Winery Red Hill
Avani Wines
98 Stanleys Road, Red Hill South VIC 3937
Shashi and Rohit Singh's biodynamic family estate, one of the Peninsula's only serious Syrah programs alongside the Amrit single-vineyard range.
Willow Creek Vineyard
The vineyard at the heart of Jackalope Hotel, a showpiece single-site program and the home of both Rare Hare and Doot Doot Doot.
Known for Jackalope Hotel VineyardRare Hare Cellar DoorLL Vineyard Pinot NoirDoot Doot Doot Wine Program
Willow Creek Vineyard · Merricks Why we’d goWillow Creek is the one Peninsula vineyard where the winemaking, the cellar door, and the two-hat restaurant are all drawing from the same block of vines, the coherence between them is the point.
Willow Creek is the vineyard at the heart of Jackalope Hotel and the source of the fruit for Rare Hare's cellar door and Doot Doot Doot's wine list. The estate is a working single-site program, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a short experimental range, and, despite the hotel wrapping the whole property in a design-hotel identity, the winemaking has maintained its own editorial voice.
You taste Willow Creek most directly at Rare Hare, which runs the blend-your-own experience from the vineyard's own fruit, or you encounter the wines through the Doot Doot Doot matched pairing at dinner. The vineyard walk itself, between the two, is one of the most quietly beautiful routes on the Merricks North side of the Peninsula.
Best encountered as part of a Jackalope day: cellar door at Rare Hare in the late morning, a vineyard walk, lunch on the lawn, and Doot Doot Doot at night.
Worth knowing
- Best for
- Cellar door visits · Scenic views · Wine lovers · Design lovers
If you only do one thing
Book lunch at Rare Hare and taste the LL Vineyard Pinot Noir before you eat, it's the most direct expression of what this specific site produces.
Works well with
Rare Hare at Willow Creek · Baillieu Vineyard
Filed under Cellar DoorWalkViewAll YearCouplesGroup
Winemaker Geraldine McFaul
Varieties Pinot NoirChardonnayPinot GrisSauvignon Blanc
Worth seeking LL Vineyard Pinot Noir
Editor's verdict
Willow Creek Vineyard is the skeleton inside the Jackalope: the vineyard, the winemaker (Geraldine McFaul since 2008), and the estate character are all Willow Creek. The hotel, restaurants, and brand identity are all Jackalope. The combination is the Peninsula's most sophisticated wine tourism package: 44 luxury rooms, infinity pool, the two-hat Doot Doot Doot restaurant, one-hat Rare Hare bistro - and dogs are not just welcome; they are insisted upon.
Visiting
Walk-in daily 11am–5pm (final tastings 4:30pm); group bookings by appointment. Essential Tasting (fee refundable with purchase); Estate Tasting is the premium option. Dogs enthusiastically welcome at cellar door and outdoor dining.
The wines
Key varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc.
Worth seeking out: LL Vineyard Pinot Noir.
Doot Doot Doot / Rare Hare
2 Good Food Guide hats.
Rare Hare: 1 AGFG Chef Hat, Modern Australian casual. Doot Doot Doot: 2 AGFG Chef Hats, fine dining. Together they cover the full range from long lunch to special occasion.
Cuisine: Modern Australian.
Jackalope Hotel
44 luxury rooms with 30-metre infinity pool and spa. Adults and families welcome.
Frequently asked questions
Does Willow Creek Vineyard / Jackalope take walk-ins or do you need to book?
Cellar door is walk-in friendly daily 11am–5pm (final tastings 4:30pm). Groups require bookings. Restaurant reservations recommended; hotel bookings required.
Does Willow Creek Vineyard have a restaurant?
Yes - two. Rare Hare (1 AGFG Hat, casual Australian) and Doot Doot Doot (2 AGFG Hats, fine dining).
Are dogs allowed at Willow Creek Vineyard / Jackalope?
Confirmed yes - 'Absolutely, in fact we insist!' Dogs welcome at cellar door and in outdoor dining areas.
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Baillieu Vineyard
51 Stanleys Rd, Merricks VIC 3916
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A rustic, intimate cellar door running a five-wine, five-canape pairing from a hatted-standard kitchen, the most structured tasting format on the Peninsula.
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