Before Blue Gables was a vineyard, it was part of a dairy farm. If you're also fond of eschewing milk for wine, Alistair and Catherine Hicks clearly know how you feel. The pair named the seven-acre East Gippsland site after a farmhouse, harking back to its beginnings — and, since 2004, it has grown seven varieties of grapes.
If you're a pinot noir fan, you'll be pleased to hear that's one of them. When anyone drinks the popular red, they want to know that they're drinking it — they want the taste to linger, and the scent too — and Blue Gables' mid-weight variety ticks all those boxes. Expect notes of cherry and strawberry, as well as a rich, spicy flavour.
The winery's cellar door is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am–5pm, and pairs its wines with an Italian-influenced menu of wood-fired pizzas, lasagne and antipasto. In winter, you'll also find a fire roaring — and in summer, you can sit outside and soak in the view.