I’m envious of Melbourne folk having such a delightful vineyard estate on their doorstep. Even on a wet and dismal day – or particularly on a wet and dismal day – our spirits soar as we drive through the imposing gates and up the sweeping drive of Marnong Estate.
The attention that has gone into creating the estate is immediately apparent, with meticulously tended lawns, gardens and grapevines, as well as venues and amenities that offer an all-round experience. This includes both fine and casual dining, cellar door tastings, live music on Sundays, and even a stylish little shop selling takeaway meals and gourmet products.
You can go for a walk to say hello to the alpacas, camels, donkeys, sheep and cows that roam the property, and you’ll likely even encounter a peacock strutting about, which if you’re lucky might display its gorgeous tail. In short, once you check into one of the luxury apartments or studio rooms on the estate, you won’t need to go anywhere until you leave – which of course is perfect on a wet and dismal day.
Located in the Sunbury wine region 35 minutes north of Melbourne and only 15 minutes from Melbourne Airport, the estate nudges the city’s urban fringe. It turns its back on the urban sprawl and instead looks north towards the Macedon Ranges, with views over the vineyards to the mountains in the distance. The setting is peaceful, tranquil, and bucolic — all you could wish for in a rural getaway.
At the centre of the estate is a charming 1840s homestead with additional accommodation in luxuriously appointed suites, including the flagship Grand Botanical Suite. The homestead is perfect for weddings and group bookings.
A stylish, modern function venue and a beautifully repurposed, heritage-listed woolshed cater for weddings on the weekend of our visit. But if it wasn’t for the guests arriving in all their finery, you wouldn’t have known there was a wedding going on. Spanning over 480 hectares, the property is big enough for events to take place without inconvenience to other guests.
The estate’s signature restaurant, La Vètta, has stunning views and an impressive menu but it is also discretely preparing for a reception during our stay. So we enjoy a casual meal in Cucina 3064, a large, family-friendly trattoria, offering woodfired pizza, handmade pasta and bistro-style dishes.
Starting with a shared plate of calamari with aioli and lemon bush pepper, we move onto mains of Barramundi with asparagus and lemon vinaigrette for Maurie,and Spaghetti ‘Frutti di mare’ for me. With a generous helping of prawns, scallops and calamari in a tomato, white wine and chilli/garlic sauce, the spaghetti goes down a treat with a glass of Marnong Fiano.
Various Italian varieties feature in the Marnong portfolio of 16 wines, with Fiano, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese and Montepulciano among the highlights. The winery also specialises in cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Shiraz, with more varieties being added as new plantings mature.
The wines are spread across three ranges – from the easy-to-drink Estate range to the refined Single Vineyard collection, through to luxurious Reserve options. We get to taste some of them before dinner, in a sit-down affair complete with cheese and charcuterie board.
There are various options for tasting, starting from $15 for a tasting of six wines, and a wine and chocolate pairing which sounds great for $25.
Tasting six wines
The terrace next to the cellar door would be lovely for a tasting on a sunny day but we’re huddling under a heater as we work our way through the six wines we’vechosen to taste: Prosecco Rosé (lovely with the charcuterie), Estate Chardonnay (fresh lemon, spice and nutty notes), Single Vineyard Chardonnay (more lemon curd/buttery/complex than the Estate Chardonnay and definitely a step up), Sangiovese (a new one for Marnong, quite intense with sour cherry notes), Shiraz (elegant, white pepper notes) and Montepulciano (lovely sweet fruit with notes of blackberry and caramel).
These are expressive wines, complex and lively, and they certainly whet our appetite for dinner in Cucina 3064. A point of interest: The labels on the wine bottles feature the yam daisy flower, which once grew prolifically in the region, their roots making up the staple diet of the Woiworung people.
It’s still raining after dinner as we open our umbrellas and take the well-lit concrete path down to our accommodation, a Luxury One-Bedroom Apartment with a comfortable lounge/dining area opening to a deck with sweeping vineyard views.
On a pleasant evening it would be lovely sitting out on the deck, but only mad dogs and Englishmen would go out in this weather, so we’re cosying up inside, fixing ourselves a coffee (an espresso machine is provided) and enjoying some of the insanely delicious raspberry jelly chocolates that we picked up in the estate shop earlier.
Bright, airy apartment
The bright, airy apartment has a small kitchen and a spacious bathroom with twin vanities, large walk-in shower and luxury amenities. The accommodation is cleverly designed with each one-bedroom apartment having a studio room off to one side, sharing a foyer entry so that they can function as a two-bedroom apartment with shared living area for families and couples travelling together.
Alternatively, the one-bedroom apartment and studio room can be separately let, remaining completely private from each other. We didn’t hear a peep from guests in the adjoining studio room, and even the decks are designed so that one can’t be seen from the other.
Lulled to sleep by the rain, we enjoy a blissful night in the luxurious king-sized bed, with blockout curtains cocooning us nicely. Next morning, when we go for a stroll around the property, the sun is miraculously shining and even the peacock is happy, putting on a show-stopping display.
Caffè Vista, as the name suggests, offers coffee with a view, and it even has a crackling fireplace inside the shed to keep things cosy. Outside, there are picnic tables and umbrellas, and guests are welcome to bring their own picnic blankets. The all-day menu offers sandwiches, pizza, pastries and desserts.
On an estate where the owners have thought of everything, the only difficult thing is having to say goodbye and point the car in the direction of the exit.
With thanks to Marnong Estate for hosting us for one night in a one-bedroom apartment and for kindly providing a wine tasting and dinner in Cucina 3064. It was a pleasure to experience this beautiful property.
The first photo was supplied by Marnong Estate and used with permission. All other photos are © Food Wine Travel.
