Geelong's newest wine destination has arrived.
Set across a sprawling 1500-acres, with 150 under vine, Austin’s Wines is nestled in the Moorabool Valley between Ballarat and Geelong and has become a favourite amongst locals for wine designed for sharing life’s best moments, both big and small.
Oozing with charm, the winery has finally opened the doors to its new cellar door, providing the region with an ambitious mix of art, heritage, food and wine.
Located on the Austin’s family-owned vineyard in Sutherlands Creek, the stunning cellar door is a converted 1960s shearing shed featuring spotted gum and corrugated iron decor, with sweeping views of the Moorabool Valley.
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Reflecting its heritage and character as a quintessential Aussie shearing shed, but with a modern twist, the new cellar door is a dream come true for Austin’s Wines co-founders Belinda and Scott Austin, who have harnessed 30 years of Austin’s winemaking history and successfully reshaped the ‘typical’ Australian fine wine occasion into a vibrant, exploratory and welcoming experience.
“It has been a vision of ours for more than eight years to have a cellar door, however it didn’t feel the right time to do while we were building the 6Ft6 brand,” Belinda said.
“We enjoy meeting our customers and seeing them connect over a glass or two of wine, so the cellar door just seemed like the right direction for us. It is also the key to growing our estate range – Austin’s – which is at the heart of what we do.
“We couldn’t have achieved this without the help from the team – particularly our business development manager Liz Gant and Tim James who used to be co-owner of well-regarded venue Kettle Black in Melbourne, who we pretty much captured as part of a tree change.”
It’s easy to lose a day at the new cellar door. The Austins have transformed one of the property’s original shearing sheds into a state-of-the-art facility complete with an original ceiling and a large bar area for wine tastings with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. In keeping with the winery’s local-first ethos, local trades and businesses had helped with sourcing materials and constructing the airy, natural-light-filled space which is made of spotted gum and corrugated iron with handmade concrete tiles in a beautiful shade of green to bring the outside in and complement the views across the grass and vines.
Complete with timber bar tops, a huge custom bar light and elegant decor, it’s a sleek space from the inside out where everything has been considered, to the point of terracotta tiles being used in the bathrooms to represent the rich terroir of the Moorabool Valley.
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The cellar door will be open Thursday to Monday from 11am-5pm for wine tastings. Visitors can also book in for a picnic lunch on the property’s extensive lawn or sit at the bar and enjoy the view with a glass of their favourite drop. Produce platter packs and local and imported cheese served generously alongside crusty bread, local honey and a fresh item will be available, as well as a selection of Timboon Ice Cream available for those after-wine treats.
On weekends Sticks and Bones will be serving an extensive BBQ menu for casual eats. Smoked over 100% wood for 4-10 hours, it’s a modern take on a classic American bbq. Think Cape Grim Brisket burger, pickle, jalapeño cream cheese; Smoked crispy Bannockburn chicken tacos, chipotle slaw, pickl; Korean fried cauliflower tacos, chipotle slaw; and Portarlington Mussels, smoked whiskey cream, with charred sourdough.
There will also be picnic packs and local cheese hampers for something a little romantic or for a group of friends.
Scott said the whole team is excited to welcome wine lovers to the new cellar door.
“Now that Belinda and I have settled here with our little family, the time is right to bring people in and share these views and the amazing products produced here,” Scott says.
“This region we call the Moorabool Valley is a hidden gem and waiting to be discovered. With our cellar door part of a thriving food and wine scene, it’s the right time to showcase it.”
The cellar door will be open Thursday to Monday from 11am to 5pm for wine tastings and located in Sutherlands Creek, a beautiful but slightly hidden pocket of the world.
For more, visit austinswines.com.au
