Seppelt Wines Underground Cellar Tour

Seppelt’s most unusual attraction is below ground: 3 kilometres of hand-dug cellars made by out-of-work gold miners in the late 1800s. The cool, shadowy passages give you a direct look at how wine was stored before modern warehouses, while the stories connect this quiet Victorian winery to Australia’s early wine industry.

I like two things here. First, the cellars are a real place with a clear purpose, not a polished display built only for tourists. Second, the tasting gives you a chance to try Sparkling Shiraz, a distinctly Australian style first made at Seppelt in the 1890s. The main consideration is that two hours underground and around wine may not suit young children or anyone who prefers a short, surface-level visit.

Key points to know before you go

• Three kilometres of underground cellars: The Drives were hand-dug over more than 60 years and can hold more than 3 million bottles.
• A strong link to Australian wine: The guide explains the people and wines connected with Seppelt’s early years.
• Sparkling Shiraz is the tasting highlight: This unusual red sparkling wine was first produced by Seppelt in the early 1890s.
• A two-hour visit: The tour combines a guided walk below ground with sparkling wine tastings.
• Small private group format: Only your own group takes part in the activity.
• Good value at $20.08 per person: The price includes the guide and tastings, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time.

Entering The Drives at Seppelt Great Western

The tour begins at Seppelt Cellar Door on Cemetery Road in Great Western, in Victoria’s Grampians Region. You meet your Seppelt guide there, then set off into the historic underground cellars known as The Drives.

The name sounds plain, but the scale is not. The passages stretch for about 3 kilometres and were made by hand over more than 60 years. Work began in 1868, when gold miners who no longer had employment turned their digging skills toward wine storage.

That detail gives the visit its character. You are not simply walking through an old cellar with a few barrels placed for effect. You are seeing the result of a long, practical effort to create a stable home for millions of bottles.

Your guide adds the human side. Expect stories about former owners, the wines they developed, and the decisions that helped shape Seppelt. A guide named Ricky has been singled out for making the cellar tour clear and engaging, so if he is leading your departure, you can expect plenty of local wine knowledge and historical detail.

The cellar is the heart of the experience. Its size makes the strongest first impression, but the hand-cut passages matter just as much. They show the labor behind the winery and explain why underground storage was useful. Before modern climate control, a cellar below ground offered a naturally steady setting for wine.

Why the underground cellars matter

Seppelt’s cellars are described as the largest underground wine cellars in the Southern Hemisphere. That claim gives you a useful sense of scale, but the important part is what you can understand while walking through them.

Wine storage is often hidden from view. Bottles sit in racks, barrels rest in rooms, and the final product appears in a glass. The Drives let you see the part between production and drinking. You get a physical sense of the space required to store wine at a major winery.

The capacity is striking: more than 3 million bottles. You will not necessarily see every bottle during your visit, but the figure helps explain why the cellars became such an important part of Seppelt’s operation.

The tour also offers a break from the usual cellar-door routine. Many winery visits focus mainly on the tasting counter. Here, the tasting comes after a substantial story and a walk through a working piece of the winery’s past. That order makes the wine easier to place in context.

I also like the fact that the cellar is tied to the regional story. Great Western is not presented as a name on a bottle alone. The guide connects the winery, the people behind it, and the wines made here over time.

The stories behind Seppelt’s wines

The cellar walk is not only about architecture. Your guide explains the previous owners and the wines they developed, giving you a better idea of how Seppelt grew and changed.

The supplied details do not list every person or wine covered on each departure, so you should expect the exact stories to vary with the guide. The focus remains consistent: Seppelt’s role in Australian wine, the development of its cellar system, and the path toward its sparkling wines.

This is where the guide matters. A good cellar can be interesting on its own, but spoken explanation turns dark corridors into a sequence of decisions and events. Ricky has received particular praise for his knowledge and delivery, and his contribution appears to be a major part of why the tour works so well.

The experience has a strong educational side, but it does not sound like a formal lecture. You walk, listen, and then taste. That keeps the visit moving and gives the information a practical ending.

If you already know a lot about Australian wine, you may appreciate the historical angle more than a basic introduction to winemaking. If you are new to wine, the tour gives you a useful starting point without requiring specialist knowledge.

Finishing with Sparkling Shiraz

After the underground portion, you return above ground for a tasting of Seppelt sparkling wines. This is the part that gives the tour its flavor, quite literally.

The main draw is Seppelt Sparkling Shiraz. Seppelt first produced it in the early 1890s, making it one of the clearest links between the winery’s past and its present tasting experience. It is also a distinctly Australian style, so this is more interesting than a generic sparkling wine sample.

You will taste sparkling wines rather than simply receiving one standard pour. The exact selection is not specified, but the tasting is included in the tour price. It gives you a chance to compare the wines and think about how sparkling production changes the character of the drink.

I recommend treating this part as a continuation of the cellar story. First you see how Seppelt stored wine. Then you hear how the winery developed its products. Finally, you taste the result. That simple structure makes the two hours feel connected rather than split into an unrelated walk and a separate tasting.

Participants under 18 do not receive alcoholic tastings. The guided cellar portion still forms part of the visit, but the wine component is limited to adults.

Is $20.08 good value?

At $20.08 per person, this is a modestly priced winery experience. The fee includes a guided tour and sparkling wine tastings, so you are paying for more than a tasting-room visit.

The value comes mainly from the unusual setting. A standard winery tasting can be pleasant, but Seppelt gives you access to a major underground cellar system and a clear connection to the region’s wine story. If you are already visiting Great Western, this is an easy way to add a substantial activity without committing to a full-day wine program.

The price is also reasonable for people who want an introduction rather than an elaborate food-and-wine package. You do not appear to be paying for a meal, transport, or a long list of extras. The trade-off is that the experience is focused. You get the cellar, the guide, and sparkling tastings, not a broad tour of several wineries.

The private format adds value for couples, families with adult children, or a small group that wants to stay together. Only your group participates, which should make it easier to hear the guide and ask questions. The available details do not state the maximum group size, so do not assume this means a one-on-one tour.

The current score is 4.9 from 69 ratings, with 99 percent recommending it. That points to a consistently strong experience, especially in the guiding and cellar sections, though your enjoyment will still depend on your interest in wine and underground sites.

Timing, meeting point, and practical details

Allow about two hours from start to finish. The tour begins and ends at Seppelt Cellar Door, 36 Cemetery Road, Great Western, Victoria 3374.

A mobile ticket is accepted, and confirmation is provided at booking. Since the activity is private to your group, you should make sure everyone arrives at the same meeting point before the departure.

The tour is listed as suitable for most people. The supplied information does not give detailed guidance about temperature, lighting, stairs, walking surfaces, or wheelchair access, so ask Seppelt directly if any of those details matter to you.

Wine tastings are for participants aged 18 and over. That makes the tour workable for a mixed-age group, but adults should understand that the included tasting component does not apply to anyone under 18.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund, and the cut-off uses local time.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would choose this tour if you want a winery visit with a strong sense of place. The underground cellars give it something beyond bottle tasting, and the gold-mining connection adds a useful local detail.

It suits:

• Adults interested in Australian wine and regional history
• Visitors looking for a short activity in Great Western
• People curious about underground architecture and old storage methods
• Fans of Sparkling Shiraz
• Private groups that prefer to stay together
• Anyone who enjoys guided storytelling rather than a self-guided visit

It may be less suitable if you want a long vineyard walk, a meal, or a tour covering several wineries. None of those are part of the stated experience. The focus is Seppelt, The Drives, and sparkling wine.

The tour can also work for someone who does not usually drink red wine. Sparkling Shiraz is unusual enough to make the tasting worthwhile as a point of comparison, even if it does not become your favorite style.

What I like, and what I would keep in mind

The strongest feature is the cellar itself. Three kilometres of underground passages and a capacity of more than 3 million bottles give the visit real scale. You are not being shown a single decorative room and told to imagine the rest.

I also like the connection between the old cellars and the tasting. Sparkling Shiraz, first made at Seppelt in the 1890s, gives the final part of the tour a clear purpose. The wine is not just an add-on. It helps show how the winery’s past still appears in its products.

The main limitation is the narrow focus. If you want detailed vineyard views, a full lesson in every stage of winemaking, or a food pairing, you may find the tour too specialized. The available details also do not spell out the cellar’s access conditions, so contact the winery ahead of time if walking underground presents a concern.

The guide can shape the mood, and Ricky has been praised by name for his clear, informed presentation. That is useful to know, but departures may not all have the same guide. In any case, the format depends on the guide to connect the physical cellar with the people and wines behind it.

Should you book the Seppelt Underground Cellar Tour?

Book it if you are in Great Western and want a reasonably priced winery visit with genuine historical substance. The underground cellars are the reason to go, while the Sparkling Shiraz tasting gives you a memorable finish.

At $20.08, the tour offers good value for two hours, especially since guiding and tastings are included. I would be most likely to recommend it to adults, wine beginners, and anyone who prefers one distinctive local experience over a string of ordinary tasting stops.

Skip it if underground spaces, walking tours, or wine tastings do not appeal to you. Otherwise, Seppelt gives you a practical look at how Australian wine was stored, developed, and enjoyed, all in one compact visit.

FAQ

Where does the Seppelt Underground Cellar Tour start?

The tour starts at Seppelt Cellar Door, 36 Cemetery Road, Great Western, Victoria 3374, Australia.

Where does the tour finish?

The activity ends back at the Seppelt Cellar Door meeting point.

How long does the tour take?

The experience lasts approximately two hours.

What is included in the price?

The price includes a guided tour and sparkling wine tastings.

Are wine tastings available for people under 18?

No. Alcoholic wine tastings are excluded for participants under 18.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates in this private activity.

Is a mobile ticket available?

Yes. The experience includes a mobile ticket, and confirmation is provided when you book.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.