Buller Wines

Buller Wines on Federation Way is a historic, family owned winery in Rutherglen with expansive lawns, a working distillery and the Pavilion Restaurant. It is one of the more openly dog friendly cellar doors in the region, with room indoors and out, which makes it a dependable stop whatever the weather.

The dog setup

Well behaved dogs on a lead are welcome inside the cellar door during tastings and across the outdoor deck and lawns. Per the winery's FAQ, there is no fee for bringing your dog, and water bowls are typically available. The shaded deck and big lawn are the easy choice in fine weather. Leave the dog at home during large events and festivals, when the crowds make it stressful for everyone.

The vibe

Buller is known for its Rutherglen Muscat and Topaque plus a broad table wine range, and it runs in-house gin tastings, with a paddle of five available. The Pavilion Restaurant overlooks the vineyards Wednesday to Sunday, and build your own cheese platters are on offer daily. Staff come across as knowledgeable about the fortifieds, which are the region's signature.

Getting there and parking

The address is 2804 Federation Way, off Three Chain Road, Rutherglen, with ample on site parking including space for larger vehicles. The cellar door is open 10am to 5pm every day of the week. Note this is a separate operation from the smaller Andrew Buller Wines on Jacks Road.

Pair it with

Rutherglen's cellar door trail works well with a dog because most neighbours welcome them outdoors too: Campbells Wines and Chambers Rosewood Winery & Vineyards are both close, and Stanton & Killeen Wines rounds out a short fortified circuit.

Max: Skip the festival days. On a normal afternoon the lawn is calm and there is plenty of space, but a packed event is no place for a dog underfoot.

Best on a quiet, fine weekday or out of festival season. Bring your own bowl as backup. Good for most dogs, with a lawn big enough for the bouncy ones.