Canonical: https://peninsulainsider.com.au/wine/yabby-lake/ Publisher: Peninsula Insider Published: unknown Modified: unknown Format: public main text, generated from the canonical page; imagery and interactive controls omitted. Dates and caveats below retain their page meaning; this format is not a new fact check. [Wine Country]() Winery [Tuerong]() Moorooduc # Yabby Lake Vineyard Tom Carson's single-block Chardonnay and Pinot Noir program, poured from a relaxed cellar door with one of the Peninsula's loveliest lunch decks. Known for Block 1 Pinot Noir Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy Winner Tom Carson Single-Block Program James Halliday 5-Red-Star Winery [Book a tasting]() +61 3 5974 3729 Yabby Lake Vineyard · Tuerong Why we’d go The Block 1 Pinot was the first Pinot to ever win the Jimmy Watson Trophy, the cellar door is the right place to understand why, and the deck is reason enough to stay. Yabby Lake sits slightly east of the main wine-country road, and that off-axis position has worked in its favour. The Kirby family planted the vineyard in 1998 and hired Tom Carson to run the winemaking, and what the team has built in the years since is one of the most serious single-block programs in the country. The flagship Block 1 Pinot Noir became the first Pinot ever to win the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy in 2014. The Block 1 Chardonnay is, quietly, one of the best Chardonnays in Australia. The cellar door is open daily and is deliberately more relaxed than the winemaking philosophy suggests. Seated tastings on the deck, a short early-lunch menu, and room to work through a full flight at your own pace. This is the cellar door we recommend when someone wants to understand why Peninsula Chardonnay is currently among the most interesting in the country. Order the Block 1 flight. Stay for lunch. Buy the single-vineyard Chardonnay on the way out, it rewards five years in the cellar. Worth knowing **Best for** Cellar door visits · Wine lovers · Long lunches · Food lovers If you only do one thing Order the Block 1 tasting flight, stay for lunch on the deck, and buy the single-vineyard Chardonnay on the way out, it rewards five years in the cellar. Works well with Onannon · Barmah Park Farm Kitchen Filed under Cellar Door Long Lunch View All Year Couples Group First Timers Winemaker Tom Carson Varieties Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Gris Syrah Worth seeking Block 1 Pinot Noir At a glance **Type** Winery **Location** 86-112 Tuerong Rd, Tuerong VIC 3933 · [Directions]() **Call** +61 3 5974 3729 **Guide** 1 Good Food Guide hat **Awards** James Halliday 5-Red-Star Winery · Halliday Top 100 · Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy (2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir) **Website** [www.yabbylake.com]() **Directions** [Get directions]() **Opening hours** - Every day 10am–4pm **Live status** [Check current hours →]() **Winemaker** Tom Carson **Tasting fee** Charged **Halliday** [Halliday listing]() [Book now]() Editor's verdict Yabby Lake made Peninsula wine history in 2012 when the Block 1 Pinot Noir became the first Pinot Noir to win the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy. Tom Carson's single-block release series genuinely rewards side-by-side comparison. The Kirby family's estate is understated in presentation but uncompromising in quality. ## Visiting Walk-in daily 10am–4pm for groups under 6. Groups of 6+ require bookings. Charged per person, redeemable on wine purchase. Dogs welcome outdoors on leash. ## The wines **Key varieties:** Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Syrah. **Worth seeking out:** Block 1 Pinot Noir. ## Yabby Lake Restaurant 1 Good Food Guide hat. 1 Chef Hat, Good Food Guide 2026. Classic seasonal fare with a Modern Australian approach. **Cuisine:** Modern Australian. [Reserve a table →]() ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Yabby Lake take walk-ins or do you need to book? Walk-ins welcome for groups under 6. Groups of 6 or more require a booking. Open daily 10am–4pm. ### Does Yabby Lake have a restaurant? Yes - Yabby Lake Restaurant, 1 Hat in the 2026 Good Food Guide; classic seasonal fare. ### Are dogs allowed at Yabby Lake? Yes - dogs on a leash are welcome in outdoor spaces. Not permitted inside the tasting room or restaurant. Not sure how to build a day around Yabby Lake Vineyard? [Search Peninsula Insider]() In the journal ## Stories that mention Yabby Lake Vineyard These pieces give you the context a listing page never does - the when, the why, and the who-it’s-for. [Journal →]() Cellar Door Dispatch 8 min ### [The Chardonnay Case: Why the Peninsula's Second Wine Deserves Top Billing]() 9 April 2026 Everyone sells the Mornington Peninsula as a pinot noir region. They are half right. The quiet argument of the last three vintages is that the chardonnay is now the more interesting bottle on the table, and the one worth cellaring. Service 8 min ### [The Peninsula Orientation Drive: Six Stops in One Day]() 10 April 2026 The drive to make on your first visit, or the one to send a friend on when you are out of time to explain why you keep coming back. Coffee, ridge, hinterland, ocean, village, bay - in that order, with most of a day to enjoy it. More to explore ## Other wine experiences to compare [Back to Wine Country →]() 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. cellar door slow [Read notes]() Winery [Merricks]() ### [Baillieu Vineyard]() 51 Stanleys Rd, Merricks VIC 3916 A thoughtfully managed Merricks estate making elegant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that rewards the drive to find it. cellar door slow [Read notes]() [Book]() Winery [Moorooduc]() ### [Barmah Park Vineyard]() 3007 Frankston-Flinders Rd, Moorooduc VIC 3933 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. cellar door long lunch [Read notes]() Build a day around this ## Planning guides that include Yabby Lake Vineyard Peninsula Insider guides that put this stop into the context of a full day or weekend. 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