Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir Celebration 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 Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, 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.
The Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir Celebration is Australia's most-respected single-variety festival, with 40+ Mornington producers presenting the year's Pinot Noirs across two days of structured tastings, masterclasses with international guest speakers, vertical comparisons, sommelier sessions, and food-pairing dinners. Producers including Yabby Lake, Ten Minutes by Tractor, Stonier, Paringa Estate, Eldridge Estate and Kooyong all participate. The event is increasingly recognised as one of the southern hemisphere's premier Pinot Noir gatherings. 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 Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association, 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 February 2026. Cost details: Trade and public day passes. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at https://www.mpva.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.
