Many Hands Winery

Many Hands is a small, family-run cellar door on the Maroondah Highway at Coldstream, pouring hand-made, small-batch wines from local Yarra Valley fruit. It is an easy highway stop with a relaxed feel, and dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas while you taste.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the outdoor seating and vineyard grounds, on a lead and under supervision, but not inside the cellar door building. The outdoor tables look over the property and are a comfortable place to settle for a tasting or a wood-fired pizza. Water bowls are usually around, though packing your own portable bowl is the safer bet on busy days.

The vibe

This is an intimate room rather than a slick destination winery, and the wines follow the same line: boutique, hand-made, some still bottled under cork, which is an unusual touch worth asking about at the bar. The kitchen turns out wood-fired pizza and Italian-leaning plates like garlic prawns and seafood linguine, so a dog-friendly stop can easily become a long lunch on the deck.

Pepsi: under the outdoor table with a bowl of water while the pizza arrives. This is what a highway cellar door should feel like.

Getting there and parking

The cellar door sits at 255 Maroondah Highway, on the main road between Coldstream and Healesville, roughly an hour from the Melbourne CBD. On-site parking is right at the door, and it is a short walk to the outdoor seating. Opening days run Friday to Monday from 11am to 5pm, with Tuesday to Thursday closed.

While you're out there

Neighbouring cellar doors on our listings include St Huberts Cellar Door and Tokar Estate if you are stringing a few tastings together. The Yarra Valley Pie Stop further along the highway is a handy dog-friendly refuel, and Lilydale Lake a short drive back towards Melbourne has walking paths and an off-leash area for a proper leg stretch.

More options are on the Victoria wineries guide and the Coldstream destination page.