Wine, chocolate, and plenty of story time.

This Yarra Valley food, wine, chocolate & gin tour is built around a full day of tastings in some of the region’s favorite estates, plus a take-home bottle that makes the price feel more practical. I like the mix of stops: start at Yarra Farm Fresh for fruit, then hit St Hubert’s Estate and other cellar doors, and finish with a 12-flavour chocolate tasting. One thing to keep in mind is that lunch is not included in the base price, so you’ll want to budget extra if you want the upgraded gourmet option.

What also matters is pacing and the human factor. The guide experience is a big deal on this tour, with names like Rick, Bernie, Melanie, and Ricky showing up in people’s accounts, and with a lot of humor and local context about Melbourne and the Yarra Valley along the drive. The main practical drawback I’d flag is that the transport can feel a bit dated for some people, so if comfort is your top priority, it’s worth planning for a more utilitarian ride.

Key takeaways

• Take-home wine: 1 bottle included for every full paying adult
• Three wine estates with tastings: St Hubert’s, Tokar Estate, and Rochford Wines
• Fruit first at Yarra Farm Fresh: a food-heavy start before the wine
• Chocolate tasting at Yarra Valley Chocolaterie: 12 artisan flavours plus time to shop
• Optional gin: only if you want it, after lunch at Rochford
• Wildlife and history on the drive: kangaroo sightings and stories about the region

From Federation Square to Yarra Valley Estates: How the Day Flows

This is a straightforward one-day outing from Melbourne, designed for you to get a lot done without constantly checking maps or arranging separate transfers. The day starts with pickup around Melbourne’s city center near Federation Square (look for the Rick’s Wine Tours bus). The schedule then moves you out to the Yarra Valley with enough time in each place to taste, wander a little, and still feel like you’re on a relaxed tour rather than a factory line.

Timing runs about 8 hours total, with a return to Melbourne by late afternoon (around 4:45 PM). It runs rain or shine, so bring a light rain layer even in warmer months. There’s also a basic operating note: the tour needs a minimum group size (4+ people) to run, so if you’re traveling in peak periods, booking early is a smart way to avoid last-minute disappointment.

This isn’t a fit for everyone. It’s not suitable for children under 14, and it’s also not set up for wheelchair users. For everyone else, it’s a nice “first Yarra Valley day” because you’re covering the core experiences—wine tastings, fruit, chocolate, and local flavor—without needing a car.

Yarra Farm Fresh: The Fruit Tasting That Sets the Tone

The day begins at Yarra Farm Fresh with a guided fruit tasting that lasts about 25 minutes. This stop is more than a warm-up. It’s a clever reset before you start pouring wine—sweet, juicy flavors help you get your appetite going, and they give you a baseline for what the region’s produce tastes like at its best.

You’ll often find seasonal fruit like strawberries featured, and people also point out the local additions like jam and chutney that can come with the farm tasting. Even if you’re mainly a wine person, this first stop can change how you enjoy the rest of the day, because you’re not only tasting alcohol—you’re starting with the food identity of the Yarra Valley.

Because this is an early morning start, I’d treat this stop as your chance to go slow. Sip water, take notes if you’re the type, and pace your purchases. If you wait until later, you’ll be tempted to grab everything at once—then you’ll be stuck carrying bags on the bus.

St Huberts Estate: Guided Wine Tastings Plus a Take-Home Bottle

St Hubert’s Estate is the first major winery stop, with a guided tasting that covers 4 premium wines and about 45 minutes on site. This is also where you get a little extra beyond wine. The grounds include an indigenous Art Gallery, giving the visit more texture than a typical cellar-door only day.

Another factor that makes this estate valuable is what happens after the tasting. The tour includes a complimentary bottle of wine that you can take home as a keepsake (for each full paying adult). If you’re already planning to buy a couple of bottles while you’re in the Yarra Valley, this is the kind of built-in perk that shifts the math.

There’s also time tied in for the Notes Wine Store at this stop. That means you can ask questions directly, compare bottles, and shop with the wine notes still fresh in your mind.

One more detail worth considering: different guides have different styles, and this stop benefits from that. In accounts from multiple guides (including people named Rick, Bernie, Melanie, and Ricky), the consistent theme is that the guide keeps you engaged and makes tastings feel like a shared conversation rather than a lecture.

Tokar Estate: Boutique Wines in a Smaller-Feel Stop

Tokar Estate is the boutique-style middle stop, with a guided tasting of 3 handcrafted wines for about 30 minutes. This stop tends to work well in the tour flow because it’s not as long as St Hubert’s, but it’s long enough for you to actually focus on the flavors.

In practice, this is a good place to slow down and pick out what you like. By the time you reach Tokar, you’ve already had fruit and your first major winery tasting. That means your palate is awake, and you’re better prepared to notice differences in style—dry vs. fruity, lighter vs. fuller body, and how the winemaker wants the wine to feel.

It also breaks up the day. If you love variety, you’ll appreciate that Tokar isn’t just another identical tasting room. If you want to buy a bottle, you can also use this stop as your decision point before you reach lunch and the final winery visit.

Rochford Wines: Tasting First, Lunch Second, Gin If You Want It

Rochford Wines is the final winery stop, with a guided tasting (about 30 minutes) followed by lunch and more time on site. Lunch is where you’ll make the biggest choice of the day, because the meal is not included in the base tour price.

Here’s how the lunch part works on the day:

• You can upgrade on the spot to a gourmet lunch with a glass of wine for $50 per person
• Or choose from the restaurant menu on-site, with a typical budget range of $25–$45 per person
• No BYO lunch is allowed

After lunch, you get free time, including the option of an additional gin tasting at Rochford for $25 per person. That’s a nice way to control how heavy you want the drinking portion to be. If you’re there for wine and chocolate, you can keep gin as an optional extra. If you love spirits, it’s there without turning your whole day into one long alcohol marathon.

One practical takeaway: because lunch costs extra and you’re offered choices, it helps to decide your comfort level beforehand. If you want the simplest plan, the upgrade can reduce decision fatigue. If you’d rather stay flexible, go with the menu and pick something that matches your appetite rather than committing early.

Yarra Valley Chocolaterie: 12 Flavours and Then Shopping Time

After lunch and final winery time, the day ends with chocolate at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie. You get a guided tasting of 12 artisan chocolates (about 25 minutes), plus additional time afterward for shopping (around 30 minutes).

This is a highlight for a lot of people because chocolate adds contrast. You’ve tasted fruit and wine all day; chocolate brings you back to a sweeter, more sensory finish. Also, the tasting is guided, so it’s not just free samples—you should walk out with a clearer idea of how flavours differ and what to look for if you’re buying gifts.

There’s one realistic consideration: if you end up in the tasting area where the activity is more like a shop setting, the audio can be harder to hear compared with a quiet tasting room. If you know you prefer strong instruction, arriving ready to focus helps.

Wildlife, Towns, and Melbourne History on the Drive

The drive between Melbourne and the Yarra Valley is part of the experience, not just downtime. The tour includes scenic travel, plus chances for wildlife sightings—especially kangaroos—and it also includes driving through historic towns. Your guide is doing double duty here: handling the logistics and telling the story of the region.

This is where the guide personality matters most. In multiple accounts involving guides such as Rick, Bernie, Melanie, and Ricky, the recurring praise is that the guide keeps the day fun while sharing context about the Yarra Valley and Melbourne. That combination is what turns the trip from a list of tastings into a real day out.

I like this approach because it gives you something to remember besides bottles. When you can connect the wine and food to the places, your tastings feel less random and more meaningful.

Value Check: Does This Tour Make Sense for $91?

At about $91 per person, the pricing starts looking reasonable once you count what’s actually included. Your base package includes:

• Transport between Melbourne and the Yarra Valley
• Wine tastings across three winery visits (with tastings included)
• A guided chocolate tasting of 12 flavours
• A take-home bottle of wine for each full paying adult
• Additional included elements like a stop at Yarra Valley Dairy

The big value lever is the take-home wine. If you were planning to buy a bottle anyway, having one provided offsets part of the tour cost right away. Then add the guided tastings, which are the expensive part of any tasting-day plan if you were doing it independently.

The one clear cost consideration is lunch. Lunch is not part of the base price, even though you stop for it. So your real day budget becomes:

• Tour price ($91)
• Plus lunch (upgrade $50, or menu around $25–$45)
• Plus optional gin tasting ($25) if you want it

If you’re the type who likes tasting but doesn’t want to overspend on every extra, this tour can still work well because you’re not forced into buying lots of bottles. You can taste, enjoy the included take-home bottle, and then only purchase if you genuinely like what you try.

Who Should Book This Yarra Valley Food, Wine, Chocolate & Gin Tour

This is a strong choice if:

• You’re doing your first or second Yarra Valley day and want a tight sampling of multiple estates
• You like food stops alongside wine, not just endless pours
• You want a guide who keeps the day lively, not stiff
• You care about value and appreciate the take-home bottle perk

It’s not the best match if:

• You’re extremely picky about transport comfort
• You want wheelchair accessibility (not suitable)
• You’re traveling with kids under 14 (not suitable)

If you’re a couple, a solo traveler, or a group of friends, the structure makes it easy to enjoy the tastings and still have free time where you’re not constantly herded. Also, since you get a mix of fruit, wine, and chocolate, it doesn’t feel like a single-theme drinking contest.

Should You Book It?

Yes, I’d book this tour if you want one well-paced day that covers the core Yarra Valley hits: fruit tasting, three winery tastings, guided chocolate, and a take-home bottle. The main thing to plan for is money at lunch time, because that’s where the day can shift from good value to “worth it only if you choose carefully.”

If you want a relaxed way to taste without driving, and you’d enjoy learning a bit about Melbourne and the Yarra on the way, this is the kind of day trip that leaves you with memories that aren’t just photos of bottles.

FAQ

How long is the Melbourne: Yarra Valley Food, Wine, Chocolate & Gin Tour?

The tour lasts about 8 hours.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. You can upgrade on the day to a gourmet lunch with a glass of wine for $50 per person, or order from the restaurant menu with a budget of $25–$45 per person. No BYO lunch is allowed.

Do you get wine to take home?

Yes. You receive 1 bottle of wine to take home for each full paying adult.

How many wineries are included?

You visit three wineries, with all wine tastings included.

Is gin tasting included?

No. Gin tasting is optional and available at Rochford Wines for $25 per person.

Where do you meet for pickup in Melbourne?

Meet opposite the Forum Theatre in front of the Federation Square entrance, and look for the Rick’s Wine Tours bus.

Does the tour run rain or shine?

Yes. The tour takes place rain or shine.

Is this tour suitable for children or wheelchair users?

It is not suitable for children under 14, and it is not suitable for wheelchair users.