If you’re serious about your food and wine you won’t need much coaxing to visit the Mornington Peninsula, home to Lindenderry at Red Hill. The winery on the estate, Lindenderry Wines, was named a a five-star winery in the 2014 edition of the James Halliday Australian Wine Companion, while the boutique hotel has recently undergone a soft refurbishment. Stroll down to the cellar door for a tasting of its award-wining vintages (the 2011 Red Hill Estate chardonnay is a crowd favourite) before sitting back with a grazing plate of cured meats and pickles, looking out over the vines. Dinner at The Linden Tree is a more intimate affair with executive chef Phillip Edwards (a former Chef of the Year) plating up seasonal fare with, of course, brilliant wines. Lindenderry is just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne, longer of course if you stop at all the wineries along the way.
Staying there
Rooms are priced from A$440 per night. lancemore.com.au/lindenderry