Amazing Yarra Valley Wine Tour + Chocolate, Farm Fresh, Gin

A full day of tasting awaits beyond Melbourne. This 8.5-hour outing packs Yarra Valley wine, strawberries, chocolate, cider, and optional gin into one easy day, with transport between each stop handled for you. I especially like the small group size of 10 to 20 people and the mix of food and drink producers, so the day does not become four straight hours of wine tasting.

I also like the guide-led feel. Guides such as Shaun, Danny, Posi, Stefan, and Pozi are repeatedly praised for humor, music, local tips, and keeping solo visitors included. The main caution is pace: with several stops, some tastings can feel brief, and lunch is not included in the $93.24 price.

The five details that matter most

• Strawberries start the day: Yarra Farm Fresh offers fresh fruit, seasonal produce, jams, and a complimentary punnet for a limited time, subject to availability.
• Two main winery tastings: Yering Station and Yering Farm Wines are usually included, with St Hubert Estate providing an optional extra tasting.
• Up to 12 chocolate samples: The Yarra Valley Chocolaterie offers a guided tasting, though the venue can feel commercial and noisy.
• Gin depends on your date and ticket: Stag Lane usually operates Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Four Pillars usually operates Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Lunch is separate: You eat at Quarters restaurant at St Hubert Estate, but mains and drinks are purchased on the day.

Why this Yarra Valley day works well

Yarra Valley is close enough to Melbourne for a day trip, but far enough away to feel like a proper break from the city. The trouble is getting between scattered wineries, farms, distilleries, and food producers without a car. This tour solves that problem neatly.

You meet at the Arts Centre Melbourne Spire at 8:45am, near the Protagonist cafe stand, for a planned 9:00am departure. The return point is ACMI at Federation Square, usually by 5:30pm. That start and finish make the tour practical if you are staying in central Melbourne and want to avoid arranging a rental car or trying to combine rural stops with public transport.

The price is listed at $93.24 per person, which is reasonable if you make full use of the included tastings. Wine, fruit, chocolate, and the usual distillery visit are covered, but lunch is not. The full tasting option is also needed for the gin flight, so check exactly which version you are booking before paying.

This is best understood as a broad tasting day rather than a serious wine education tour. You sample a lot, see several types of producers, and get a pleasant introduction to the region. If you want long cellar-door conversations and generous pours at one or two wineries, this schedule may feel too busy.

From Melbourne to Yarra Farm Fresh

The first stop is usually Yarra Farm Fresh, reached after the morning departure from Southbank. You have about 40 minutes here, which gives you time to sample strawberries and other seasonal produce before the wine begins.

The farm stop is useful for setting the tone. Yarra Valley is not just about bottles and cellar doors. Fruit, dairy products, chocolate, cider, and spirits all form part of the local food scene. Fresh strawberries and local jams also give you something sweet without adding another alcoholic tasting so early in the day.

A complimentary punnet of strawberries is offered per booking for a limited period ending February 28, 2026, subject to availability. Treat that as a bonus rather than a guarantee. The exact farm offering can change with the season.

One point to watch is that the farm visit can replace a cheese or dairy stop on some dates. If cheese is important to you, confirm the stops for your chosen day. A few people have been disappointed when the published plan suggested cheese but the actual day featured strawberries instead.

Yering Station, the historic first winery

Yering Station is usually the second stop, with around 50 minutes for wine tasting. It is described as the oldest winery in the Yarra Valley and one of the area’s best-known estates.

The setting gives you a useful first look at the region’s cool-climate wine style. Yarra Valley is particularly associated with elegant wines, and Yering Station provides a more established estate experience than the smaller producers later in the day.

The tasting is hosted, which matters because you are not simply handed a glass and left to guess what you are drinking. Still, 50 minutes has to cover arrival, the tasting, and movement through the venue. If you already know a lot about wine, you may want more time for questions.

Some people find the wine pours at the winery stops rather small. That is common on a multi-stop tasting day, and it is also a good reason to eat breakfast before leaving Melbourne. You will be sampling throughout the day, but there is no included meal until lunchtime.

Lunch at St Hubert Estate and Quarters

St Hubert Estate is usually the third stop, and the schedule allows about an hour. Lunch is taken at Quarters, the estate’s bistro restaurant, where you choose and pay for your own mains and drinks.

I see this as a sensible arrangement. Not everyone wants the same meal, and a fixed lunch could limit both choice and budget. You can match the meal to your appetite and wallet, but remember to allow for this extra cost when comparing the tour price with other day trips.

The estate also has a wine shop and an Indigenous art gallery, giving you something to see while food is being prepared or after you finish eating. Optional wine, gin, and whisky tastings may be available here for about A$15 per person, but these are not part of the standard inclusions.

That extra tasting can be worthwhile if you want to compare the estate with the two main winery stops. It can also make the day feel more expensive, especially if you have already chosen the full gin experience later.

Yering Farm Wines and its apple cider

Yering Farm Wines normally follows lunch, with about 45 minutes for another tasting. This is a more rustic-style winery stop, and it adds a change of mood after the larger Yering Station estate.

The tasting includes classic Yarra Valley wines and, on regular visits, an apple cider sample. That cider is a small but welcome detail for anyone who wants something beyond wine. It also gives non-wine drinkers another reason to enjoy the stop.

Yering Farm can occasionally be unavailable because of private events or other closures. If a substitute winery is used, the apple cider will not be included. Since venues may change, contact the operator before the date if a particular winery matters to you.

The two main winery stops are useful introductions, but this is not a dedicated premium wine tour. One review found the wines less impressive than expected, while the extra tasting at St Hubert Estate better matched that person’s hopes for Yarra Valley wine. Your experience will depend partly on the day’s venue schedule and your own taste.

Chocolate at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie

The chocolate stop usually lasts 45 minutes. You receive a guided tasting of up to 12 handmade chocolate creations, followed by time to look around and consider ice cream or other purchases.

This is one of the tour’s strongest changes of pace. After fruit, wine, lunch, and cider, chocolate gives the afternoon a playful lift. It also works well for people in a group who are less interested in wine.

The main drawback is atmosphere. The chocolatier can feel busy, noisy, and commercial rather than intimate. If you are expecting a small artisan workshop, adjust your expectations. You are visiting a popular food attraction, not a quiet farm kitchen.

Even so, the generous variety makes the stop worthwhile. You get a proper taste of the producer’s range rather than a single sample, and the stop broadens the day beyond alcohol. This is especially useful for families and mixed groups, although children aged 4 to 17 will not be served alcoholic tastings.

Choosing between Stag Lane and Four Pillars

The final planned stop is a gin distillery, but the name depends on the day. On Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the tour usually visits Stag Lane Farm Distillery. On Tuesday and Wednesday, it usually visits Four Pillars Distillery.

The full tasting option includes a guided gin flight served with a mixer. This is not just a quick drink at the bar. You get several samples and some explanation of how the spirits differ. Four Pillars was a particular favorite for some people, while Stag Lane also received praise for its educational tasting.

The day of the week therefore matters. If you have a strong preference for Four Pillars, book a Tuesday or Wednesday, then confirm the current plan. If you want Stag Lane, look at the other operating days.

The gin stop is optional. If nobody in the group chooses the gin distillery experience, the operator may extend the final stop by 15 minutes and leave earlier for Melbourne. That can be useful if you prefer a shorter day, but it also means the tour’s final shape depends partly on group choices.

Please take the weather seriously. Summer can be hot and sunny, and combining heat with repeated alcohol tastings is not comfortable for everyone. Drink water, eat breakfast, and pace yourself. This is a tasting day, not a challenge to sample every drop.

Guides, music, and the small-group feel

The guide can shape this tour as much as the producers do. Shaun is praised for making solo participants feel welcome and keeping the group laughing. Danny is known for a friendly manner, local suggestions, a good playlist, and helping the day run smoothly. Posi and Stefan are also praised for humor, warmth, and making sure people are comfortable.

One guide pointed out kangaroos and eagles during the drive and stopped for photographs. Another went back for a forgotten wallet. Those details tell you what kind of service to expect: informal, social, and attentive rather than stiff or scripted.

The vehicle carries a maximum of 20 people, with the usual group advertised as 10 to 20. That is smaller than operators using coaches of 30 or more, and it makes conversation with the guide easier. It does not guarantee a quiet or private outing, though. The group still has to move on a fixed schedule.

Some people praised the music and relaxed mood. If you prefer a formal wine lecture, this may not be your style. If you want a sociable day with jokes, food, and several short visits, the approach fits well.

Timing, comfort, and who should book

The day runs from about 9:00am to 5:30pm, with seven or eight hours of activity and driving. Transfers are included between Melbourne and the Yarra Valley, but hotel pickup and drop-off are not. You need to reach the Arts Centre meeting point yourself and return from ACMI at Federation Square.

The schedule involves getting on and off the vehicle at several venues. The operator warns that the experience is not suitable for people with mobility issues, particularly those who have trouble with stairs. Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate, but ask before booking if you need specific assistance.

Children aged 4 to 17 may join, although they will not receive alcoholic tastings. For a family group, the fruit and chocolate stops help, but adults should be comfortable spending much of the day around wine and spirits.

This tour suits you best if:

• You want a simple way to see several Yarra Valley producers in one day.
• You enjoy variety more than a long, detailed winery visit.
• You are traveling alone and want a social group setting.
• You prefer not to drive after tasting wine and gin.
• You want food stops that can entertain non-wine drinkers.

It is less suitable if you dislike fixed schedules, need a long lunch, or want to focus only on high-end wine. The day is busy by design.

Booking advice and cancellation terms

Venues can change, including the wineries, farm stop, and distillery. Confirm the schedule for your date if a particular producer is important to you, especially if you want cheese, Four Pillars, Stag Lane, or the apple cider tasting.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not refunded. The tour also depends on suitable weather and a minimum number of participants. If the operator cancels for those reasons, you are offered another date, another experience, or a full refund.

Should you book this Yarra Valley tour?

I would book it if you want a well-priced sampler of the Yarra Valley, not a specialist wine seminar. The combination of fruit, two winery tastings, lunch at an estate, chocolate, cider, and optional gin gives you a much broader day than a basic winery shuttle.

The strongest reasons to go are the small group, the friendly guides, and the sheer range of stops. The main compromises are the extra lunch cost, changing venues, short tasting periods, and the chance that cheese or a favorite winery will not be on the schedule.

Check the day of the week, choose the full tasting option if gin matters to you, eat breakfast, and bring water and sun protection. If those details suit you, this is an easy and enjoyable way to sample the Yarra Valley without taking the wheel.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at the Arts Centre Melbourne Spire, 6/2 St Kilda Road, Southbank. Meet at 8:45am near the Protagonist cafe stand, with departure planned for 9:00am.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour finishes at ACMI in Federation Square, Melbourne. Arrival is usually by 5:30pm or earlier.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is taken at Quarters restaurant at St Hubert Estate, but mains and drinks are purchased separately.

Is gin tasting included?

Gin tasting is included only when you select the full tasting experience option. It is served as a guided flight with a mixer.

Which gin distillery will the tour visit?

The tour usually visits Stag Lane Farm Distillery on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, it usually visits Four Pillars Distillery.

Are wine tastings included?

Hosted tastings at two selected estates are included. Additional wine, gin, and whisky tastings at St Hubert Estate usually cost about A$15 per person.

Can children join the tour?

Children aged 4 to 17 may join, but they will not be served alcoholic tastings.

What happens if the tour is canceled because of weather?

If extreme weather causes cancellation, you will be offered an alternative date or a full refund.