Pt. Leo Estate

The Verdict

Welcome to Vic’s newest winery and cellar door, set on 134 glorious acres on the southern edge of the Mornington Peninsula. Yep, Pt Leo Estate is officially open for business.

This place is a little more than your standard vineyard experience. It features a 110-seater restaurant, sourcing produce from local farms and growers, as well as Australia’s largest privately owned sculpture park.

The park is open to visitors (you can actually download an app that shows you around) and the plan is to grow and evolve the collection over the coming years. Keep an eye out new exhibitions from international superstars like Jaume Plensa, Tony Cragg, George Rickey and Zadok Ben-David.

The epic cellar door was designed by Melbourne design legends Jolson: a semi-circular construction with panoramic views over the surrounding property. It’s here you’ll also find Pt Leo Estate Restaurant, the baby of Culinary Directory Phil Wood.

The menu is family friendly, with an upmarket bistro buzz, built from some of the finest ingredients in Victoria (if you’re gonna open an eatery down here, it pretty much has to champion local produce). Expect moreish plates like Dutch carrot soufflé, brown butter and wild scampi roe; wood-roasted flathead with macadamia and seaweed or duck breast, glazed in Peninsula honey with lavender, celeriac and turnips.

As you’d expect, the wine list is as long as your arm. Over 100 Victorian labels alone, many from the Mornington Peninsula, plus a bunch of small-batch wineries from all over the state. The vineyard will be running regular tasting seshes at the Cellar Door, just nextdoor. You’ll get to sip some of Pt. Leo’s cool-climate wine portfolio, plus selected back-vintages. The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Pinot Gris are massive standouts. 

Image credit: Pt. Leo Estate