Mornington Peninsula’s 1st beer, wine & cider festival

The Mornington Peninsula can now lay claim to its own beer, wine and cider festival.

On Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 November, the first Peninsula VineHop Festival will come to life at ten locations across the Mornington Peninsula. The festival will showcase some of the peninsula’s most popular venues while also shining the spotlight on lesser-known, hidden gems.

“The Mornington Peninsula is well-known for its wineries and is also celebrated for its microbreweries and cideries. We are bringing a selection of these together for a fun-filled festival weekend, so people can experience the diversity of the Peninsula,” said Lisa MacGregor, Event Producer of the Peninsula VineHop Festival. “It is not just another wine festival. There is something to excite craft beer lovers, pinot drinkers, cider sippers – there is even a distillery involved that produces gin and other spirits.”

The ten festival locations are Blue Range Estate Wines, Dromana Estate, Hickinbotham Estate and Hix Beer, Merricks General Wine Store at Baillieu, Mock Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula Brewery, Nazaaray Estate Winery, Phaedrus Estate, Red Hill Brewery and Red Hill Estate.

“There are also three pop-up bars – Jetty Road Brewery at Dromana Estate and Bass and Flinders Distillery and Mr Banks Brewery at Red Hill Estate – which really adds to the variety people can enjoy during the festival,” Lisa said.

Festival-goers gain exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ access at some venues. Baillieu vineyard, rarely open to the public, will be opening for the weekend and the Mornington Peninsula Brewery will host the festival at its production site. Mornington Peninsula Brewery and Red Hill Brewery will also be developing special brews exclusively for the VineHop Festival.

Each location will feature live bands or DJs and will have food available, either through their own restaurant or from some of Melbourne’s best food trucks. Details are being finalised and will be announced shortly.

Tickets for the Peninsula VineHop Festival are now on sale and start from $38. A limited number of Festival pre-sale tickets are available. Transport can also be booked, including shuttle buses, set tours and private buses.


For more information about tickets, transport, participating venues, food trucks and entertainment visit the official website vinehopfestival.com.au

First published in Peninsula Essence – October 2017