A Different Side of Victorian Wine
Local Way Tours launches Melbourne’s Boutique Wine Tour Series
Four directions. A rotating calendar of regions. One relaxed way to discover the wineries beyond Melbourne’s usual wine trail.
Melbourne has no shortage of famous wine regions, but some of Victoria’s most rewarding cellar doors sit beyond the usual touring routes. This September, Local Way Tours is making them easier to discover with the launch of Melbourne’s Boutique Wine Tour Series.
Beginning Thursday 3 September 2026, the new full-day series will take small groups from central Melbourne into a rotating collection of Victorian wine regions. Rather than heading to the same destination every week, each part of the month points in a different direction, creating more opportunities to meet independent producers, taste distinctive local wines and explore the country towns that give each region its character.
Four directions, many reasons to return
The series has been designed for curious wine lovers who want to go a little further than the familiar. Every week of the month brings a different regional focus:
Week 1, North: Strathbogie and the Goulburn Valley
Week 2, East: South and West Gippsland
Week 3, South: the Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong
Week 4, West: Heathcote and the Macedon Ranges
The touring week is determined by the Saturday within that week, making the calendar easy to follow. Guests can choose the region that interests them most, or return during the year to experience a completely different part of Victoria’s wine country. Occasional Mystery Region departures will add another reason to keep an eye on the calendar.
One Tour or All Four. It’s Up to You.
The Melbourne Boutique Wine Series runs on scheduled public departures every Thursday to Sunday, with a different region featured each week of the month.
There’s no need to complete the whole series. Choose the region that catches your eye and join us for just one day, experience all four in the same month, or come back whenever it suits you and slowly work your way around Victoria.
And even once you’ve explored all four directions, there’s always a reason to return. With so many fantastic wineries across each region, our cellar door selections can change throughout the year, meaning a return visit can bring new wines, new wineries and a completely different experience.
One region, four regions, or your favourite region all over again. You choose.
More than a day of tastings
Each departure follows a relaxed full-day format. The morning begins at the Melbourne Arts Centre with a complimentary barista-made coffee before guests board a comfortable midi-coach and meet their local guide and fellow travellers.
Before the first tasting, there is time to explore a regional town, browse local shops and enjoy the atmosphere at an unhurried pace. From there, the day includes guided tastings at three boutique wineries. A shared cheese and antipasto platter accompanies one of the tastings, with time set aside to purchase lunch and settle into the surroundings at another winery.
It is not about rushing between cellar doors or ticking off the biggest names. The series is built around smaller producers, local stories and the pleasure of spending a full day somewhere many Melbourne visitors, and plenty of locals, may not otherwise reach.
Premium travel, kept personal
Groups are limited to a maximum of 15 guests, helping the day feel social and personal without becoming crowded. Local Way Tours’ Premium Travel Comfort Guarantee also means every booking receives its own window seat, the vehicle is never filled to capacity and Wi-Fi is available on board.
For solo travellers, couples, friends and small groups, that balance matters. There is room to meet people and share the experience, but also enough space to relax and enjoy the scenery between stops.
The series also reflects Local Way Tours’ commitment to locally inspired and sustainable travel. By rotating through smaller wine regions and working with independent cellar doors, each departure helps spread the benefits of tourism further into regional Victoria.
At a glance
Launch date: Thursday 3 September 2026
Departure days: Thursday to Sunday
Departure time: 8.30am
Main departure point: Melbourne Arts Centre, 100R St Kilda Road
Duration: approximately 8 to 8.5 hours, returning around 5.30pm
Group size: minimum 4 guests, maximum 15 guests
Included: three guided wine tastings, shared cheese and antipasto platter, complimentary departure coffee, premium small-group transport and a local guide
Lunch: available to purchase at a winery
Choose your direction
Whether it is the renowned Shiraz of Heathcote, the cool-climate wines of Gippsland, the coastal charm of the Bellarine or the rolling hills and river valleys to Melbourne’s north, every departure offers a different reason to leave the city for the day.
The Melbourne Boutique Wine Tour Series launches on Thursday 3 September 2026, with scheduled departures from Melbourne from Thursday to Sunday. View the regional calendar, choose your preferred date and book your place through Local Way Tours.
