Who doesn’t like Prosecco? Prosecco reminds me of summer, of Italy, or a long lazy afternoon with girlfriends. The word Prosecco brings happiness and a smile to my face. I love a nice dry Prosecco! So, when we read about the Prosecco Road, in our home state of Victoria, we just had to drive it!
You might think that Prosecco is only found in Italy but that’s not the case. We have Prosecco here in Australia as well; and our best Prosecco is made in the King Valley wine region, in Victoria’s High Country. The King Valley is approximately three hours north of Melbourne, so it’s a perfect weekend getaway from the city.
The King Valley is home to the descendants of Italian migrants, who keep their family wine traditions alive. In the King Valley today, you’ll find all sorts of Mediterranean-inspired wines, including the Prosecco.
What is the Prosecco Road?
The King Valley’s Prosecco Road is a wine and food trail that you can follow, stopping for Prosecco tasting along the way. You can also indulge in traditional Italian cuisine at some of the amazing cellar door restaurants along the way. There are five Prosecco producers in the valley, so make sure you have a designated driver!
Brown Brothers Milawa
If you’re a wine connoisseur, you must have heard of Brown Brothers! Brown Brothers are one of the biggest family-owned wineries in Australia. From their simple beginnings back in 1889, they’ve grown impressively over the years but the quality of their wine is still outstanding.
My favourite thing about Brown Brothers is that their winery in Milawa is home to a wine bar. The Brown Brothers wine bar is the best place to head to sip a glass of Prosecco on a hot day. You can sit at one of their many outdoor tables and order some tapas to accompany your wine, or simply enjoy relaxing on one of their many bean bags! It’s such a chilled out place to while away an afternoon.
They have a restaurant on-site if you prefer an “a la carte” meal, but make sure you book ahead. The wine bar does not require a booking.
Of course, the first thing you’ll want to try at Brown Brothers is their Prosecco (and they have many to try). But they also make many other wines, so you might want to pace yourself! Pinot Grigio, Rosé, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato, Moscato Rosé and don’t get me started on the reds!
Address: 239 Milawa-Bobinawarrah Rd, Milawa
Sam Miranda
With its striking 12-metre high wooden structure rising above the vineyards, you won’t miss Sam Miranda. Once you pass through an underground passage, you’ll arrive at their modern cellar door where you can taste a wide variety of wines.
Of course, you came for Prosecco and their Prosecco is excellent! But make sure to try their new pink Prosato, a mix of their Prosecco and their Rosato.
Address: 1019 Snow Road, Oxley
Dal Zotto Cellar Door
Dal Zotto is the birthplace of Australian Prosecco. In 2000, Otto Dal Zotto planted the first Prosecco vines in the King Valley. Since then, many other wineries have followed in his footsteps.
Dal Zotto has a stunning location amongst gum trees, overlooking their vines. At their cellar door, you can taste four types of Prosecco, along with a variety of typical Italian wines such as Arneis, Garganega, Rosato, Sangiovese, Barbera and more. There’s also a trattoria on site, serving delicious and fresh Italian inspired dishes, made with locally grown ingredients. Most ingredients come from their on-site garden.
For the vegan wine drinkers out there, all Dal Zotto wines are vegan!
Address: 4861 Main Road, Whitfield
Pizzini Wines
Pizzini is another stunning winery in a perfect setting. It has three types of Prosecco, as well as a pink Brachetto (Moscato). They also have many Italian style wines, such as Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Verduzzo and Arneis. On top of this, they also make French styles wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Merlot and Shiraz.
At Pizzini, you can sign up for different wine experiences. One of them, the Pop & Fizz Prosecco Food Pairing Surprise Experience, will have you tasting five wines, paired with 3 or 4 food dishes. This costs $55 per person.
If you like cooking, Katrina Pizzini runs a cooking school on-site and teaches a variety of classes, including gnocchi and pasta classes.
Address: 175 King Valley Road, Whitfield
Chrismont
Finish up at Chrismont, where you can indulge in a nice, three-course, sit-down meal, paired with wine of course! Chrismont’s cellar door and restaurant are located high up on the hill and offer spectacular views of the surrounding area. Lots of vines and mountain vistas; what a way to enjoy a lunch, right?
Chrismont also offers guesthouse accommodation set among the vines. So, if you had a little too much Prosecco and want to stop for the night, this is the best place for it!
Address: 251 Upper King River Road, Cheshunt
So that’s it for the Prosecco tasting but there are many more wineries in the area. However, that’s a lot of tasting! It might be wise to split your trip into two days, especially if you’d like to try different wines apart from Prosecco.
We broke up our tour into two days. We visited Sam Miranda and Brown Brothers on day one and the other three wineries on day two. That let us enjoy more tastings and food, with some time to relax in between.
Do you need accommodation for a night or two?
Here are the best accommodation near the Prosecco Road:
Lancemore Milawa: Lancemore Milawa is a boutique hotel located in the Milawa wine region next door to Brown Brothers. All of the luxurious rooms have a view of the vineyards or the gardens. Their on-site restaurant Lindenwarrah serves fresh local produce straight from the farm and wine straight from the cellar. There is a pool on-site. Find the latest prices here.
King River Cottage: Boasting a garden, an outdoor pool and river views, King River Cottage is set in Moyhu a short distance from many wineries. A good breakfast is included. Find the latest prices here.
Milawa Muscat Retreat B&B: Located in the heart of the Milawa Gourmet Region, it is set on 2 acres of land overlooking the neighbouring vineyards. Milawa Muscat Retreat offers air-conditioned suites with free Wi-Fi and free breakfast. Find the latest prices here.
If none of those take your fancy, try using HotelsCombined to search across all the major accommodation websites for hotels near Milawa. We use it all the time.
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