ACTIVITIES RED HILL

The family-owned winery, Foxeys Hangout Winery, grows, makes and sells acclaimed cool-climate wines in the beautiful hills of the Mornington Peninsula, just an hour's drive south of Melbourne. Winemaker brothers Michael and Tony Lee are former Melbourne restaurateurs who turned their years of love and knowledge of fine wines into a livelihood when they planted the first of their three small Peninsula vineyards. The brothers personally make the wines on site at Red Hill and specialise in the Peninsula's flagship varieties, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as Pinot Gris. The Foxeys Hangout Winery range also features Peninsula Shiraz, including the winner of four major wine show trophies, a popular and highly rated sparkling version and a vintage port. The Foxeys Hangout Winery wines have been well received by some of Australia's most respected critics and have won numerous show medals. The Foxeys cellar door and kitchen is located at picturesque Red Hill on a historic farming property. Personally staffed by Michael and Tony, it is an intimate but striking architect-designed space with superb valley views over the vineyard. Tony is also a trained chef and serves wine-bar style appetizers from the cellar door's open kitchen, while Michael oversees tastings and runs Foxeys Hangout Winery unique customised sparkling bottling sessions. "The Lee brothers' experience and instinct for food and wine shows in the Foxeys Hangout winery. The stylish, relaxed cellar door occupies an ultra-smart, airy, wood-panelled room with a wall of glass bringing a vista of pines, eucalypts and a cosy little amphitheatre of vines to the doorstep. Quality wine-bar-type snacks slot well with the very good estate wines, and you can even help make your own sparkling wine." Ralph Kyte-Powell

Eldridge Estate of Red Hill is listed as a five-star winery in James Halliday Wine Companion 2010 and listed as a five gold star producer in Rob Geddes Australian Wine Vintages 2010. Renowned for highly-rated Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay, a feature of all Eldridge wines is elegance and palate length. Jancis Robinson classified the Pinot as one of six Australian Pinots that have Burgundian style, loving the balance and succulent juicy fruit of the 2006 Pinot. Peter Bourne feels that "Eldridge Estate Pinot Noir is among the region's more subtle and stylish Pinots". Tyson Stelzer on Eldridge Pinot Noir "There is refreshing poise to the cherry blossom and red cherry flavours on parade here. Noted wine writers Sally Gudgeon, Huon Hooke, Rob Geddes and James Halliday have commented that the Eldridge Estate Chardonnay is one of the regions most consistent and best. Ralph Kyte-Powell, writer for Delicious Magazine and The Age has commented that "the Eldridge Gamay should be on everyone's shopping list". At just three hectares, but with some of the oldest vines in the district, the winery is in one of the coolest elevated sub-regions of the Mornington Peninsula. The single-vineyard wines are available from cellar door, online, mailing list and in selected fine restaurants Australia-wide. 'David and Wendy Lloyd, owners of Eldridge Estate, are passionate about wine, and their love of it is infectious. The mature, picturesque valley vineyard provides outstanding Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, and clonal and technical experimentation ensure a quality focus. Gamay, the succulent grape of France's famous red Beaujolais performs well here, a unique companion to Mornington Peninsula cuisine, especially when the weather warms up. The Lloyds also source Shiraz from a small vineyard at Euroa in Central Victoria to make a big, tasty red of great concentration.' Ralph Kyte-Powell.

Established in 1989, Darling Park has earned a reputation for producing exquisite wines that reflect the cool climate of the Mornington Peninsula. Open for tastings every day of the week, Darling Park specialise in Pinot Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, Rosé, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, and late harvest (Cane-cut) Pinot Gris. Lunch is available daily. 'Darling Park's driveway descends a hill to the cellar door, leaving the bustle of the main road well behind. There's a slight, fairy-tale feel in this forest clearing. The cellar door has a pointy tower, undulating mosaic 'landscapes' grace a little children's area outside, and wine labels feature fantasies by leading artists. Further down, a little grassy sward by Dunn's Creek has picnic tables, and a well-tended vineyard climbs back up the hill from the winery. Wine quality is very good, the atmosphere is magical.' Ralph Kyte-Powell.