Melbourne: Yarra Valley Food, Wine, Chocolate & Gin Tour

The best part of this Yarra Valley food and wine tour is its variety. In one long day, you taste farm fruit, three wineries, optional gin, and 12 chocolates, while a guide such as Rick, Bernie, or Mel fills the drive with local stories. It gives you a broad taste of the region without needing to drive.

I like the three winery visits, since St Hubert’s, Tokar Estate, and Rochford Wines each offer a different setting and style. I also like the free bottle of wine for every full-paying adult, a useful extra at a $91 tour price. The main catch is that lunch is not included in the published fare, and the bus has drawn some criticism for being tired and short on storage space.

Key points at a glance

• Three wineries in one day: Taste wines at St Hubert’s Estate, Tokar Estate, and Rochford Wines.
• A good food mix: Start with local fruit, finish with 12 chocolates, and add gin or cheese if available.
• One bottle to take home: Each full-paying adult receives a complimentary bottle of wine.
• Lunch needs a budget: Choose the $50 gourmet upgrade with wine, or spend about $25 to $45 from the restaurant menu.
• Strong guide-led element: Rick, Bernie, and Mel have been praised for humor, local knowledge, and careful driving.
• Easy city departure: Meet near Federation Square for an 8:30 AM departure and return around 4:45 PM.

Why this Yarra Valley day works so well

The Yarra Valley is about an hour from central Melbourne, making it one of the easiest wine-country trips from the city. This tour turns the drive into part of the experience, with commentary about Melbourne, the Yarra Valley, historic towns, and the region’s food and wine.

I like the way the day moves beyond wine alone. You are not asked to spend eight hours at tasting counters. Fresh fruit gives the morning a bright start, wine takes up the middle of the day, and chocolate provides a sweet finish.

The guides are a major part of the experience. Rick is known for a lively sense of humor and local stories. Bernie has handled both the driving and hosting, while Mel and Melanie have led groups with a calm, friendly style. You should expect a social day rather than a quiet private tasting.

The format suits solo visitors and couples who want company. You will spend much of the day with the same group, and the shared tastings and lunch stop make conversation easy.

Meeting near Federation Square at 8:15 AM

The pickup point is opposite the Forum Theatre, in front of the Federation Square entrance. The bus arrives at about 8:15 AM, with departure scheduled for 8:30 AM.

This is a practical central meeting point, but pay attention to the exact location. One booking party waited at the wrong spot and needed help finding the pickup. Look for Rick’s Tours Australia bus, and allow enough time to identify the vehicle before departure.

The return to the same area is planned for about 4:45 PM. That gives you roughly eight hours out of the city, including the drive in both directions.

Transport is provided in a minibus or coach. It gets the job done, but comfort is not the tour’s strongest point. Some people have found the bus uncomfortable, and there may be little room for wine, chocolate, or other purchases. Pack lightly and avoid assuming you will have a large luggage compartment.

Yarra Farm Fresh starts the day with fruit

The first stop is Yarra Farm Fresh, about 25 minutes after leaving Melbourne. You receive a guided tasting of local fruit, with strawberries and other seasonal produce at the center of the stop.

This is a smart opening. Wine tastings are more enjoyable when you are not starting the day with alcohol on an empty stomach, and the fruit gives you an early taste of what the valley produces beyond grapes. Some tastings may include local jam, chutney, or tomato spread.

The stop is brief, around 25 minutes, so think of it as a tasting visit rather than a full farm tour. You have time to sample and perhaps buy something small, but not time for an extended wander.

St Hubert’s Estate brings the grandest setting

St Hubert’s Estate is the first major wine stop. The guided tasting includes four premium wines, led by cellar-door staff. You also receive one complimentary bottle of wine to take home as part of the tour.

The estate offers more than a counter and a few glasses. You can stroll the grounds, visit the Indigenous Art Gallery, or sample additional wines at the Notes Wine Store. That gives you a little freedom after the formal tasting.

This is likely to be the most polished winery setting of the day. The combination of wine, grounds, and art makes the stop feel like a proper estate visit rather than a quick commercial tasting.

I would keep an eye on the clock here. With 45 minutes scheduled, you cannot do everything at length. Focus first on the guided tasting, then choose the gallery, grounds, or extra wine depending on your interests.

The free bottle is a real value point, but remember that it is one bottle per full-paying adult, not a bottle for every person in a mixed booking that includes discounted passengers.

Tokar Estate keeps the wine focus personal

Tokar Estate follows with three handcrafted wines and a guided tasting lasting about 30 minutes. Compared with St Hubert’s, this stop is presented as a boutique winery experience, with more attention on the care and precision behind the wines.

The shorter visit keeps the day moving. You get another set of wines without sitting through a long formal talk, and the contrast between the two wineries helps you notice differences in style and presentation.

Three tastings in a day can add up quickly. Pace yourself, use the provided food stops, and make use of any opportunity to taste rather than drink every pour. This is especially useful because another winery stop follows at Rochford Wines.

Rochford Wines combines tasting, lunch, and free time

Rochford Wines is the longest stop, with a guided tasting followed by lunch and free time. The schedule allows roughly 75 minutes for lunch, with an additional 30-minute wine-tasting period shown in the day’s timing.

This is where the tour shifts from a series of tastings to a relaxed midday break. You can eat, look around, and choose the optional gin tasting if that interests you.

Gin costs $25 per person. It is not included in the tour fare, so decide in advance if you want to add another tasting after the wine. The extra option is useful for people who want a broader look at Yarra Valley drinks, but it is not essential to the day.

Lunch also costs extra. The published choices are:

• A gourmet lunch with a glass of wine for a $50 upgrade on the day.
• An a la carte meal from the restaurant menu, with a suggested budget of $25 to $45 per person.
• No BYO lunch.

The lunch details deserve attention because the day is sometimes described casually as including lunch, while the listed inclusions exclude it. I would budget at least $25 per person, or $50 if you want the set gourmet option with wine.

The restaurant setting has been well received for food quality, but you may not get a completely free choice of venue or meal arrangement. If you have a strong preference, ask the guide what is available that day.

Optional gin and possible cheese extras

The Rochford stop may also include access to cheese or other tasting extras, depending on the arrangement on the day. The advertised additional experience is gin tasting at $25 per person.

This part works best for people who enjoy trying several local products in one sitting. It is less useful if you mainly want a focused wine tour, since the three wineries already provide plenty of tasting time.

You can use the free time simply for lunch and a breather. That is a good choice if you want to avoid rushing from one glass to the next.

Twelve chocolates finish the afternoon

The final tasting stop is the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie. You receive 12 artisan chocolates, with time afterward to browse and shop.

The chocolate tasting adds welcome balance after the wine stops. You get to compare different flavors and styles rather than simply receiving one sample, and the 25-minute tasting is followed by about 30 minutes for shopping.

There is one practical limitation. The tasting may take place in the main shop, where it can be hard to hear the explanation if the room is busy. If learning about the chocolate matters to you, stand close to the guide and staff member.

Still, this is a pleasant final stop. You can buy chocolates for the trip home, but remember the bus may not have much space for purchases. A small bag is more practical than a large haul.

Wildlife, scenery, and the road between stops

The drive is not just dead time. The route passes through historic towns and open countryside, and guides point out local details along the way. Kangaroo sightings and other Australian wildlife are included as possible highlights, though they are never guaranteed.

One guide made a side trip along a road to point out kangaroos on the return journey. That kind of moment depends on timing and luck, but it shows how the driver can add small local touches to a standard route.

The scenery is a strong reason to choose a day outside Melbourne. You see a changing mix of farms, vineyards, country roads, and town centers. The tour does not give you a long hiking stop, so this is mainly a sightseeing experience from the bus and winery grounds.

The schedule is fairly full. You move from fruit to wine, then lunch, gin if chosen, and chocolate before returning to Melbourne. If you prefer long, slow visits at one or two wineries, a smaller private tour may suit you better.

What the $91 price really covers

At $91 per person, the tour offers solid value if you use the included tastings. The fare covers transport, a guide and driver, three winery visits with wine tastings, the fruit stop, chocolate tasting, and one bottle of wine for each full-paying adult.

The bottle alone is not the main reason to book, but it improves the overall calculation. So does the transport. Hiring a car for wine tasting creates the obvious problem of choosing a sober driver, while this tour removes that concern.

Your actual day cost will be higher once you add lunch. A basic restaurant meal brings the total closer to $116 to $136 per person, while the gourmet lunch and wine option brings it to about $141. Add gin and the cost rises again.

That remains reasonable for a full-day outing with several tastings, but it is not an all-inclusive food tour. The $91 figure should be treated as the entry price, not the final spend.

Who should book this tour

I would recommend it to visitors with two or three days in Melbourne who want to see the countryside without renting a car. It is especially good for people who like wine but also want fruit, chocolate, local food, and a chance to try gin.

It also suits solo visitors. The guide-led format and shared group make it easier to meet people, and the day has enough structure that you are never left wondering what happens next.

Food-focused couples will enjoy the range, provided they budget for lunch. The complimentary bottle is useful if you have room in your luggage and plan to take a taste of Victoria home.

This is not a good choice for children under 14, wheelchair users, or anyone needing a highly accessible vehicle. It also may disappoint you if you expect a luxury coach, lots of free time, or lunch included in the $91 price.

The tour runs rain or shine and needs at least four people to operate. Bring weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes for walking around the estates.

My verdict on this Melbourne wine tour

Book this tour if you want a friendly, full day with plenty of tasting and a guide who adds humor and local facts to the drive. The strongest features are the three wineries, the free bottle, the broad food mix, and the chance to see the Yarra Valley without driving.

Before booking, set aside money for lunch and optional gin, confirm the pickup point near Federation Square, and keep your shopping modest because bus storage may be limited. If those conditions suit you, this is a practical and enjoyable introduction to Yarra Valley wine country.

FAQ

Where does the tour leave from?

Meet opposite the Forum Theatre, in front of the Federation Square entrance. Look for the Rick’s Wine Tours bus.

What time does the tour depart and return?

The bus arrives near the meeting point at about 8:15 AM and departs Melbourne at 8:30 AM. Return to the city is planned for about 4:45 PM.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $91 per person. Lunch and gin tasting are additional costs.

Is lunch included?

No. You can upgrade on the day to a gourmet lunch with a glass of wine for $50 per person, or order from the restaurant menu with a suggested budget of $25 to $45 per person.

How many wineries does the tour visit?

The tour visits three wineries: St Hubert’s Estate, Tokar Estate, and Rochford Wines. Wine tastings at all three are included.

Do I receive a bottle of wine?

Yes. Every full-paying adult receives one bottle of wine to take home.

Is gin tasting included?

No. Optional gin tasting at Rochford Wines costs $25 per person.

Is the tour suitable for children or wheelchair users?

The tour is not suitable for children under 14 or wheelchair users. It operates in rain or shine and requires at least four people to run.