The click of shears will be replaced by the clink of glasses when Austin’s Wines welcome visitors to its new cellar door – a converted 1960s shearing shed – from early 2022, coinciding with the brand’s 40th anniversary.
Reflecting its heritage and character as a quintessential Aussie shearing shed, but with a modern twist, the new cellar door is a dream come true for Austin’s Wines co-founders Belinda and Scott Austin.
“It has been a vision of ours for more than eight years to have a cellar door, however it didn’t feel the right time to do while we were building the 6Ft6 brand,” Belinda said.
“We enjoy meeting our customers and seeing them connect over a glass or two of wine, so the cellar door just seemed like the right direction for us. It is also the key to growing our estate range – Austin’s – which is at the heart of what we do.
“We couldn’t have achieved this without the help from the team – particularly our business development manager Liz Gant and Tim James who used to be co-owner of well regarded venue Kettle Black in Melbourne, who we pretty much captured as part of a tree change.”
The Austins have transformed one of the property’s original shearing sheds into a state-of-the-art facility complete with original ceiling and a large bar area for wine tastings with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside.
Austin’s Wines business development manager Liz Gant said in keeping with the winery’s local-first ethos, local trades and businesses had helped with sourcing materials and constructing the cellar door.
“Brad Jones from Trak Constructions has been fabulous to deal with and helped ensure that the cellar door was built on time,” Liz said.
“The cellar door is made of spotted gum and corrugated iron with handmade concrete tiles in a beautiful shade of green to bring the outside in and complement the views across the grass and vines.
“In the bathrooms we have chosen to use terracotta tiles which represent the rich terroir of the Moorabool Valley.”
Liz explained that the timber bar tops were made by local cabinetmaker Matt Smart of Grummie Furniture; the tiles and tapware were sourced through Geelong Tiles and Bathware, and the hand basin in the bathroom was custom made by Concrete Republic.
The interior furniture was sourced from Thonet in Melbourne and the cellar door’s huge custom bar light was made by Solstice Lighting.
Austin’s Wines’ new cellar door will have a soft launch for members prior to opening to the public.
It will be open Thursday to Monday from 11am-5pm for wine tastings. Visitors can also book in for a picnic lunch on the property’s extensive lawn or sit at the bar and enjoy the view with a glass of their favourite drop.
On weekends Sticks and Bones will be offering an extensive BBQ food menu for casual eats. There will also be picnic packs and local cheese hampers for something a little romantic or for a group of friends.
Scott said the whole team is excited to welcome wine lovers to the new cellar door.
“Now that Belinda and I have settled here with our little family, the time is right to bring people in and share these views and the amazing products produced here,” Scott says.
“This region we call the Moorabool Valley is a hidden gem and waiting to be discovered. With our cellar door part of a thriving food and wine scene, it’s the right time to showcase it.”
For more, visit austinswines.com.au
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