Our 10 Favourite Cheese Tastings in Melbourne

1.Yarra Valley Grazing Tour Wine, Cheese, Gin, Pizza from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 821 reviews · from $135Our pick

Ride from Melbourne into the Yarra Valley for wine at Rochford Wines, cheese at a working dairy, gin and wood-fired pizza at a farm distillery, coffee in Healesville and chocolate at the Chocolaterie. Tastings, selected hotel pickup and onboard Wi-Fi are included. Guides vary, with past tours led by Mel, Michael, Bluey and others.

“An excellent trip.Very varied and informative and enjoyable. Looked after well by Jono and trainee Lisa.”

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2.Yarra Valley Full Day Grazing Tour: Gin, Wine, Pizza, Cheese

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 455 reviews · 8 hours · from $133

Leave Melbourne by air-conditioned coach for Rochford Wines, Coldstream Dairy, Stag Lane Farm Distillery, Healesville and the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie. Wine, cheese, gin, pizza and eight chocolate tastings are included, along with a local English-speaking guide and an audio guide in 16 languages. Past guides have included Rob, Cloe, Chris and Rachel.

“Raquel was an excellent host and added fun to the trip. The bus was crowded and there were too many people for some venues to accommodate properly.”

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3.Ultimate Yarra Valley Chandon, Soumah & De Bortoli Cheese & Wine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 331 reviews · from $204

Travel from central Melbourne in a small group to Yarra Valley wineries, including Chandon, Soumah and De Bortoli. The seven-hour tour includes a guided sparkling wine tasting, De Bortoli wine and cheese pairing, a two-course winery lunch with a glass of wine, and commentary from a driver-guide. City pickup and drop-off are included.

“Perfectly organized. Was very interesting. Bill (a driver and a guide) was great. We enjoyed wines and food.”

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4.Yarra Valley Chandon Cheese & Kangaroos Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 43 reviews · 7 hours · from $123

Travel from Federation Square in a small group of up to 12 to taste Yarra Valley cheese, wine and chocolate, then spot kangaroos in bushland at sunset. The seven-hour trip includes a premium wine tasting, cheese and chocolate tastings, and an English-speaking driver-guide. Chandon lounge food and drinks cost extra.

“The tour moved at a great pace and the stops had delicious samplings. Lunch was also very delicious. The best part, however, was our tour guide (Peter) who was hilarious, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable. 10/10 would recommend!”

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5.Yarra Valley Chandon Cheese & Sunset Kangaroos from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 32 reviews · from $125

Leave Melbourne at 11:30am for a seven-hour small-group outing through the Yarra Valley. Taste cheese, sparkling wine and other cool-climate wines, sample chocolate, then walk through bushland at dusk to look for kangaroos. The air-conditioned minicoach carries no more than 12 people, with a local driver-guide providing commentary. Guides on past trips have included Curt, Craig, Shane and Pete.

“Great guide. Very knowledgeable about the area. Loved the winers with lots of different kinds of wine.”

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6.Whisky Distillery Tour with Whisky Tasting & Cheese Platter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $63Best value

At Chief’s Son Distillery in Somerville, an owner-distiller guides you from malt to maturation, then leads a tasting of four single malts, new make spirit and whisky straight from the cask. Pair the pours with local cheeses and take home a 100ml bottle. The tour lasts about 1 hour 40 minutes and is limited to 12 people.

“Passionate host. Great tasting of thier product range and the showings of thier making processes. Extensive knowledge about products and family history which was very entertaining. Unfortunately it was very expensive particularly as Viator was paid in US$ somehow. Why??? Thx.”

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7.Private Yarra River Cruise w/ Cheese & Wine

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 16 reviews · 1h 30m

Settle into a private electric boat for a 90-minute Yarra River cruise from Docklands, with a skipper, one cheese platter and a bottle of sparkling, white or red wine. You’ll pass Crown, Southbank and Flinders Street Station, then slip beneath historic low bridges. Bring a playlist, and tell the operator about dietary needs when booking.

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8.Yarra Valley Foodie Tour, Devonshire Tea, Cheese and Chocolate

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $142

Join local guide Mimi for a small-group, food-first tour of the Yarra Valley. Sample 12 chocolates with an expert, share an artisan cheese board in Healesville, enjoy Devonshire tea at a historic carriage café and try an award-winning bánh mì. Scenic back roads and a valley lookout round out the roughly four-hour trip.

“Enjoyed this tour as it has a private feel to it with a small group of 4. Love the food and stories behind each place we visited. A good pace, not rushed, plenty of time to take in the scenery, learn about hte local areas and food. Each place Read more”

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9.Luxury Private 90min Wine and Cheese Yarra River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews

Settle aboard a quiet, electric-powered boat for a 90-minute private cruise from Docklands. Your skipper guides your group of up to six past Crown, Southbank, historic low bridges and Flinders Street Station. Wine, local cheese and snacks are included, and the cruise returns to its starting point.

“I booked a boat for the family and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. It was such a relaxing experience to cruise down the Yarra River while chatting with the family and eating cheese and crackers. Our skipper, Alexis, was also very friRead more”

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10.Private Tour: Yarra Valley Wine, Cheese, Gin & Chocolatrie

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 9 hours

Set out from Melbourne in a private group of up to six, with a host and a choice of Yarra Valley wineries, breweries and other stops. Plan for two or three tasting visits before lunch, then choose more wineries or alternatives such as Healesville Sanctuary, a gin or whiskey distillery, or the Chocolaterie. Harrison, Gus and Ronnie have each been named as team members on past trips.

“What a fabulous day! Harrison was an excellent guide, the stops were great and the food and wine were fantastic. Highly recommended.”

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