Polperro Winery, Red Hill: Why visit this Mornington Peninsula winery?
The Polperro Winery in Red Hill on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula offers cellar door tastings, a restaurant with a fabulous al-fresco deck and overnight accommodation in luxury villas.
The Polperro Winery in Red Hill is one of several on the Mornington Peninsula, south-east of Melbourne, Victoria. It is, however, one of few with winery accommodation on site.
The Polperro Winery launched in 2006, run by winemaker Sam Coverdale. Coverdale has previously worked with big wine labels Tyrrell’s and Hardy’s, as well as at wineries in France, Spain and Italy. He states that his interests lie in “drinkable, balanced and elegant wines that continue to interest beyond the first glass”.
Polperro Winery cellar door and restaurant
There are several aspects to the Polperro Winery. As with many Australian wineries, this Red Hill winery operates its own cellar door, where visitors can drop in for wine tasting sessions. The Polperro cellar door is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm.
It prides itself on being a premium label, producing estate and single vineyard wines. There are no free tastings at this Red Hill winery. But the tasting sessions of the Mornington Peninsula wines are reasonably priced, costing $15. Pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay are the focus varietals.
There’s also an on-site restaurant, which is open for lunch between Wednesday and Sunday. It is also open for dinner on Saturday nights. The star attraction is the sun trap of a deck, but the menu focus on fresh, seasonal food is commendable.
Much of it comes from the Polperro Winery’s farm. Heirloom apples, stone fruit, figs, citrus, olives and organic vegetables are grown on the farm. There are also free range chickens and sheep for the grass-fed lamb.
13 fabulous Mornington Peninsula experiences to book
There are dozens of Mornington Peninsula tours available from Melbourne. The experiences listed below are aimed at those staying on the Peninsula, or with their own transport.
- Half day dolphin and seal swim from Sorrento.
- Peninsula Hot Springs fire, ice and bathe experience.
- Moonlit Sanctuary wildlife park entry ticket.
- Guided e-bike tour in Arthurs Seat State Park and beyond.
- Wildlife kayaking tour from Portsea.
- Waterbike tour from Mornington.
- Point Nepean National Park bike hire.
- French cooking class in Fingal.
- Dolphin and seal watching cruise from Sorrento.
- Mornington Peninsula wineries hop-on, hop-off bus.
- Montalto Vineyard discovery wine-tasting with lunch.
- Enchanted Garden entry ticket.
- Snorkelling with sea dragons in Portsea.
Red Hill accommodation
What makes the Polperro Winery genuinely distinctive is that you can stay the night. There are four studio apartments with king beds, open fires and spa baths. This Red Hill accommodation is not cheap though – you’re looking at $375 a night to stay in one of the Polperro Winery villas. Bookings can be made via the winery website.
You can use the villa as a base for exploring the rest of the Mornington Peninsula. The thirsty can try out the Montalto Winery, Red Hill Brewery and St Andrews Beach Brewery.
Other highlights include the Mornington Peninsula National Park, the Moonlit Sanctuary in Pearcedale and Peninsula Hot Springs. Beaches worth a look include Cheviot Beach, Mount Martha Beach, Diamond Bay and Edithvale Beach. And, in the water, you can snorkel with weedy sea dragons and swim with sea lions, before taking the Queenscliff ferry to the Bellarine Peninsula.
More Victoria travel
Cranbourne Botanical Gardens in Melbourne
Buckley Falls in Geelong.
Fishing at Lake Tyers in East Gippsland.
Terindah Estate winery on the Bellarine Peninsula.
Nagambie Brewery and the Mitchelton Estate in Nagambie, Goulburn Valley.