Zara Wilkens | yesterday

Geelong Wine, Without the Homework: Where to Start

Geelong wine is close enough to feel local, varied enough to keep surprising you, and—if we are being honest—occasionally discussed as though everyone arrived with a geology degree. You did not. Excellent. This Geelong wine guide is the useful version: three parts of the region, three grapes to know, and a very easy way to choose your first bottle.

The short version

Geelong is a cool-climate wine region west and south-west of Melbourne. It stretches across the Moorabool Valley, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast/Otways. Water, wind, elevation and soils shift across that wide footprint, so “Geelong wine” is not one neat flavour. That is the fun of it. If you want the shortest possible shopping list, begin with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. They are the region’s calling cards. Expect freshness and shape rather than simple heaviness: Chardonnay with citrus, stone fruit and texture; Pinot with perfume, red and dark fruit, earth and fine tannin; Shiraz with dark cherry, pepper, spice and a savoury streak.

In other words: proper wines, but no ceremonial robes required.

One region, three different moods

The Bellarine Peninsula

The Bellarine is the maritime side of the story, with Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait helping to moderate the climate. It is a natural place to look for bright Pinot Noir, poised Chardonnay and polished sparkling wine, alongside Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. If your ideal bottle feels fresh, tidy and ready for a long lunch, start here.

The Moorabool Valley

Head inland and the influence becomes more continental. The Moorabool Valley is drier, with a patchwork of volcanic, clay and sandy sites. This is serious territory for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and it is also responsible for some of Geelong’s most compelling Shiraz: fragrant, spicy and structured, without needing to shout across the table.

The Surf Coast and Otways

The smallest of the three areas is coastal, exposed and cool. Think sea air, wind and slower ripening. Production is limited, which is part of the appeal. Wines from this end of the region can feel especially bright and energetic—good bottles for people who like freshness more than muscle.

What should I drink first?

For white-wine people: Chardonnay

Forget the old “oaky or not oaky” argument. Good Geelong Chardonnay is about balance. Citrus and stone fruit meet savoury texture, gentle creaminess and often a flinty edge. Choose a leaner bottle for oysters or a richer one for roast chicken, buttery fish or the noble hot chip.

For red-wine people: Pinot Noir

Pinot is a Geelong essential, but the styles are not identical. Some are lifted and red-fruited; others go darker, earthier and more structured. That producer-to-producer variation is exactly why the region rewards a little roaming. Serve it cool—not icy—and give it a generous glass.

For people who want a little more: Shiraz

Geelong Shiraz is not the jammy, sun-baked version some drinkers expect from Australian Shiraz. Cool-climate examples can be medium-bodied, perfumed and peppery, with dark cherry, blackberry, savoury spice and tannin doing the sensible structural work. Bring lamb, mushrooms or anything charred around the edges.

Then wander off-script

Once the classics have you oriented, follow whatever looks delicious. The region also grows Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet, plus smaller parcels of grapes including Gamay, Nebbiolo, Grenache, Tempranillo, Fiano and Albariño. This is where a mixed six becomes a better research method than homework.

How to choose a Geelong bottle without overthinking it

Choose your mood before your grape. Bright and breezy? Try Pinot, Riesling or a fresher Chardonnay. Savoury and slow? Look to Shiraz, a more structured Pinot or Cabernet.

Use the subregion as a clue, not a promise. Bellarine often reads maritime and polished; Moorabool can bring concentration and savoury depth; Surf Coast wines often lean into freshness. Producer and site still matter.

Ask what is drinking well now. Vintage, winemaking and bottle age change the answer. This is precisely what wine shops are for.

Buy two different versions of the same grape. A Bellarine Pinot beside a Moorabool Pinot will teach you more—and be significantly nicer—than memorising a map.

Where to start at Claret

We like Geelong because it can be polished without being precious. Here is the useful version of what is on our shelves and pouring at the bar right now. Vintages and availability move, so ask us if you have your heart set on a particular bottle.

For warm weather and everyday drinking: Start with Mulline Pinot Gris. Its gentle blush colour looks right at home in the sunshine, and the fresh, easy shape makes it a bottle you can open without first inventing an occasion. We are pouring Mulline Gris at the bar, so you can take it for a test drive by the glass.

For something special: By Farr Farrside Pinot Noir is drinking beautifully. It has the detail and structure to make dinner feel like an event, while still delivering the perfume and savoury character that make Geelong Pinot so compelling. If the brief is “a special bottle, but not a trophy gathering dust”, this is where we would point.

Also pouring now: Bannockburn Riesling is currently by the glass alongside the Mulline Gris: bright, precise and a very good reminder that Geelong is not a three-grape region, however loudly Chardonnay, Pinot and Shiraz may dominate the conversation.

A quick tour of the shelf: From By Farr, look for Shiraz, Sangreal Pinot Noir, Farrside Pinot Noir, Viognier and Chardonnay. Bannockburn is represented by Estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, alongside the more immediate 1314 Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Circulus takes the conversation through Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. Longboard covers Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while Oakdene brings sparkling wine plus its Blue Label Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Mulline gives you perhaps the widest route through our Geelong range: regional and single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, skin-contact Pinot Gris and single-vineyard Syrah. It is an excellent producer to follow if you want to taste how site, grape and winemaking move the dial without leaving the region.

For more about the people and places behind these labels, read our guide to Geelong wine producers.

Or come in and give us a brief. “Something local, fresh and not too serious” is a complete sentence. So is “Geelong Chardonnay for roast chicken.” We can work with that.

The bottle-sized conclusion

A good Geelong wine guide should make the region easier to enter, not smaller. Start with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Shiraz. Notice which subregion and producer made it. Drink it with something good. Then take one small step sideways next time.

No exam. No flash cards. Just a very good wine region on our doorstep.

A few bottles we think are worth knowing about...

We always feel so lucky to be able to stock wonderful things on the shelf that we think will bring some level of discovery, excitement but above all else quality for you. Some are already established names. Others are producers we think you’ll be hearing us wax lyrical about in store. Either way, if you see something interesting on the shelf, ask us about it. We’re always happy to point you towards something new.

Good times call for Claret xx

Zara Wilkens

Orange Wine, Explained Without the Lecture

Orange wine tastes as good as it looks. Sometimes peachy and tropical, sometimes floral and savoury, often textural, always capable of making a table look approximately 40 per cent more fun.

It can also attract explanations with the length and emotional weight of a minor thesis. We will not be doing that. Here is orange wine without the lecture: what it is, why it has colour, what it tastes like and where to begin.

Chillable Reds: Yes, Red Wine Belongs in the Fridge

Red wine belongs at room temperature. Sure—if your room is a chilly European cellar and not an Australian kitchen in January.

The better rule is simpler: some reds are absolutely delicious with a bit of fridge time. A good chillable red wine is bright, light on its feet and wonderfully easy to drink. It brings the juicy pleasure of red fruit with the refreshment usually assigned to white or rosé. Less ceremony. More “shall we open another?” energy.

Geelong Wine Producers: A Claret Guide

We'd love to say we stock everything Geelong has to offer. We absolutely do not. There are simply too many good wines, too many small producers and not enough shelf space. Rather than attempt to create a definitive list of the best Geelong wineries, we've put together a Claret edit of some of the local producers currently on our shelves, in our fridges or on our bar list. These are wines we like, drink, pour and come back to. Some are established names that have helped put Geelong on the map; others are newer producers we're excited to watch. The common thread is that they tell us something interesting about where they're from.

What Wine Should I Bring to Dinner? A Claret Guide

Someone has invited you to dinner.

You've been told not to bring anything.

You're obviously bringing something.

But what? Choosing a bottle for someone else's dinner can be surprisingly stressful. You don't know exactly what's being served, whether they're a red or white person, what they've already bought, or whether your host is secretly judging your wine choices.

Don't worry Claret family. We've got you.

Champagne vs Sparkling Wine: What’s the Difference?

Champagne is sparkling wine. But sparkling wine isn’t Champagne...

It sounds simple, but there’s a surprisingly big world hiding behind those two words. At Claret, we’re big fans of Champagne. We’re also big fans of Australian sparkling, Loire Valley bubbles, Crémant, pét-nat and pretty much anything else that makes an excellent bottle of fizz. So, what actually makes Champagne different? And if Champagne is off the menu — whether because of price, occasion or simply because you fancy trying something new — what should you drink instead?

Let’s get into it.

Spring Drinking: The Wines We’re Reaching For

Spring has arrived, and with it comes a very important change in drinking habits.

Longer afternoons, windows thrown open, the first lunches outside and those evenings where nobody seems particularly interested in going home. Suddenly, we're looking for wines that feel a little lighter, fresher and more energetic.

At Claret, we've been stocking the shelves accordingly.

From cool-climate Victorian Chardonnay and plenty of bubbles to bright, chillable reds and European varieties, these are some of the wines we're reaching for this spring.

Negroni Month at Claret

September is Negroni Month at Claret.

For the entire month, we're giving one of the world's most iconic cocktails the attention it deserves — with six different takes on the Negroni pouring at the bar.

If you're already a Negroni person, you'll know exactly why we're excited. If you're not, September is a very good time to become one.

The Claret Father's Day Gift Guide

Father's Day isn't just about dads. It's a chance to celebrate the people who have been there for us — whether that's Dad, a stepdad, grandfather, father figure, or someone who has stepped into that role along the way. And, of course, there are plenty of single mums who've been doing double duty and deserve a good bottle too.

So, whoever you're celebrating this Father's Day, we've done the hard work for you.

Five Bottles Worth Knowing About Right Now

There’s always something interesting finding its way onto the shelves at Claret. The

Sometimes it’s a producer we’ve been drinking for years. Sometimes it’s a bottle that’s been quietly sitting in a cellar, waiting for its moment. And sometimes it’s simply something we tasted and thought: Yep. The Claret Family need to know about this.