Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Victoria calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year.
Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Victoria calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Various venues across Melbourne VIC in Australia (principal event at Kings Domain), in the heart of one of Australia's most distinctive wine areas. It is an annual event with an established local audience and a consistent place in the regional calendar.
200+ events across 10 days; includes iconic World's Longest Lunch; Principal Partner La Trobe Financial; major driver of Victoria's visitor economy. Wine festivals across Europe typically combine producer tastings with food pairings, live music, and a strong sense of place. Visitors can expect access to wines from a range of producers in the appellation, alongside food stalls offering regional specialities, masterclasses or vineyard walks for those who want to learn more, and an opportunity to buy directly from producers at cellar prices. Many events run across multiple days or weekends, allowing visitors to sample different parts of the programme according to interest, and combine well with the area's wider tourism offer. The event is organised by Food + Drink Victoria (CEO: Anthea Loucas Bosha), which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year.
Victoria is the most diverse of the major Australian wine states, with an exceptionally wide range of sub-regions. The Yarra Valley near Melbourne is the country's flagship cool-climate region for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and traditional-method sparkling. Mornington Peninsula produces premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Geelong region offers cool-climate reds and whites. Heathcote, Goulburn Valley and Bendigo produce structured Shiraz of significant ageing potential. King Valley specialises in Italian varieties (Prosecco, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo). Beechworth produces some of Australia's most-respected Chardonnay. Rutherglen, in the northeast, is famous for its fortified Muscat and Topaque (Tokay).
The 2026 edition is scheduled for 20-29 March 2026. Cost details are best confirmed directly with the organiser ahead of travel. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at https://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au/. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date.
Victoria is reached via Melbourne airport (MEL), with the Yarra Valley 75 minutes east, Mornington Peninsula 75 minutes south, Geelong 1 hour southwest, Bellarine Peninsula 1 hour southwest, Heathcote 90 minutes northwest, Bendigo 2 hours northwest, and the King Valley 3 hours northeast. Melbourne is widely considered Australia's gourmet capital, with the strongest restaurant scene of any Australian city. The wider state pairs wine with the Great Ocean Road (one of Australia's most scenic coastal drives), the Grampians (national park and the Grampians wine region), and the Murray River wine and food culture.
