CELLAR IN THE CITY

Melbourne remains one of the most exciting cities I have visited, its sporting, dining and shopping opportunities as well as harbour experiences all setting a very high standard. It’s also relatively close to wine country, where there are some superb pinots noir, chardonnays, shirazes and sparkling wines to be discovered. One needn’t stray from the CBD for excellent wine tasting, however. At 80 Collins Street, Handpicked has opened a luxury cellar door experience within a multifunctional three-level space, offering a retail wine shop, premium cheese sales, charcuterie and wine bar. Tasting pods are part of the fit-out, as is an experience room designed for wine flights and education, and a mezzanine that overlooks the cellar door. Handpicked is the first Australian winemaker to enter the luxury wine retail space and this new cellar door will showcase at least 50 wines from its vineyards, including from the Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Barossa Valley and Tasmania. “The goal is to bring the charm of viticulture and winemaking to an urban environment,” says chief winemaker, Peter Dillon. Open seven days, the space will offer breakfast, lunch and supper, and has indoor and outdoor seating for around 120 with plenty of walk-around space.