Seppelt Wines Underground Cellar Tour

The striking part of this tour is below ground: The Drives, a 3-kilometer network of hand-dug wine cellars that took more than 60 years to complete. You’ll hear how out-of-work gold miners began the work in 1868, then see a working piece of Australian wine history for yourself.

I like two things in particular: the scale of the cellars makes the story tangible, and the tasting gives you a chance to try Seppelt sparkling wines, including its early-1890s Sparkling Shiraz. One consideration is that the experience is built around a cellar tour and wine tasting, so it may not suit you if you’re mainly looking for a broad winery visit or don’t drink wine.

Key points to know before you book

• The Drives run for 3 kilometers: The heritage-listed underground cellars were hand-dug over more than six decades.
• Gold miners began the work in 1868: The cellars link Great Western’s early mining era with its wine-making story.
• Sparkling Shiraz is part of the story: Seppelt first produced this style in the early 1890s.
• The tour lasts about two hours: It includes a guided cellar visit and sparkling wine tastings.
• Your group takes part privately: The activity is listed as private, with only your group participating.
• The price is $20.08 per person: Tastings are excluded for anyone under 18.

Inside Seppelt’s underground cellars

At Seppelt Great Western, the main event is a walk through The Drives, a network of underground cellars that stretches for 3 kilometers. These heritage-listed passages were dug by hand, starting in 1868, when out-of-work gold miners took on the work. Completion took more than 60 years.

That history gives the tour a useful sense of place. The cellars were not designed as a museum display. They are part of Seppelt’s wine story, built to store wine and large enough to hold more than 3 million bottles. Even if you know little about wine, the scale makes the purpose clear: this is a cellar system made for serious storage.

A guide leads you through the site and shares stories about the cellars, their former owners, and the wines developed here. The details help connect the physical work of digging the passages with the decisions that shaped Seppelt’s wine-making over time. I’d listen for the human stories as much as the dates. It’s one thing to hear that a cellar is 3 kilometers long; it’s another to picture miners working underground for decades to create it.

The tour’s two-hour duration gives time for both the cellars and the tasting afterward. It is not a quick stop for a photo and a sip. You’ll spend a good part of your visit learning about the site before moving on to the wines.

The underground setting is the reason to choose this experience over a tasting alone. You get to see where the wine was stored, rather than hearing about cellar practices in a tasting room. At the same time, this is a guided visit, not an open-ended wander. If you want to explore at your own pace or spend most of your time sampling wine, keep that in mind.

From miners’ work to sparkling Shiraz

Seppelt’s story reaches beyond storage. The guide also discusses the wines made at the estate, with particular attention to Sparkling Shiraz, first produced here in the early 1890s. That makes the tasting more than a final add-on: it gives you a chance to connect a specific wine style to the place and its past.

Sparkling Shiraz is the experience’s signature talking point. The tour’s overview calls it Australia’s own sparkling wine style, and the tasting includes Seppelt sparkling wines. You’ll have an opportunity to try the wines after you have heard how the cellar and the winery developed. That order is helpful. A tasting can mean more when you know something about the people and place behind it.

The tasting is included in the price for participants aged 18 and over. The supplied details do not specify which wines or how many pours are offered, so don’t book expecting a particular lineup or tasting size. If you’re visiting with someone under 18, note that alcoholic tastings are not included for them.

One guide, Ricky, was praised for bringing the cellars to life with clear, engaging explanations. Guides can vary, of course, but the tour’s format depends on having someone explain the stories behind what you see. If you enjoy asking questions, this is a good setting to do so as you go.

What the two-hour visit feels like

The tour starts at the Seppelt Cellar Door on Cemetery Road in Great Western, Victoria, and ends back at the same meeting point. From there, you join the guide for the cellar visit and then the sparkling wine tasting. The stated duration is approximately two hours, which makes it a manageable addition to a day in the Grampians Region.

Because the activity is private, only your group participates. That can make the experience feel more personal than a large group tour and gives your group a shared pace. The information provided does not say how many people can join a booking, so check the booking details if your party size matters.

You’ll be on your feet for a guided visit through underground passages, so wear something you’re comfortable walking in. No special clothing or equipment is listed, and the available details do not give a temperature or accessibility assessment. If you have a mobility concern, contact the provider before booking rather than assuming the cellar route will work for you.

The experience is also a good fit if you want a focused introduction to Seppelt rather than a full day of winery visits. The tour combines one substantial heritage site with a tasting, and its two-hour length leaves room for other plans nearby. It is not described as including transport, food, or a wider regional itinerary, so plan to reach the cellar door on your own and arrange any other stops separately.

Is $20.08 good value?

At $20.08 per person, this tour offers more than a brief tasting. The price includes a guide, access to the underground cellar experience, and sparkling wine tastings for adults. The 3-kilometer scale of The Drives and the unusual story of its construction are the main reasons the fee feels worthwhile.

Value will depend on what you want from a winery visit. If you’re curious about wine storage, local wine-making history, or the origin of Seppelt’s Sparkling Shiraz, you get a strong mix of place and tasting for a modest price. If your priority is a broad sampling of still and sparkling wines, or a long, leisurely visit to several parts of an estate, the tour details do not promise that.

The price also works well for a short stop in Great Western. Two hours is enough to cover the cellar and tasting without committing most of your day. You’ll want to factor in your own transport, since no transport is included in the stated features.

The tour has a 4.9 rating from 69 reviews, with 99 percent recommending it. The most praised parts are the chance to see how wine was stored underground, the guide’s explanations, and the tasting at the end. Those are also the parts most likely to matter to you: the history is made visible, the guide supplies context, and you get to taste some of the wines discussed.

Who should take this tour?

I’d recommend this tour to wine-curious visitors who want context along with their tasting. The cellar is unusual, and its construction story gives you something concrete to remember beyond a list of wines. It should also suit history-minded visitors who enjoy learning how work, local resources, and wine-making intersected in a regional town.

It’s especially appealing if Sparkling Shiraz interests you. Seppelt’s production of the style dates to the early 1890s, and the tasting gives you a direct link between that history and the wine in your glass. You don’t need to be a wine expert to follow the tour, but you should be interested in hearing about wine and the place where it was made.

This is less suitable if you don’t drink alcohol and mainly want a tasting. The cellar visit still has its historical interest, but the supplied tour details do not describe a non-alcoholic tasting alternative. Under-18s do not receive alcoholic tastings, so account for that when planning a family visit.

The tour is a practical choice for couples, friends, or a small private group looking for a focused activity in Great Western. Its private format means you won’t be sharing the tour with other groups, though it does not guarantee a particular guide. Ricky is one named guide associated with the experience, but you should not assume he will lead your visit.

Booking details worth checking

The meeting point is Seppelt Cellar Door, 36 Cemetery Road, Great Western, VIC 3374. The activity ends at the same location. A mobile ticket is available, and booking confirmation is provided at the time of booking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the experience’s start time. If you cancel later than that, the amount paid is not refunded, and changes made within 24 hours are not accepted. Cut-off times follow local time.

The tour is described as suitable for most participants, but that is not the same as a detailed accessibility guarantee. If walking underground is a concern, check with Seppelt Great Western before paying.

Should you book the Seppelt cellar tour?

Book it if you want to see The Drives, hear how miners created them, and finish with a tasting that puts Seppelt’s sparkling wines in context. At $20.08 for about two hours, it offers a distinctive slice of Great Western history at a reasonable price.

Skip it if you want a tasting-only visit, need a confirmed non-alcoholic option, or are unsure whether the underground route will suit your mobility needs. For most wine-curious visitors, though, the combination of a vast cellar, a guide-led story, and Sparkling Shiraz makes this a worthwhile stop.

FAQ

How long is the Seppelt Wines Underground Cellar Tour?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Seppelt Cellar Door, 36 Cemetery Road, Great Western, Victoria, and ends back at the same meeting point.

What is included in the tour?

The price includes a guided tour and sparkling wine tastings.

Are tastings included for participants under 18?

No. Alcoholic wine tastings are excluded for participants under 18.

Is the tour private?

Yes. It is listed as a private activity, and only your group participates.

How much does the tour cost?

The stated price is $20.08 per person.

Which wine is highlighted during the experience?

The tour highlights Seppelt Sparkling Shiraz, first produced in the early 1890s, along with other sparkling wines.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.