Hosting Winery Day Tour Guests at Austin’s Wines

For many visitors, their first experience of Austin’s Wines begins not by pulling into the car park themselves, but by stepping off a carefully planned winery tour. While the tasting may feel relaxed and effortless, there’s a great deal of thought, preparation, and collaboration happening behind the scenes to make sure every tour guest feels genuinely welcome.

Here’s a closer look at what goes on at Austin’s Wines on tour days — and why hosting guided winery groups is something we truly enjoy.

Preparing for Tour Days

Tour days start well before the first guests arrive. Our team prepares the cellar door with group flow in mind — from glassware and tasting menus to ensuring the wines selected for the day show the best expression of the season.

We also factor in group sizes, arrival times, and the overall pace of the day. The goal is simple: make sure tour guests can settle in quickly, relax, and enjoy the experience without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

Consistency is key. Many tour guests are visiting multiple wineries in one day, so creating a calm, welcoming environment helps Austin’s stand out as a highlight rather than just another stop.

Designing Tastings for Tour Guests

While every visitor is welcome at Austin’s, tastings for tour groups are thoughtfully structured to balance education with enjoyment.

Our cellar door hosts guide guests through a curated selection of wines, sharing insights into the Moorabool Valley, our cool-climate approach, and the stories behind each varietal — without turning the experience into a lecture.

Tour tastings are designed to:

• Flow smoothly within the group’s schedule
• Offer a broad introduction to our range
• Leave room for conversation, questions, and discovery

This structure helps guests get more from each pour, even if it’s their first visit to the region.

Working Closely with Winery Day Tours

Hosting tour guests is very much a partnership. We work closely with Winery Day Tours to coordinate arrival times, group expectations, and the overall rhythm of the day.

That communication allows us to focus on what we do best: hospitality. When transport, timing, and logistics are taken care of, guests arrive relaxed and ready to enjoy the experience — which makes for better conversations, better tastings, and better memories.

For us, guided tours aren’t about volume. They’re about quality, consistency, and creating an experience that feels personal, even within a group setting.

Food, Space, and Atmosphere for Groups

Austin’s Wines is designed with space in mind. On tour days, that means making the most of our indoor tasting areas, courtyard, and lawns depending on the season and weather.

Food offerings are coordinated to complement the tasting experience — whether that’s a relaxed cheese board, casual bites, or a rotating weekend food residency. For tour guests, this creates a natural pause in the day: time to sit, chat, and soak up the surroundings.

Our layout works particularly well for small-group tours, where guests can spread out, feel comfortable, and enjoy the setting without feeling crowded.

What We Often Hear from Tour Guests

Many tour guests tell us they’re surprised by how relaxed the experience feels. Without the need to drive, check maps, or watch the clock, they can focus entirely on the wines and the people they’re sharing the day with.

It’s also common to hear that Austin’s feels less formal than expected — more like visiting a welcoming country property than a traditional cellar door. For first-time visitors, that sense of ease often becomes the most memorable part of the visit.

Why We Love Welcoming Tour Guests

Tour guests arrive curious, open-minded, and ready to enjoy themselves. That energy is infectious.

From our perspective, hosting guided groups allows us to share our wines in the way they’re meant to be enjoyed: unhurried, social, and grounded in a sense of place. It also means many guests leave already planning a return visit — sometimes with friends, sometimes for a long lunch, sometimes just to revisit a favourite wine.

Planning Your Visit

If you’re considering a visit to Austin’s Wines and want to enjoy the day without worrying about transport or timing, a guided winery tour is a wonderful way to experience the Moorabool Valley.

Whether it’s your first time exploring the Geelong & Bellarine region or a return trip to a favourite winery, we look forward to welcoming you — behind the scenes and at the tasting bar.