In search of a grape escape?
Hit the road to some of the Ballarat and Pyrenees region's best wineries and wake up in an off-grid cabin, 1920s homestead or eco-friendly lodge.
Even better still, you'll have charming cellar doors, on-site restaurants and stunning landscapes literally right at your front door.
Wayward Winery
76 Quoin Hill Road, Waubra
A destination winery with sweeping views of the Pyrenees Ranges? Tick! A modern restaurant with an emphasis on cooking with fire? Tick! A 1920s four-bedroom homestead? Tick!
Waubra's Wayward Winery is located on the side of the dormant Quoin Hill volcano, with four grape varieties grown on-site (pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonnay and shiraz) for the W.O.W. label.
Set amongst the vines, the recently-renovated homestead is the perfect haven for luxury weekend stays with family and friends.
Choose from two bedrooms or four and make the most of the two living areas and crackling wood fire and grapes.
And then there's EMBR – Wayward's 60-seat restaurant which uses an Argentinian grill and wood-fired pizza oven to deliver a sensational seasonal menu showcasing local produce.
Unyoked at Peerick
155 Wild Dog Track, Warrenmang
Disconnect to reconnect at one of Peerick's four off-grid cabins.
The Pyrenees vineyard has teamed up with Unyoked to offer these unique wilderness experiences.
Three of the cabins – Frankie, Orla and Neada – are only accessible via a 20-minute hike from the winery into the Pyrenees Ranges.
The remaining cabin, Jude, is a leisurely 10-minute walk from Peerick's carpark.
Each of the remote cabins has undisrupted views of the vineyard and rolling Pyrenees hills.
The word 'Peerick' is derived from the Aboriginal word ‘beeric’ – meaning 'wild cat' – and was bestowed on the region by its traditional custodians, the Dja Dja Wurrung people.
Today, the family-run Peerick is a boutique producer of multi award-winning sparkling, white, red and blended still wines including sparkling shiraz, sauvignon blanc, viognier, semillon plus cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, shiraz, merlot, pinot noir and grenache.
Grape Farm Cottage at Grape Farm Winery
107 McAdams Lane, Moonambel
Nestled within the family-run Grape Farm Winery is the super cute one-bedroom Grape Farm Cottage.
The stylish country retreat has stunning views over the vineyard and surrounding hills.
Established in 1976, the Pyrenees winery features 10 acres of mature shiraz, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, riesling, sauvignon blanc, semillon, pinot noir, cabernet franc and chardonnay vines, plus newer plantings of nebbiolo, sangiovese and viognier.
Eco-Luxe at Mount Avoca
Moates Lane, Avoca
Mount Avoca's three self-contained Eco-Luxe lodges were built to reflect the winery's environmental values.
Think:
- architecturally designed to maximise passive heating and cooling
- eco-friendly materials to minimise carbon footprint
- plantation-grown, native Australian cypress pine cladding
- native spotted gum flooring
- a water tank and biological sewerage treatment at each lodge
You'll find the four-star lodges tucked away amongst the picturesque vineyard and olive groves.
Mount Avoca has made a name for itself as one of Australia's most highly awarded organic wineries.
Its line-up includes classic shiraz, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo, lagrein, reserve shiraz and sparkling Shiraz, along with chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, viognier and sparkling.
Summerfield Winery
5967 Stawell-Avoca Road, Moonambel
Take your pick from six spacious studio apartments at Moonambel's Summerfield Winery.
Adjacent to the cellar door and overlooking the manicured gardens, each apartment sleeps up to four people.
Summerfield Winery has been transforming specialty grapes into hearty, bold reds for over 40 years now.
These award-winning drops are teamed with a menu brimming with local produce in the winery's 80-seat restaurant and gourmet deli.
Wood-fired pizzas are Summerfield's specialty, along with stone-baked artisan poolish sourdough bread.
Monterey Eco Stay at Captains Creek Organic Wines
120 Kangaroo Hills Road, Blampied
Just 2km from Blampied's Captains Creek Organic Wines is its secluded tiny house, Monterey Eco Stay.
Unwind in nature amongst 35 acres of native forest and wildflowers.
The off-grid cabin is built from salvaged Monterey Cypress timber.
It sleeps two to four people, with a king-sized bed downstairs and a cosy double bed in the upstairs loft.
Since 1909, four generations of the May family have run Captains Creek's 80-hectare farm.
Pay a visit to the cellar door and cafe to sample the vineyard's handcrafted organic wines, including sparkling white and red, unoaked and oaked chardonnay, rose, pinot noir and farmhouse-style apple ciders.
