Some places are best discovered in their own time. In summer, Red Hill slows the clock just enough. While beaches hum with peak-season crowds, it offers a quieter retreat – one where the best things to do involve space, flavour, and a little firelight come evening.
Just over an hour from Melbourne, this elevated part of the Mornington Peninsula trades coastal congestion for calm mornings, shaded gardens, and cellar doors that never feel rushed. A stay here isn't about packing in an itinerary, but settling in. And it starts with choosing a base that makes everything effortless: Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill.
Choosing Red Hill Over the Coast
Red Hill sits above the Mornington Peninsula’s shoreline towns, both in altitude and experience. While Sorrento and Portsea fill with queues and beach traffic, Red Hill’s restaurants and cellar doors remain quietly composed. You’ll taste wine without elbowing for space, and enjoy lunch that’s defined by local produce, not waitlists.
The landscape itself speaks volumes. Rolling vineyard hills, century-old trees, and hidden properties set back from the road make it feel like you’ve stepped off the tourist track. Summer here means farm gates selling stone fruit picked that morning, sculpture trails through breathtaking gardens, and ending a day with a glass of wine.
Stay in Timeless Style
To really experience Red Hill, choose a base that allows you to arrive and stay put. Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill is just that: 34 acres of vineyard, gardens, and walking paths where accommodation, dining, and wine all live together.
The 40 rooms are spread across the estate, featuring large windows that frame vineyard views, generously stocked bathrooms, and an atmosphere that leans quietly elegant. Every detail is considered, but nothing ever feels fussy.
What makes Lindenderry particularly suited to a summer weekend is how the estate itself becomes the experience. Breakfast on the terrace overlooks the grapevines. Afternoons involve wandering through the property's gardens or settling in for a wine tasting at the on-site Red Hill winery and cellar door. And when dinner calls, it’s just a short stroll to The Dining Room.
Elevated Yet Grounded Cuisines at The Dining Room
Summer menus shift depending on what arrives from Peninsula farms and waters that morning. Executive Chef Nick McGonigal builds his kitchen around seasonal availability for a taste that truly represents the region.
Wines lean local too, with Lindenderry Wines alongside those of neighbouring producers, international favourites and rare vintages.
Wine Tasting Without the Rush
Lindenderry Estate's Cellar Door opens on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm, offering tastings of estate wines alongside a relaxed menu featuring cheese, charcuterie, and share plates.
Winemaker Barney Flanders crafts wines with minimal intervention, allowing the fruit to shine and resulting in distinct varieties to linger over, not just sample.
Elsewhere in Red Hill, cellar doors reward time over tempo. Ten Minutes by Tractor is ideal for a long lunch with vineyard views. Main Ridge Estate pours pinot from some of the region’s oldest vines. And Montalto blends tastings with its famed sculpture gardens. Unlike bigger regions, you’ll find more conversations than crowds here.
What to Do Between Glasses
- Red Hill Community Market (first Saturday of every month) is known for its fresh produce, handmade wares, and early buzz.
- Peninsula Hot Springs offers revitalising bathing experiences, while Alba Thermal Springs in Fingal offers Japanese-inspired serenity.
- Point Leo Estate combines contemporary art with clifftop sculpture trails and sweeping ocean views.
- The Red Hill Rail Trail traces an old railway line for 6.5km of gentle walking or cycling, linking cellar doors and townships through forest and farmland.
Slow Down in Red Hill
With its restaurant, cellar door, gardens, accommodation, and flexible Red Hill event venues all set within one estate, Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill offers an easy way to experience the region as it’s meant to be enjoyed. Arrive, settle in, and let the weekend take its course – no schedules, no pressure, just space to appreciate where you are.
When the city feels a little loud and summer calls for something quieter, Red Hill answers in its own time. All that’s left to do is choose your dates and make yourself at home.
