What is Port Phillip Estate?
Updated
Port Phillip Estate is a winery, restaurant and boutique accommodation destination at Red Hill on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, about 80 km south of Melbourne. It is part of the Gjergja family's wine domain, which also includes the Kooyong vineyard and winery, and it operates as an architecturally notable food and wine destination rather than a simple cellar door. It suits visitors planning a long lunch, a tasting, a special celebration or an overnight stay in the wine region.
What you can do there
The estate combines four main activities on one site:
- Cellar Door — tastings and wine sales, Wednesday to Monday, 11am–5pm.
- Dining Room — lunch Wednesday to Sunday, plus dinner on Saturday. Bookings are essential.
- Cellar Door Kitchen — lunch Friday through Monday. Bookings are essential.
- Accommodation — front desk staffed 9am–5pm Sunday to Thursday and 9am–9pm Friday and Saturday.
You can also book lunch or dinner, book accommodation, buy gift vouchers and buy wine through the website, and there is a wine club to join.
The setting and architecture
The building is described as an architectural landmark: monumental limestone rammed earth walls spiral up from the ground, and inside the light-filled Dining Room and Cellar Door open onto an expansive outdoor deck with views over the vineyard and surrounding landscape. The estate frames its approach as "the alchemy of architecture, food and wine," with stated philosophies of sustainability, quality and expression of place.
The team named on the site includes winemaker Tim Perrin, viticulturist Stuart Marshall and chef Hayden Ellis, with the Gjergja family as proprietors.
Events and things to know before you go
The estate runs ticketed events alongside regular service — for example, a conversation and two-course dinner with political journalist Barrie Cassidy on Friday 13 November, presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre, with tickets at $160 for the talk and pre-show dinner and beverages charged on consumption.
Trading hours can change, and the site lists specific closures and extensions, so check the current hours before travelling. The address is 263 Red Hill Road, Red Hill South, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, and the telephone number is 61 3 5989 4444. The site also provides directions and an enquiries contact.
Is it the right choice for your trip?
Choose Port Phillip Estate if you want a single destination that pairs estate wine with a serious dining room, striking architecture and the option to stay overnight on the Mornington Peninsula. If you only want a quick, walk-in tasting, note that the Cellar Door keeps set hours Wednesday to Monday and that dining requires a booking — plan around those constraints rather than assuming spontaneous availability.