delicious cheese from Yarra Valley dairy combined with wines, beers and ciders from Kellybrook Winery and Napoleone Brewery?
Ideal for couples, friends and solo travellers alike, this festival celebrates all that Melbourne’s most accessible wine region has to offer in wintertime – exceptional wines and fine cuisine set against moody skies and crisp nights.
4. Yarra Valley Wine Festival
Victoria’s Yarra Valley is one of the country’s premier wine regions, known for producing Chardonnay and sparkling wines, with plenty of cellar doors offering delicious local food products and wines.
The Yarra Valley Wine Festival is an annual event that showcases some of the region’s finest gourmet treats. Boasting world-class wines, exquisite food and breath-taking scenery – it’s sure to provide a sensory treat! Visitors can explore their rich cultural heritage and embrace unique local traditions during this unique experience.
Visit the official website for more details and visit this month to attend.
Under a shimmering wood firelight, the Yarra Valley Wine Festival’s Fireside Winter Twilight Market provides the ideal setting to experience local food and wine culture. Showcasing boutique and independent producers who champion diversity within Australia’s wine scene, the market takes place against the scenic Yarra Valley railway backdrop with tastings available from participating venues.
At this event, visitors can participate in various other activities and events. Milk the Cow Licensed Fromagerie provides a delicious way to discover all that Yarra Valley dairy offers with eight artisan cheeses served alongside wines from this region and beer from Victoria. Or join in Meet the Winemaker series where participants learn all about regional winemaking processes as well as stories behind each bottle produced here.
Are you interested in discovering the vineyards of the Yarra Valley? Book a Yarra Valley Wine Tour on RedBalloon to experience premium vineyards with entertaining presentations and a restaurant lunch featuring wine. Additionally, you will visit Domaine Chandon, Australia’s No.1 sparkling wine producer!
Yarra Valley is an inviting locale offering endless attractions and experiences, from fine wines and local cuisine to stunning landscapes and more. Whatever your interest is, there will surely be something suitable to your budget and needs!