The Cannibal Creek vineyard was pure dairy country when Patrick and Kirsten Hardiker took over in the late 1980s. By 1997 they’d decided wine was the way to go, and the pair planted nine acres of vines by hand – four of chardonnay, five of pinot noir – before adding another three acres of sauvignon blanc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon the following year.

The self-taught vignerons loosely employ biodynamic viticulture practices in the field and their winemaking style is light in touch and experiments with using wild yeasts and malolactic fermentation. After harvest the grapes are hand-picked and each wine is hand-plunged (ie disturbed, to prevent the skins forming a cap) three times a day before being left to develop in oak barrels.

The winery shed its rustic image in 2016 when a new restaurant was built. Taste your way through the cellar door offerings before choosing a glass (or a bottle) to enjoy with local cheeses and charcuterie on the deck.

Dishes are designed to share, with homely cheese platters, olives and fresh dipping breads listed alongside more involved fare in blue grenadier with crab and potato cakes with celeriac remoulade, garlic and rosemary potatoes, and salmon gravlax with fennel and yuzu dressing.

Explore Gippsland further using our detailed Out of Town to West Gippsland guide.