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Upcoming Events
At Best’s Wines historic cellar door in Great Western we host a variety of events throughout the year including live music, art exhibitions, guided tastings with the Thomson Family, wine blending sessions and food and wine pairing events and even virtual masterclasses and tastings available to anyone, anywhere! Plus we also attend offsite tastings, wine dinners and pop-up tastings at wine festivals and markets. Scroll down to see our upcoming events.

Tasting & Tapas with Hamish
Join Hamish and the team at The Covenant Wine Bar in Ocean Grove for an evening of Tasting & Tapas. The evening will feature our new release 2023 Great Western Riesling and our highly awarded 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon plus more. The tapas includes, a Prawn Cocktail with Avocado and Ket Baker Baguette and Brie with Blackberry Shiraz Jelly amongst several other dishes. FULL MENU Get in touch with the Covenant Wine bar to book you place.

Murtoa Big Weekend
Murtoa’s Big Weekend event program includes tours of the National Heritage-listed Stick Shed, the 137th Annual A&P Agricultural Show, Saturday morning’s MBW Lake Market, Murtoa Cup Race Meeting, Dunmunkle Sumpoilers Historic Engines display, the Water Tower Museum, as well as a host of other attractions. Murtoa’s Big Weekend also provides an excellent opportunity for all to experience the beautiful Lake Marma and Rabl Park surrounds.
On Friday 6th October, Best’s Wines will be popping up at the Murtoa Big Weekend, DMS Lake Music & Cinema Experience. We’ll be serving wines by the glass or bottle and hope to see you there! BYO Chair or Picnic Rug
Cost: Free

Back Vintage Tasting with Hamish Thomson
The Grampians Fine Wine Festival will run for the month of October with events across the entire region. From tastings, to dinners, masterclasses, live music events and more, there’s never been a better time to explore the Grampians Wine Region. As part of this special month, we are hosting two events here at our historic cellar door. We have dug deep into our cellar to create a back vintage wine tasting experience hosted by Hamish Thomson. A journey that will allow Best’s Wines enthusiasts to explore and savour wines from previous vintages. It offers a unique opportunity to taste and compare how wines have developed and evolved over time, as well as appreciate the nuances and complexities that age can bring to a bottle of wine. This is a very special experience with a maximum of 10 tickets.
Cost: $85

Museum Wine Night - October 2023
Museum Wine Nights are a unique and special opportunity to sample rare back vintage wines. The ticket includes entry and 4 tastings before deciding on a favourite and settling in with a glass. We will have our pick a platter option available on the night plus live music to set the ambiance. If you want to stay nearby, check out our blog Places to Stay in Great Western. Not a big wine drinker but keen to come along? Book a non-tasting entry ticket. Maximum 40 tickets
When: Saturday October 14th 2023
Where: Best’s Wines Cellar Door, 111 Bests Road, Great Western, Victoria
Time: 5:30-8:30pm
Cost: Entry Ticket $50 which includes 4 tastings from the Museum Wine List and a complimentary glass of bubbles on arrival
OR $20 non-tasting ticket which includes a complimentary glass of wine from our Great Western range, soft drink or beer.
Pick a Platter from $10-$70 (depending on selection)
Museum Wines by the glass from $15-$50
Additional Museum Tastings: $5 ea

'Best's Blind Archies' - Wine and Art Experience
‘Best’s Blind Archies’ – Come along to Best’s Great Western on Saturday 4th November for an afternoon of art and wine tasting. The session will be facilitated by local art teacher Dale Harris and includes all materials with the end result being 6 artworks that you can take home with you. Plus there will be a prize for the best portrait which will be judged by Chris Thomson, Best’s Wines Matriarch. Chris has long been very creative having been the designer of Best’s packaging and branding materials for over 40 years as well as an avid painter and art enthusiast. The session will run from 1-4pm (3hrs) and will be in our barrel shed or in the event of warm weather may be conducted outside.
Includes:
- Wine Tasting during the art session (or complimentary soft drink, beer or cider)
- Art Supplies
- Small charcuterie plate (please advise of any dietary requirements via email info@bestswines.com
- Take home artwork
- Under 18’s welcome if accompanied by an adult
- Glasses or bottles of wine, beer, cider and soft drink available to purchase on the day
Cost: Adult $50 U18 $40

Live Music - Melbourne Cup Weekend at Best's Wines
Join us over the unofficial long weekend for Melbourne Cup. On Sunday 5th November we’ll be hosting one of our favourite local musicians, Chris Meek. Come along, enjoy some tunes, Pick a Platter and relax on our lawns with a glass of wine.
Book in for a ‘Long Weekend tasting experience’ on our reservations page, this tasting will incorporate wines from across all our ranges, including some of our premium wines. Icon Tastings are available to book at 11am daily only over the long weekend.
Entry is free however bookings for tastings are essential and will take priority over walk in customers. In case of inclement weather the music will be in our warehouse.
Cost: Free
Tasting: $5

Live Music - Melbourne Cup Weekend at Best's Wines
Join us over the unofficial long weekend for Melbourne Cup. On Monday 6th November we’ll be hosting music duo Charlie & Fi. Come along, enjoy some tunes, Pick a Platter and relax on our lawns with a glass of wine.
Book in for a ‘Long Weekend tasting experience’ on our reservations page, this tasting will incorporate wines from across all our ranges, including some of our premium wines. Icon Tastings are available to book at 11am daily only over the long weekend.
Entry is free however bookings for tastings are essential and will take priority over walk in customers. In case of inclement weather the music will be in our warehouse.
Cost: Free
Tasting: $5

Once Upon a Time: A subterranean feast and a staircase to nowhere
Join the team from Peasant Ballarat along with Hamish Thomson for a very special degustation dinner as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Once Upon a Time is a five-course degustation matched with a superb collection of wines, delivered in the basement of the Ballarat Mechanics Institutes, a room that was intended to be a restaurant but never came to be. Now, 153 years after its creation, we’re bringing it to life for one night with Peasant’s signature modern take on European peasant food, an ethereal progressive musical performance by Amie Brulee, and some excellent Best’s Wines. A night of choreographed food, wine and art that conjures the mood of this long-forgotten space awaits in one of Ballarat’s most loved heritage buildings. Bookings through the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
Cost: $299pp

Grampians Wine - An afternoon in the vines
Join Best’s Wines along with members of Grampians Wine as they showcase the region’s fine wines. Meet some of the winemakers and ask those burning questions. There will be a Wood Fired Pizza Food Truck and live music. Come along, taste some wines, grab a glass, sit in the beautiful gardens at Seppelt and enjoy the afternoon with friends and family.
Cost: Free Entry

Grampians Wine - An evening in the vines
An evening in the vines at Fallen Giants Vineyard, has become a regular event on the Grampians Wine calendar. Each January the regions finest, pop-up for an evening of wine tasting, music and food, there’s also a playground for the kids. We’re Fired Up Pizza’s and Vallhalla BBQ will be on site serving some delicious food at Fallen Giants which sits at the base of the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, with stunning views and a picturesque setting. Come along, bring a picnic rug or chair and enjoy a beautiful summer evening!
Cost: Free Entry

Museum Wine Night - January 2024
Museum Wine Nights are a unique and special opportunity to sample rare back vintage wines. The ticket includes entry and 4 tastings before deciding on a favourite and settling in with a glass. We will have our pick a platter option available on the night plus live music to set the ambiance. If you want to stay nearby, check out our blog Places to Stay in Great Western. Not a big wine drinker but keen to come along? Book a non-tasting entry ticket. Maximum 40 tickets
When: Saturday January 13th 2024
Where: Best’s Wines Cellar Door, 111 Bests Road, Great Western, Victoria
Time: 5:30-8:30pm
Cost: Entry Ticket $50 which includes 4 tastings from the Museum Wine List and a complimentary glass of bubbles on arrival
OR $20 non-tasting ticket which includes a complimentary glass of wine from our Great Western range, soft drink or beer.
Pick a Platter from $10-$70 (depending on selection)
Museum Wines by the glass from $15-$50
Additional Museum Tastings: $5 ea
Upcoming Virtual Live Tastings
Can’t join us in person? Follow us on Facebook or Instagram and join in one of our live tastings of our new releases. Get in touch with your questions ahead of the broadcast or ask a question in the comments during the live and our team will do their best to answer them.

Facebook and Instagram Live
Join Ben Thomson Best’s Great Western 5th Generation vigneron alongside winemaker Jacob Parton for Facebook and Instagram Live tasting of our super exciting new release sparkling, can you guess what it is? Tune in on Monday 23rd October, 5:30pm to find out.