The Peninsula's best bottles start on the ridge

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the benchmark varieties, the cool maritime climate and basalt soils of the Red Hill plateau produce some of Australia's most consistent cool-climate examples. The region also has a growing reputation for Pinot Gris and Shiraz. Over 50 cellar doors are open to visitors, concentrated on the ridge between Red Hill and Main Ridge.

Some cellar doors operate by appointment only (Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge Estate, Paringa Estate). Others welcome walk-ins (Montalto, Polperro, Red Hill Estate). Check before you drive, appointment-only cellar doors are common on the plateau and the experience is better when expected. Weekend afternoons are busiest.

Over 200 vineyards and approximately 50–60 cellar doors open to visitors. Most are concentrated on the Red Hill plateau between Dromana, Red Hill, and Main Ridge. The region is compact, you can visit three cellar doors in an afternoon without rushing if you stay on the ridge.