Gorgeous little spot on one of Red Hill's windy roads. Situated on top on the hill with stunning views. Very laid back vibe, great for a meal or casual drink passing through

loved this cellar door, we had meat ball tapas and the zuccini fritters with their sparkling wine... delicious. great placed to be on a sunny day relaxing drinking wine on their deck

Approximate cost: $20

Wow…what a fantastic little winery and cellar door! Foxey's Hangout is located in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula about an hour from Melbourne, operated by the very experienced winemaker- chef Tony Lee and winemaker brother Michael. We came to be there by way of an invitation for a vigneron's lunch perfectly matched to their award winning wines. A small but impressive building, a long narrow room with a wall of glass perfectly framing the growing vines and the amazing outlook . Mostly beautiful timber and a very impressive fireplace just near the entrance which was welcome after the bitterly cold Victorian winter weather. A small but well appointed chef's kitchen at one end of the room for sampling tasty morsels such as BBQ Quail served with lemon wedge and Pear with tuna bresaola, vinocotto and radicchio which I had the pleasure of savoring both of these tasty dishes.

Upon arrival a taste of their sparkling white which is fresh with lovely citrus notes quickly followed by a mushroom roll, not sausage but mushrooms, YUM! Then we were treated to a demonstration by Michael showing the process that goes into making their sparkling wine. He demonstrated how the dosage (sugar syrup to the layperson) is added to the bottle prior to corking to better balance the acidity and sweetness, using the sparkling white and rose. Also a bottle personally styled by me to take home and drink in a few months, incidentally all the lucky guests got to style their own too!

Soon enough we were seated for a taste of their 2011 Chardonnay and Pinot Gris which were both very drinkable wines, especially the Gris for me which I found delicious. All the aromas and palate you would expect from a good Gris. These were accompanied by warm bread, an exceptional olive oil and a pistachio crumb which when all three are combined, delicious! A tasty little ball of silver beet and onion was so full of flavor and perfect with a white wine. Pear with tuna bresaola, vinocotto and radicchio (pictured) followed and matched the wine perfectly, so did the leeks with blood orange and goats curd finished with fresh mint. The 2011 Foxey's Hangout Pinot Noir made an appearance, and rightly so, a very good Pinot with lovely morello cherry nose and a hint of cinnamon on the palate ( which due to different tastes maybe only I pick up) suits my palate perfectly. I would happily drink this particular wine on any occasion. The quail arrived to a drum roll, succulently barbecued little legs, drizzled with lemon juice, my mouthy is watering, right now. The 2011 Shiraz with it's floral aromas and long finish is another outstanding wine. A little avocado, crispy pancetta and walnuts went wonderfully with this. The late harvest Pinot Gris is a very fresh sticky, beautifully balanced with clean finish went superbly with the triple cream brie which just melted on the plate, a divine cheese on lovey warm soft bread, the perfect finish to a very enjoyable afternoon.

A trip to Foxey's Hangout is the perfect way to spend an afternoon, great atmosphere,very welcoming and knowledgeable hosts, very efficient staff and not to mention, in my opinion some of the best wines the Mornington Peninsula has to offer.

Cheers!

Approximate cost: $N/A

Tapas style places are a dime a dozen these days, but not many places do it as well as Foxey's Hangout. The food is delicious with top quality ingredients cooked simply but perfectly and if you leave it up to the chef to choose the dishes banquet style-it is good value as well. The real charm of the place though is the ambiance, a casual but stylishly trendy space with huge glass windows overlooking a lovely rural scene with a deck outside. Seating is limited so you have to get there early with a few indoor tables and plenty of space to perch on the deck outside if the weather permits. It is an open kitchen and you can watch your food being produced by the laid back chef.