Pimpernel Vineyards

Pimpernel is a small premium producer on Hill Road at Coldstream, making hand-crafted, dry-grown wines in a quiet, rustic setting among the vines. The cellar door runs Thursday to Sunday, and the intimate scale is the thing to plan around when you bring a dog: this is a calm, considered tasting room rather than a buzzy day out.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating and the surrounding grounds, on a lead, since this is open vineyard rather than a fenced area. The indoor tasting room is small and intimate, so dogs generally stay outside; confirm on arrival. As a boutique room rather than a busy cafe, it is a bring-your-own water bowl and treats sort of place.

Pepsi: a settled dog earns their spot here. Bring a mat, claim a patch of shade among the vines, and let the tasting run long.

Worth knowing

The wines are the reason to come: premium pinot noir, chardonnay and syrah from dry-grown fruit, with tastings often hosted by staff who know the vineyard block by block. The quiet, unhurried format suits a calm dog well, and reviewers return to the knowledgeable hosting again and again. Tastings run 10am to 5pm Thursday to Sunday and an appointment is recommended given the limited days.

Getting there and parking

The cellar door sits at 6 Hill Road, Coldstream, with on-site gravel parking, an easy turn off the Melba Highway. Thursday is the quietest day to visit; Saturday afternoons fill first.

Close by with the dogs

Tokar Estate and Rochford Wines Yarra Valley are other Coldstream stops with outdoor areas where leashed dogs are welcome, and The Yarra Valley Pie Stop handles the pre-tasting pie run. The Coldstream destination page lists the rest of the strip.

Book ahead given the limited days and intimate scale, and pick a mild day so the dog is comfortable waiting outdoors while you taste. Good for owners with a calm dog who want a serious, unhurried tasting rather than a lawn picnic.