Family owned, family grown and family made: Bellarine Estate is worth the cruisy road trip.
Established in 1996, Bellarine Estate is one of the oldest wineries on the Bellarine Peninsula, with Peter and Lizette Kenny at the heart of it all.
Sprawled across a 100-acre property on the northern slopes of the hills between Drysdale and Portarlington, overlooking Corio Bay, the winery not only produces some of Victoria’s finest Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier – but also has recently launched a gin distillery on-site, as well as stunning new Glamping accommodation – in case you needed more of a reason to get there.
Need some accommodation? Check out the best stays and hotels in Geelong here.
Entirely locally made, every stage of the winemaking process, from growing the grapes on the area’s rich ballast soils all the way to the final bottling, occurs on-site at the winery, a mere 20-minute drive from Geelong.
The Bellarine Estate property is home to the Kenny Family’s two chief wine labels – Bellarine Estate and Portarlington Ridge @ Bellarine Estate, a new gin distillery – Thirty Acres Distillery @ Bellarine Estate (producing world-class gin onsite the estate property), a cellar door, Texas BBQ @ Bellarine Estate (including Lizette’s family recipe for brisket) and the winery’s new luxury glamping accommodation – Coastal Glamping @ Bellarine Estate, launched earlier this year.
A pop-up glamping experience has arrived at a Bellarine winery for the ultimate outdoor retreat
Since the first vintage back in 1999 – the Kenny family have continued to win high acclaim for their wines both domestically and internationally – with three of the winery’s estate-produced wines (Portarlington Ridge Shiraz 2021, Portarlington Ridge Pinot Noir 2021 and Bellarine Estate Shiraz 2021) chosen to be part of the domestic and international Business Class service on the nation’s international airline, Qantas – a true testament to the world-class wine offerings at Bellarine Estate.
Now in its second generation, eldest son – James Kenny has taken over the reins from his parents as Bellarine Estate’s General Manager whilst his younger brother – Julian Kenny is the estate’s Head Winemaker. Continuing to craft wines in the traditional method as a testament to the origins of the family-run winery, Julian loves being able to produce something that people can take home and enjoy with friends and family over a meal, create memories and celebrate life.
With 27 acres under wines, Bellarine Estate produces a total of 16 wines each year – ten of which are under the Bellarine Estate label that uses fruit exclusively from Bellarine Estate’s vines, while the other six varietals under the Portarlington Ridge @ Bellarine Estate label are created collaboratively with other growers across the Bellarine region.
Perfectly located to take advantage of the maritime climate, all Bellarine Estate wines are smooth and complex. Specialising in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz, Bellarine Estate has a wine to suit every taste palate – with an award-winning rosé and a fortified Pinot Noir among the distinctive offerings.
Set within the grounds of the estate, Bellarine Estate’s cellar door is where to go to taste the pure goodness coming from Bellarine Estate. Guests are welcome to taste a selection of estate wines and/or spirit range from Thirty Acres Distillery @ Bellarine Estate or let the Bellarine Estate team curate a tasting experience of house made charcuterie paired carefully to match the flavours of each beverage.
Bellarine Estate… family owned, family grown, family made and 100 per cent worth the visit.
Bellarine Estate winery is located at 2270 Portarlington Rd, Bellarine. Explore Bellarine Estate here.
