During the 1860s, the winery and vineyards of Montara were established; soon after the downfall of the gold rush. The owners named this 14-hectare vineyard after the famous Mount Ararat.
The McRae family started their wine business on their family property and, by 1970, this winery and vineyard emerged as a premier wine producer in Victoria. Later, the McRae family also extended their vineyards by starting another vineyard on the eastern slopes of Mount Chalambar.
Montara Winery, Grampians Winery, Ararat Victoria
The vineyard is settled at the foothills of hill ranges, so it experiences a cool and dry climate all year round. The viticulturists allow their grapes to mature during the ripening seasons, so they build complexity of flavour naturally.
Many visitors love the gorgeous setting as the vineyard and winery overlooking the rolling foothills and lush vegetation of the area. From this setting, you can actually see the distant Pyrenees mountain ranges. In total, the vineyard has now stretched over 18.6 hectares of land. Later, in 2006, the vineyard was acquired by the Stapleton family.
At the Montara Winery, Leigh Clarnette is the chief winemaker. Visitors are invited to tour the property and enjoy interacting with the winemakers. Visitors will also get a chance to taste some authentic wines at the cellar door. Some of their specialties include a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In addition, they also produce an array of sparkling wines.
Do You Have a Question to Ask?