The Pricks are off to the Yarra and surrounds then heading up Avenel way – aside from the obvious picks, any cellar doors we ought to be dropping into?
The Pricks are off to the Yarra and surrounds then heading up Avenel way – aside from the obvious picks, any cellar doors we ought to be dropping into?
Prick With A Fork 
In Victoria? Very few cellar doors I’d darken.
When in doubt – don’t drink Victorian (rule #3 of “Steve’s wine rules for greenhorns”)
Funny that, we have a saying down here, “Don’t drink anything from north of the Murray.
Too humid for grapes”.
Fowles Wine are a customer of mine.
Meant to head there when I last journeyed to Echuca, but unfortunately ran out of time….. 😦
Won “RACV 2012 ‘Best Victorian Tourism Winery”…..could still be shite, apologise if it is
Fowles Wines
1175 Lambing Gully Rd
Avenel, 3664
@Hoddle Boulevard: It may comfort you to know Rule #4: “Under no circumstances whatsoever drink anything from NSW.”
My rule is, drink anything from barossa, coonawarra, mcclaren vale, Margaret River and Mornington Peninsula. Central Victorian reds are ok also.
New Zealand, Tasmania and Yarra Valley completely overrated.
Avoid Hunter Valley like the plague.
Skoll!
If you’re driving, stop by Rutherglen for some Warrabilla and other assorted delights – Durif and fortifieds being the specialties of the area.
If you’re in no hurry, Nagambie has Chateau Tahbilk.
There ends the bargain section.
Day trips from the capital give you The Mornington Peninsula, The Bellarine Peninsula, and The Yarra Valley.
Mornington Peninsula is very good, and you’re never too far from an ocean breeze. I recommend trying Port Phillip Estate, Main Ridge, Paringa Estate. Stoniers used to be very good, but haven’t paid much attention since the family sold up to Petaluma. Merricks next door is worth a look. The view from Red Hill Estate is worth stopping in for.
On the other side of the rip (the ferry goes between Queenscliff and Sorrento) there Bannockburn and Scotchmans’s Hill.
Haven’t been keeping touch with the Yarra Valley, but there’s plenty to sample there. Coldstream Hills (James Halliday’s old place) is worth a taste, and Warramate next door can be interesting. Yarra Yering doesn’t bother with a cellar door as far as I know. Pity. Every year there’s a new joint.