With a bumper ski season already underway, powder hounds are wasting no time planning their road trip to the Victorian ski resorts. With some of Australia’s best wineries just a stone’s throw from Mt Hotham, Mt Buller and Falls Creek, a wine trail side-trip is the perfect complement to a winter ski holiday.

Read on for four reasons to go beyond-the-cellar door this winter:

1. Prosecco Brunch at Brown Brothers

A thrilling ski or snowboard adventure calls for a long, lazy brunch on the way home. Stop in at Brown Brothers in Milawa, less than two hours from Mt Buller, Falls Creek and Mt Hotham, where you can chill out in your very own private Prosecco Lounge.

Taste your way through the entire Brown Brothers’ Prosecco range as you indulge in a gourmet spread of freshly baked sweets and pastries, local Milawa cheeses, house-made delicacies, terrines and seasonal fruits. Book your Prosecco Brunch here.

Address: 239 Milawa-Bobinawarrah Road, Milawa, Victoria

2. Pizzini Overnight Food and Wine Escape

Just half an hour from Brown Brothers, Pizzini Wines’ beautiful King Valley cellar door beckons. Enjoy a northern Italian wine immersion with a tutored tasting and discover why Italian wine varietals shine with food as you savour an Italian-style grazing platter.

Continue on to the Pizzini-owned Mountain View Hotel nearby and spend an afternoon taking in the local attractions, such as Powers Lookout and an abundance of breweries. In the evening, you’ll be treated to a four course dinner with matched wine, created by Joel Pizzini, in the fine dining lounge of the hotel. Book your Pizzini Overnight Food and Wine Escape here.

Distance from Mt Buller: 90 minutes
Distance from Mt Hotham and Falls Creek: 2 hours 20 mins

Address: 175 King Valley Road, Whitfield, Victoria

3. Winemaker’s Secret Art

Less than two hours from the King Valley in the Nagambie Lakes region, historic Tahbilk is home to five generations of wine growers, set amongst stunning gardens, historic buildings and underground cellars dating back to the 1860s.

Discover the art of blending wine with the Winemakers Secret Art experience. Guided by an expert wine ambassador, you’ll start with individual wines and blend them to create a wine that is truly yours, with a special bottle of your own blend to take away.

Later, enjoy a relaxing lunch with a glass of matching wine in Tahbilk’s Wetlands’ View Restaurant, and explore the vast property, comprising some 1,214 hectares of rich river flats with a frontage of 11 kilometres to the meandering Goulburn River.

Distance to Mt Buller: 2, 10 mins hours
Distance to Mt Hotham and Falls Creek: 3 hours, 30 mins

Address: 254 O'Neils Road, Tahbilk, Victoria

4. Icons of the Yarra Valley

Take the long way home via the famous Yarra Valley, less than two hours’ drive from Tahbilk.

The Icons of the Yarra Valley tour takes in two stunning wineries in one day: Dominique Portet and De Bortoli.

Begin your Yarra Valley adventure with the De Bortoli Locale Restaurant Premium Experience, where you’ll feast on a divine three-course lunch with a glass of wine perfectly matched to each course, including the internationally acclaimed Noble One served with dessert.

Finish your afternoon at nearby Dominique Portet, a young winery steeped in European history, set amongst rolling hills reminiscent of the French countryside. Embark on Le Tour de Rosé, encompassing three different styles, sparkling Brut Rosé, Fontaine Rosé and a new addition – Single Vineyard Rosé.

Your Dominique Portet host will provide you with an overview of the estate’s history and guide you through three wines matched with a selection of charcuterie, cheese and rustic baguette. The perfect match for rosé.

Dominique Portet address: 870 Maroondah Hwy, Coldsdtream, Victoria
De Bortoli address: 58 Pinnacle Lane, Dixons Creek, Victoria