Bellarine Estate Winery

It wasnt the brightest of days as we set out for lunch at the Bellarine Estate Winery. The grey sky didn't dampen our enthusiasm for the proposed wine tasting and seafood platter to share however

as we were all keen for lunch. The package enabled us to sample the variety of wines made by Bellarine Estate before selecting a vino of choice to have with lunch - what a great idea! While I personally found the Sav Blanc a little light on for body and flavour, the bubbly was what I selected. The grapes are bought in rather than grown locally but made for a pleasant glass. The Chardonnay would have been my next pick - again, lighter and less buttery than many others that are produced around the Peninsula.

The prawns would have to be the largest I have ever had served to me...cold, flavoured with dill and

garlic they were sweet eating. The mussels came in a warmish broth of tomato, garlic and herbs and disappeared quickly! The only slight disappointment was the calamari - not quite warm enough, not

quite flavoursome enough, included the 'sucker/wiggly' bits so not my favourite. But in all, a share platter happily consumed.

The best part of the Bellarine Estate Winery is its location. The diningroom-tasting room looks out of the vines and on a sunny day it would have been lovely to go for a stroll through the vines and gentle rolling landscape before or after food. As it was, we sat inside warm and dry while the grey skies threatened.