The Geelong wine region is about an hour’s drive to the South West of Melbourne. The climate in this region is cool and many of the vineyards, particularly those on the Bellarine Peninsula, benefit from a cooling maritime influence during summer and autumn. This wine region is easily accessible and can be visited en route to Victoria’s Surf Coast and the Great Ocean Road. A wide range of grape varietals are grown here, but the stand outs are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Shiraz. Some of the alternative varietals found are Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Zinfandel, Malbec and Tempranillo.