Waking up amongst the Prosecco vines in the King Valley
We recently enjoyed 3 magical nights and 4 magical days in the King Valley. The King Valley is located an easy three hour drive up the Hume Highway from Melbourne between Wangaratta and the Alpine National Park.
This picture-perfect wine-region is the home of 'Prosecco Road' and the HQ of many of Australia's favourite wines including Dal Zotto and Pizzini.
Our trip to the King Valley was postponed five times due to lockdowns in Melbourne and was originally planned as a girl's weekend away (which will still happen!) but in the end it became a beautiful weekend away with my Mum and Dad and the kids.
We stayed at The Lodge at Mt Bellevue, a stunning home on Mt Bellevue in Myrrhee which is owned by a gorgeous friend of mine, Liana Shaw. This little slice of paradise features a working vineyard, there are cows grazing on the hills below and the property boasts some of the most incredible views over the King Valley.
I wanted to share a little love for both Mt Bellevue and the King Valley and have shared the details of our stay below, for anyone planning a trip to the region.
Day 1.
We left Melbourne around 2pm and arrived right at Mt Bellevue just before sunset.
As we approached Mt Bellevue we spotted a flock of sheep playing in the vines, it literally felt as though we had stepped into a dream.
We couldn't believe our eyes when we arrived at the house and saw the sweeping views overlooking the King Valley, absolutely magic!
We quickly lit the fire, poured ourselves a piccolo of local Prosecco and then went for a twilight strolls to explore the expansive property.
Mt Bellevue has a full kitchen and so we were able to enjoy dinner at home on the first evening with some local wine from the Mt Bellevue bar; perfection!
Pictured above is Mt Bellevue's main bedroom's ensuite with bathtub overlooking the vines.
A perfect spot to sit and relax in Mt Bellevue's chic living room.
Mt Bellevue has a mini bar and you can purchase local wines at cellar door prices.
Pictured above is the luxe second bedroom with queen bed and views over the property.
Pictured above is the main bathroom which sits adjacent to the second and third bedrooms.
Day 2:
After a blissful sleep-in we we enjoyed a morning stroll to visit the friendly neighbours (sheep!) and the resident cows and then headed off to spend the day at Dal Zotto.
The Dal Zotto family is renowned as the first family of Prosecco in Australia, pioneering Prosecco since 1999.
We started with a tasting in Dal Zotto's cellar door - including FIVE delicious Proseccos - and then moved to the Trattoria terrace for the most delicious Italian lunch overlooking the vines - charming service, house-made pasta, woodfire pizza, salads from the garden and the most divine Orange & Pistachio cake! They have an amazing range of #glutenfree dishes too. Our puppy, Cookie, came too and had a little siesta on the terrace before attempting a game of bocce.
What a spot for an afternoon siesta!
The food at Dal Zotto Trattoria is magnificent - rustic, seasonal Italian at its finest. We could not have enjoyed our time at Dal Zotto more.
It would have been rude not to enjoy a game of bocce after lunch!
Dal Zotto Wines
Address: 4861 Wangaratta-Whitfield Rd, Whitfield VIC 3733
Day 3 - Full Day Winery Tour
The following day we had booked a tour with Karen from King Valley Winery Tours.
We got to explore four incredible properties with Karen and tasted some magnificent wines along the way.
Our first stop was Pizzini Wines, a family-owned winery in Whitfield. Pizzini boasts a beautiful manicured garden and large space to play, which the kids and Cookie enjoyed exploring.
We enjoyed a 60-minute Wine Tasting Experience and got to select 8 wines to try. They were exceptional but my favourite was the 2021 Attento Pinot Grigio, magnificent!
Pizzini Wines
Address: 175 King Valley Rd, Whitfield VIC 3733
Our next stop was Politini Wines, a family-owned winery in Cheshunt. Politini specialises in estate-grown Italian and traditional French varieties and the estate is pretty-as-a-picture with two resident pooches.
We left with an array of wines and some house-made cannoli to enjoy that evening.
Cookie was right at home at Politini!
Politini Wines
Address: 65 Upper King River Rd, Cheshunt VIC 3678
It was then time for lunch and we were so excited to visit Chrismont, which has become known as the place in the King Valley for a special celebratory lunch.
Chrismont has a Cellar Door, Restaurant and Larder and offers stunning wines and a beautiful dining room with breathtaking views over the valley. It is elegant fine-dining but with warm service and a relaxed atmosphere.
Our lunch was magnificent, there was even a gluten free housemate gnocchi with ragu which was exceptional.
We couldn't leave without ordering the profiteroles, my mum's absolute favourite dessert!
Chrismont Wines
Address: 251 Upper King River Rd, Cheshunt VIC 3678
The final stop on our winery tour was King River Estate which is the home of Flying Duck and King River Estate wines.
Tastings are offered in either the cellar door (housed in a charming cottage) or outside in the gorgeous garden and are hosted by the delightful owners, John and Karen.
We adored our time at King River Estate and look forward to returning on a day when they are hosting their live music events on the lawn.
King River Estate
Address: 3556 Wangaratta-Whitfield Rd, Edi VIC 3678
Day 4
After three delightful days of eating, drinking and walking our way through the King Valley it was time to head back to Melbourne.
As we woke on the final morning I thought the vines were covered with mist, only to discover it was in fact clouds. We had literally woken up amongst the clouds.
What a dream! I can't wait to return to Mt Bellevue and the King Valley again soon, it is a truly magnificent part of Australia with spectacular food, wine and scenery. If you haven't visited the region before, add it to your must-visit list!
The Lodge at Mt Bellevue is available to be booked at mtbellevue.com.au and sleeps up to 6 guests. Mt Bellevue will soon house two additional spa villas overlooking the valley.
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