A new Melbourne CBD address for wine lovers and gourmets

Handpicked Wines, which makes wines from several premium region in Australia, has opened a luxury cellar in the Melbourne CBD. 

The Handpicked facility is at high-end precinct 80 Collins and the three-level space doubles as a retail wine shop and premium cheese, charcuterie and wine bar.

 ‘Tasting pods’ are integrated within the retail area, which also includes an ‘experience room’ designed for wine flights and education, with a mezzanine that overlooks the cellar door.

Handpicked is the first Australian winemaker to enter the luxury wine retail space and the cellar door will showcase more than 50 wines from the Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Barossa Valley and Tasmania. 

With its vineyards currently under organic conversion, Handpicked has a large focus on sustainability moving forward. 

“What’s unique is the fact that our passion for making great wines is not limited to one region or style," says chief winemaker Pete Dillon (above). 

"We are lucky to work with the best regions and varietals in the country, which allow us to express the wine’s style true to its character. With that being said, our production team and facility are based in Victoria, so Victorian wine regions and the Melbourne community are very special to us – which is why we are excited by this new location.

“The goal with our cellar door is to bring the charm of viticulture and winemaking to an urban experience, where we can share and celebrate great wines with our guests. We have just released three new wines off two incredible sites we acquired in Tasmania a couple of years ago that are in conversion to organics, and we are excited to show these sorts of wines to our customers,” 

Open for a light breakfast, lunch, or supper seven days a week, with indoor and outdoor seating on Benson Walk, the cellar door menu focuses on regionality including a cheese selection from the world’s greatest producers both homegrown (Holy Goat and Meredith from Victoria, for example) as well as the best from France and Italy. 

Charcuterie follows the same vein with cured meats from the Barossa (Schultz pancetta, smoked Wagyu) or prosciutto and jamon sliced to order. Guests can also indulge in a deli lunch and choose from tins of Ortiz anchovies or La Belle Iloise sardines to be layered over sourdough or olive bread, and seasonal offerings may include raclette or truffle toasties in winter.

“As well as curated wine tastings, we have wine flights on offer, barrel tastings and regular wine workshops held in the dedicated events space and led by our stellar team. For convenience, wines can be purchased at the cellar door or delivered within three hours, paired perfectly with a selection of cheeses and charcuterie”, says operations manager Andrew Robinson.

Handpicked cellar door is located inside the 80 Collins precinct, a destination where curated dining meets luxury retail. The venue joins Georg Jensen, Mulberry and a new Saint Laurent flagship, as well as some of Melbourne’s most distinctive hospitality offerings. 

For bookings call (03) 7036 1088 or see www.handpickedwines.com.au

Handpicked Wines was established in 2001 by founder William Dong and owns its own vineyards in the Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Tasmania, and Barossa.