Payten & Jones

Tucked into 3 Lilydale Rd in Healesville, Payten & Jones is that stellar cellar door your coolest wine-geek mate keeps hyping up. Forget the stuffy, velvet-roped châteaux—this relaxed Australian outpost ditches the pretension for a thoroughly modern take on Yarra Valley winemaking. Touring groups and weekend pilgrims consistently peg this spot as the absolute peak of their itinerary. Stripped-back. Genuine. Unapologetically fun. One sip of their razor-sharp Pinot Gris or energetic Chardonnay tells you exactly why. The neighborhood vibe here is immaculate. Grab a glass of their standout Pinot Noir, snag a seat out the back, and talk terroir with a hyper-welcoming crew that actually knows their drops. Tastings are brilliantly guided—and fully redeemable when you inevitably snag a bottle for the road. Pure, unadulterated joie de vivre in a glass.