Yarra Valley Balloon & Wine Day Tour

A relaxing day out with an emphasis on high quality wines, superb food and stunning scenery.

HIGHLIGHTS
Hot air balloon ride with breakfast

De Bortoli (producers of Noble One, Australia's most awarded wine)

Yering Station Winebar, Restaurant & Produce Store

Payten & Jones

Coldstream Hills

Medhurst

Your day starts very early, pre-dawn when you depart your accommodation for the Yarra Valley. Arrive at the designated site where you'll be briefed before travelling out to the launch site. Here, you can assist with the balloon launch or stand back and take pictures. And then you'll be air-bound, drifting above Yarra Glen, the vineyards and the meandering Yarra River. After flying for approximately 1 hour, you'll descend to pack up the balloon before travelling through to the Balgownie Estate Vineyard for a hearty champagne breakfast.

You'll be collected from Balgownie Estate and travel the scenic route to the De Bortoli Winery at Dixons Creek. It's an elegant way to start the day with superbly flavoured cheeses that compliment the sparkling, table and dessert wines.

It's then a short drive to the Yering Station Winery for a tasting of selected estate and reserve wines in the original winery (circa 1959) before adjourning for lunch in their stunning Wine Bar Restaurant. With its world class views and cuisine, you'll have an a la carte selection from which to select your main course meal and glass of wine. 

After lunch, it's a change of pace with the visit to the Payten & Jones Winery in Healesville. One of the smaller producers in the Yarra Valley, Behn Payten and Troy Jones produce small batch, approachable wines with personality. Along with the familiar chardonnay and pinot noir, their range has been expanded to include Italian and Spanish varietals. 

Mid-afternoon, continue on to the Coldstream Hills Winery at Coldstream. Established in 1985 by James Halliday, one of Australia's leading authors and commentators on wine, the wines are beautifully crafted and have enjoyed success at numerous wine shows, especially the chardonnay and pinot noir. 

Our final stop for the day is the charming Medhurst Vineyard. Very boutique in size with only 35 acres under vine, this family owned vineyard was established in 1999. Located in the dress circle of the Yarra Valley, they produce a small selection of well crafted table wines.

Please note, on days when Coldstrewam Hills and Medhurst are closed, visits would instead be made to Oakridge and Dominique Portet Vineyards.