Coming Soon: Redefining Wine Through an Urban Lens, Melbourne Winery Is Making Vino the Star of the Show on Flinders Lane
Leave the rulebook at home — this forward-thinking space is reimagining everything that you thought you knew about wine.
Don't expect to see any rolling hills at Melbourne Winery – an innovative wine destination looking to redefine how people indulge in a glass of vino. Situated in the heritage-listed Ross House on Flinders Lane, this immersive venue blends wine, dining and art to shape a sensorial experience intended to flip the script of what you think you know about wine and dining. Opting for metamorphosis, rather than getting bogged down in tradition, doing things differently is the whole point.
Brought to life by hospitality group Barman & Larder (Left Bank, Il Mercato Centrale, Flour Child), the dining concept sees wine, not food, become the focal point for your meal. With each dish designed to elevate what's in your glass, the restaurant prods guests to reconsider how they perceive and interact with wine. Treating the drink more like art, this sense of storytelling resonates through virtually all aspects of the space.
"Melbourne Winery isn't about tradition – it's about transformation," said a spokesperson. "We're creating a space where people don't just drink wine, they engage with it. Every bottle tells a story, and we're giving our guests the chance to be a part of it."
However, dining is just one part of the equation. Melbourne Winery will also push boundaries through interactive masterclasses and a creative arts and culture program designed to unlock the mysteries of wine and inspire an increasingly curious palate. With the in-house team coming together from different walks of life, expect grape stomping sessions, guided tastings and rotating art exhibitions that present a love affair with wine captured through a Melbourne lens.
As for the wine itself, Melbourne Winery has partnered with Scotchmans Hill – a respected name in Australian winemaking situated amid the cool maritime climate of Bellarine Peninsula– to present 32 varietals as part of its initial wine range. Spanning three distinct collections – Essentials, Elevated Classics and Indulgence – these reflect different tiers, from the staple vino you'd reach for at home to times when only the best will do.
Launching this April, the venue, stretching an impressive 552 square metres, has no rustic farmhouse hidden within these walls. Instead, you'll find a wine lab, cheese room, oyster bar and various opulent private dining spaces. Says the Melbourne Winery team: "Drinking wine is deeply personal. It's like art – how you experience it, how you interpret it, is completely your own. We wanted to show people what a winery could look like – if it was born right here in Melbourne."
Melbourne Winery launches in April 2025 at 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Head to the website for more information.
