Mornington Peninsula Wine Region Tour

A must do on a trip to Melbourne!

On our recent cruise around Australia and New Zealand, we made a call to the Port of Melbourne. Contacted Michael at Grape Explorations to see if he would be available for my wife and I to join a tour on the day we were in port. Although he already had a tour booked for that day, he contacted the other couple to see if we could join them and they were happy to have us be included. Michael picked us up at the port, picked them up in the city and we were off for a tour of 3 wineries and gin distillery. What a perfect day it was. The 5 of us had a wonderful time together and some great conversations as we took in the beautiful countryside of the Yarra Valley and sampled some excellent wines and gins. Michael was incredible as both a guide and host. Her was both friendly and knowledgeable, his vehicle was very comfortable, he went out of his way to make sure we had an exceptional outing and that we arrived back to our ship on time for re-boarding. My wife and I agree that it was our favorite excursion on our 2-week cruise. As an added bonus, we became friends with the couple from the UK, exchanged emails and stay in communication.

Just the BEST

Thanks yet again Michael for another great wine and food experience, this time in the Yarra Valley. This is our second booking with Grape Explorations and as with our previous Mornington Peninsula experience we were just as happy. Michael is a great guide and took us to some of those little winery gems that you would not consider visiting. Michael is brilliant and makes the whole day enjoyable. The vehicle is very comfortable and has plenty of room for the wine that is collected along the way. Whether it is the Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula I could not recommend Grape Explorations more highly. Thanks again and hope to catch up again. Perhaps Margaret River (only joking). Chris, Margaret & Tristan

Best. Day. Ever.

Stop looking at Mornington Peninsula winery tours & book this one right now!! I booked a private winery tour for 6 of my friends & it was genuinely one of the funnest days I’ve ever had. These guys are clearly the leaders in their field. I’d book again in a heartbeat.

Just perfect

The best way to visit and experience some of the unique wineries in the region. Michael was simply brilliant and catered for us in every way. The wines we tasted were all top quality from some of the boutique producers that know and love the wine they have created. Just as good as the wines we were the wine makers and staff we met who clearly had a passion for what they do. The lunch at Pier 10 included in the tour was also excellent. It included a tasty grazing plate for the two of us to start with. My wife had the barramundi which was generous and perfectly cooked. For me it was the duck confit which was also excellent. A glass of the local was was also included. The garden settings of many of the places we visited were stunning and added to the overall experience. The vehicle was excellent and our host Michael was friendly, knowledgeable and made you feel welcome and as special guests of the places we visited. Could not recommend the tour more for couples or a group of friends that want to enjoy some of what the Mornington Peninsula has to offer. Chris & Margaret.

Exceptional

From. The moment we got on the bus we were treated as queens, we felt pampered, looked after, listened to as far as our requests. We have already booked for. June, if anyone wants a pampered and personal experience please book, you will not be dissapointed.

Amazing!

Wanted to say thank you so much again to Oscar and the Grape Explorations Australia team for being the best hosts that we could ever ask for! Oscar went above and beyond for everyone on our trip. His passion, energy, attention to detail & punctuality is unmatched to any body else you'll ever meet. If you're reading this, give their team a ring as soon as you can and make a booking because you won't regret it! Highly recommended!

Top Girls Day Out on the Peninsular

We had a wonderful day exploring the peninsula wine region with Michael from ‘Grapeexplorationsaustralia’. Three superb wineries, including a delicious lunch at ‘Pier 10’. Michael picked us up in a very comfortable mini bus, really looked after us and ensured our day went smoothly and everyone enjoyed themselves. We all finished the day very happy and agreed it was a great decision to go with this company.

Mornington Penisula wine region for Oscar

We had a great day exploring the Mornington peninsula with our fantastic host Oscar. By far the best winery tour I've been on, Oscar was friendly and professional and made our day perfect in everyway- nothing was to much trouble! Highly recommend and I plan to book all my winery tours in the future with these guys, you truly wont get any better.

You will not be disappointed ....

Well what can I say, on behalf of the crew that have just returned from an “absolutely fabulous” wine tasting tour around the Mornington Peninsula, where Michael was a great host, and we had the best time. It was an informal tour of a great wine region of Victoria, with enough information to make the experience informative for a bunch of mates who enjoy a great time and few sips of the old grape juice. The music selection (that we were all tasked with providing) was an absolute gem of an idea and went down well with the team as we travelled between wineries ( Bros - I owe you nothing was a particular favourite). I am sure there are many other wine tours around the area, of which we saw a few, however, from experience we have to give Michael and this tour an outstanding mark of approval. Give this a go you won’t be disappointed - trust me.

Best Yarra Valley wine tour!

We went on a Grape Explorations wine tour in the Yarra Valley with some friends and I have to say the experience was fantastic from start to finish. From the moment we met Michael he made us feel so welcome, from complimentary little tour packs to personalised playlists to get the tunes and atmosphere going on the bus during the tour. He truly went out of his way to make sure the experience was unique, enjoyable and most of all, memorable. His knowledge of the area, wines and wineries was very informative and his fun personality really added to the whole experience. The wineries we visited were beautiful and the wine was fantastic. I would highly recommend Michael and Grape Explorations wine tours and am definitely looking forward to booking our next tour with him in the New Year!

Best Wine Tour in Australia!

Michael was a fantastic tour guide. The bus we were in was very comfortable and he provided not only water but sparkling water along with a map of the valley and hand sanitizer. He is very knowledgeable on the vineyards and their wines. Very relaxing but VERY informative tour. I have been on many wine tours but this was the best by far. I would recommend Michael and Grape Explorations to anyone and everyone! Can't wait to go back!

Amazing day of wine on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula!

What a great way to spend our last day in Melbourne! My husband and I booked with Michael and were joined by 3 others, which was the perfect sized group for our wonderful day on the peninsula. We visited 4 boutique wineries, each with intimate tastings and delicious wine, as well as lunch at one of the wineries that completely exceeded our expectations - delicious charcuterie, wood fired pizzas and salad overlooking the vineyards - it was perfect! By the end of the day, we felt like we were just on a fun trip with old friends - that's how easygoing and welcoming Michael is. Not to mention, the price (which included transport to and from the Melbourne CBD on an air conditioned minibus, 4 tastings + lunch) was more than worth it. We will absolutely be back and will send all our friends to book with Grape Explorations. Thanks again, Michael!

Amazing Grape time!

I had the privilege of visiting quite an amazing wineries in the super comfortable Estella the lady bus, so casual and some exquisite wineries, awesome group tour and knowledgeable host, great playlist (amazing touch). It’s a must thing to do if you’re visiting Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. RuthOr

Perfect way to spend a relaxing day

The Baby Boomer and the Gen Ys all loved this day. Collected on time, air conditioned spacious van, knowledgeable and friendly host, great selection of wineries, beautiful part of the country. Cannot fault any part of the tour. Will be doing it again when I’m next in Melbourne.

Awesome Day!

Great trip with Mike today, perfect smaller wineries with amazing wine, a great lunch and very comfortable ride on Estella the Lady Bus with a playlist chosen by each of us!

Fabulous trip around the wineries

We were a small group of friends who enjoyed a wonderful day trip on the Mornington Peninsula with Grape Explorations. From the minute that Michael picked us up we knew that the day would be filled with fun, great wine and Bespoke Vineyards. Michaels knowledge of the local area is amazing and his choice of vineyards was perfect for our group. This is the perfect way to see some beautiful wineries, enjoy delish wine and superb food. Not driving is a definite bonus and the small group tour is well worth it. Fabulous!

5 star wine tour

Michael and Oscar personally tailored our trip from the info we sent them and throughout the day depending on our drunkness and improving singing abilities. Everything from the goodie bags, gourmet lunch selection and stories were top notch, they even assisted us by dropping our wine home before taking us to the pub!! A wine tour with a personalised touch. We couldn’t fault it. Well done boys, we will be back!!

"Wine pairs nicely with good people, great food and breath taking views"

Thank you very much Michael, Grape Expectations Australia for the wonderful wine tour experience. Detlev and I were fortunate to enjoy full day winery tour as a winner in Mornington Peninsula Magazine. Michael, owner of Grape Expectations picked us up in a black and glamour Mercedes Benz, is a wonderful way to travel and we were conveniently picked up at our home. Our exclusive tour began accompanied by four other friendly guests. Michael was the perfect guide, very friendly and knowledgeable and had a great rapport with all the winery's we visited. He organized everything and gave us an overview of each winery before our tasting. He provided water in the van and there was plenty of space to store the boxes of wine we bought. We firstly taken to the Panton and we were greeted by the lovely owner Karen. Everyone was impressed with the fine wines produced in the region and everyone bought a bottle or two to take with them. We visited two more wineries and enjoyed a delicious lunch at Mont Rougue Estate. I enjoyed the most was the wine tasting in Myrtaceae, with exceptional wine, the wine rolling glasses on top of the wine barrel which open up the aroma of these well-loved Mornington wines. To finish off we had a cheese tasting at Red Hill Cheese. A nice idea where you can enjoy tasting plate and sit out on the veranda and enjoy the country vibe. Very helpful descriptions of the cheeses on offer are given and explanations on how to start your sampling. The Mountain Goat Blue is to die for and all of the cheeses we tried were sensational. It was a wonderful day and we all had had the most amazing day with exceptional service throughout the tour. We weren’t rushed at any stops and the wines were delicious and we all enjoyed the music game in the van.

Absolutely Fabulous !!

We had such a relaxed, friendly day on the Mornington Peninsula. The wines, food and cheese were amazing and plentiful! Couldn’t fit another thing in! We are already planning another tour, this time to the Yarra Valley! Highly recommend Michael and the very comfortable Estella. Thanks so much!

A wine tour that's fun even if you are pregnant!

I went on my first GE tour a few weeks ago and cannot recommend it enough. I say first for two reasons... one I am pregnant and want to go back when I can drink, but more importantly it was an amazing experience and want to do it again. Michael, the host/driver was incredible and thought of everything. From the specially chosen stops, a great lunch and a fun music game for the bus - he really knows how to entertain! If you are looking for a fun day out exploring the MP area then jump on this fancy bus right away!

Filled with hidden gems and fun days

We recently joined Grape Expectations on their Hidden Gems Mornington Peninsular wine tour. And it was excellent. Hidden Gems all round. #estelletheladybus, a black and glamour Mercedes Benz, is a wonderful way to travel and we were conveniently picked up at a local spot. Michael was an excellent host, alternating between entertaining us with his knowledge of the region and the wineries and playing some excellent tunes which enhanced the day! It was a broody Victorian day and was magical to experience some gorgeous wineries that I hadn’t heard of before and be welcome by lovely open fires and great atmosphere. It was nice to be off the beaten track and feel like it was a really boutique and individual experience. My favourite winery would have to be Panton - stunning little hidden gem. Can’t wait to get back to the Peninsular again and discover some amazing new finds with Michael and his team. Couldn't recommend more highly.

Relaxed, friendly, professional - the best winery tour on the Mornington Peninsula!!!!

We had a great day touring boutique wineries in a luxury Mercedes van. The host/driver, Michael, was really friendly, knew his stuff and because it's only small groups, you get really personalised service. We were picked up and dropped off from our accommodation, had a really nice grazing lunch and tried some amazing wines. Highly reccommend!!!

Fantastic wine tour in Mornington Peninsula area

If you are looking for a great day out and something a little different to your normal wine tour experience, Grape Expectations is for you. Our host (Michael) made us feel very welcome and he was very well organised for the day's activities. We were treated to a private wine tasting at Crittenden which was amazing, as well as visiting a few other 'off the beaten track' wineries which did not disappoint. Highly recommended.

So much fun. So well run!

What an exceptional tour of such a great little region. I thought I knew this neck of the woods, quite well, having grown up on the Mornington Peninsula and having an annual pilgrimage, 10 years straight, to the Redhill Winter Wine Weekend. But the vineyards/cellar doors we visited and the amazing stories we heard, were either new to me or uniquely intimate and made for a fantastic experience. Of course, the wines themselves played a part 😄. Our host for the day, Michael, was super knowledgable about the area and the people/wineries we visited, without being pretentious; always keeping a fun and upbeat demeanour that resonated through our group. A great day, full of laughs, was had by all. I thoroughly recommend the experience!

Lives to its expectations!

Had a wonderful time on this tour! The destinations were beautiful and the wine makers and host were delightful. Highly recommend!

Perfect Day!!!

Wow!!! Where do I start, from our first initial enquiry through to our drop off.....the whole experience was faultless!! Michael's communication, attention to detail, knowledge & energy is what customer service is all about. The day started with a punctual pick up in a pristine Mercedes bus, a concise briefing on what to expect and a nice relaxing drive down towards the peninsula....as we entered the winery country Michael stepped up the tempo with a great playlist and started to get us excited about the days adventure. We chose the "hidden gems" tour, and that it was. We discovered 4 wineries I had never been to, despite many visits to the Mornington Peninsula previously, we got to speak most of the winemakers and get a real sense of the wineries we saw. this wine tour is not about just driving around and tasting some wines.....you are immersed in the passion of some fabulous winemakers and Michael not only has a firm understanding, but an amazing connection with these people which enriches the whole experience. Do yourself a favour and book a tour straight away, this will not disappoint. I can't wait to do it all over again! Thank you Grape Expectations Australia, you have nailed it!

Fantastic day!

Joined the Grape Expectations Australia wine tour today. It was so well organised from pick up in the morning to drop off back in Melbourne. The wine tastings and wine makers were ready on our arrival and lunch was delicious! The bus is very comfortable and is suitable for all weather conditions. Grape Expectations Australia is professional and fun and would recommend this day to family and friends. Jump on board!

The BEST wine tour we have been on!!!

We've done lots of wine tours but this one would have to have been the best! Beautiful luxury van (Mercedes) and only a small group, max 10 I think so you get really great service. The host, Mikey, was so friendly, fun and knowledgable and made sure everyone was having a great time. He provided water in the van and there was plenty of space to store the boxes of wine we bought. Had a lovely lunch and went to beautiful boutique wineries. We can't reccommend this highly enough and will definitely do it again - maybe winter next time so we get a different experience of the area.