Dal Zotto Wines

Dal Zotto Wines is the family winery on the Wangaratta-Whitfield Road that planted Australia's first prosecco vines in 1999, in the King Valley at Whitfield. Between the cellar door and the onsite trattoria serving pizza and Italian-style lunches over the vine rows, it is a destination rather than a quick stop, and leashed dogs are welcome across the outdoor areas for everyday visits.

The dog setup

Dogs on leads are welcome on the lawn and in the courtyard, including courtyard dining while you eat at the trattoria; the rule is that dogs stay securely tethered or managed while guests are seated with food and wine. The courtyard is covered and heated, so a cooler King Valley day does not spoil the plan. Staff will usually bring out a water bowl, but pack your own for warm afternoons when shaded spots are taken.

Pepsi: prosecco pioneers with polenta chips, and the dog is allowed at lunch. Tie the lead to your chair and settle in for the long version.

Worth knowing

The prosecco is the headline but the range runs deep on Italian varieties: fiano, barbera, sangiovese and pinot grigio, with limoncello spritzes and bocce courts adding to the holiday feel. Leave the dog at home on big King Valley festival weekends, when crowds mean the pet welcome is paused. Trattoria kitchen days vary outside peak periods, so check before banking on lunch.

Getting there and parking

The winery is at 4861 Wangaratta-Whitfield Road, Whitfield, about 45 minutes from Wangaratta and roughly three hours from Melbourne, with free gravel parking on site. The cellar door opens 10am to 5pm, seven days.

Close by with the dogs

Pizzini Wines and Darling Estate Wines are both within the same King Valley pocket, and Bunny Jarrett Park Dog Off Leash Area in Whitfield township gives the dog a run before a seated lunch.

More of the valley is on the Whitfield destination page and in the Victorian wineries list.