Yarra Valley Wine Tours

A Yarra Valley wine tour is a guided day of cellar door tastings and lunch in Victoria's first major wine-growing district, which is about an hour from Melbourne. Tours either collect you from the city or start in the valley, and they differ most in group size and pace. This page sits within the wider range of Yarra Valley tours and day trips, and you can compare more formats across the Yarra Valley wine tour options listed nationally.

What Yarra Valley wine is like

The Yarra Valley is one of Australia's coolest wine regions, with mild summers and misty, wet winters, and altitudes that create a range of microclimates. Chardonnay here tends to be elegant and fresh with citrus acidity, and the region is regarded as a pioneer of modern Pinot Noir. Shiraz and cabernet sauvignon are grown too, and a few producers work with nebbiolo and arneis. That variety is why a tour that visits several cellar doors in a day shows more than a single winery tasting would.

Winery day tours from Melbourne

A bus or minibus day is the most common way to do a Yarra Valley wine tour. The Yarra Valley Winery & Chocolate Tasting Tour with Lunch visits four wineries for tastings, with lunch and a glass of wine at one of them, and stops at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie for chocolate tastings. It runs as a full-day trip with a CBD hotel pick-up around 9am or 9.30am and a return at about 4pm.

A smaller group changes the feel of the day. The Yarra Valley Vintages and Villages Day Tour uses a 15-seat vehicle through the Green Wedge's hills and vineyards, with tastings at three boutique wineries showing the valley's cool-climate wines, a two-course lunch with a glass of wine, and free time in the town of Healesville. Pick-up and drop-off are at Melbourne CBD and St Kilda accommodation.

Wine tours by bike on the Warburton Rail Trail

A wine tour does not have to be on a bus. The Yarra Valley Bike Tour with Lunch and Drinks is a guided 6-hour ride along the easy Warburton Rail Trail past vineyards, paddocks and mountain views. It stops for morning tea at the Carriage Cafe, then lunch at a winery with a glass of wine, beer or soft drink and tastings at two wineries. The bike, helmet and water bottle are provided.

Because the tour meets at Woori Yallock Station car park rather than in Melbourne, you need your own way to the start.

Choosing between Yarra Valley wine tours

Group size and pace are the main differences. A tour that adds chocolate tasting can fit four cellar doors into the day, a small-group tour visits three boutique wineries and leaves free time in Healesville, and the bike tour spends part of the day on the trail. Pick-up matters too: tours that collect from your Melbourne hotel remove the driving, which makes them the easier choice for a tasting day.

Most tours include lunch and a glass of wine, but check the product page for what is covered. Wear weather-appropriate layers, since the valley is cool, and bring a hat, sunscreen and water for the outdoor stops.

Frequently asked questions

How far is the Yarra Valley from Melbourne?

The Yarra Valley is about an hour from Melbourne. Yarra Valley wine tours with pick-up from Melbourne's CBD typically run as a day trip that returns in the late afternoon.

What wine is the Yarra Valley known for?

The Yarra Valley is known for cool-climate wines, especially chardonnay and pinot noir, with shiraz and cabernet sauvignon also grown. It is Victoria's first major wine-growing district.

Do Yarra Valley wine tours include lunch?

Yes. The Yarra Valley Winery & Chocolate Tasting Tour with Lunch includes lunch with a glass of wine at one of the wineries, and the Yarra Valley Vintages and Villages Day Tour includes a two-course lunch with a glass of wine.

Do Yarra Valley wine tours pick you up from Melbourne?

Many do. The Yarra Valley Winery & Chocolate Tasting Tour with Lunch picks up from a CBD hotel, and the Yarra Valley Vintages and Villages Day Tour picks up from Melbourne CBD and St Kilda accommodation. The Yarra Valley Bike Tour meets at Woori Yallock Station car park.

Can I take children on a Yarra Valley wine tour?

Check each tour. The Yarra Valley Vintages and Villages Day Tour is for adults only, the Yarra Valley Winery & Chocolate Tasting Tour with Lunch is sold for ages 16 and over, and the bike tour is sold as an adult ticket.

Choose the pace that suits your group, then book a Yarra Valley wine tour from Melbourne, or head back up to the full Yarra Valley tours range for wildlife, farm and steam train days.