Wine wonderland in Sunbury: Katrina Butler on Marnong Estate

When winemaker Alex Beckett made the leap from Hunter Valley’s Briar Ridge to a new estate in Mickleham, replete with a petting zoo, it raised a few eyebrows. But Alex isn’t shy of a challenge, and now, two years on, the Master of Wine candidate has built a strong case for hedging bets on the Sunbury GI and his new home at Marnong Estate.

The prominent gates at Marnong serve as an interesting boundary between the encroaching and tightly packed new housing estates on the periphery and the luxury accommodation and fine dining spaces within. Construction juggernaut Dino Strano, together with his family, has established a wonderland worthy of a weekend stay, just 15 minutes from Melbourne Airport.

The estate includes luxury accommodation with spectacular views across rolling hills

Scratching the surface beneath the grandeur of the estate, which houses two remarkably appointed restaurants – family diner Cucina 3064 offers free-flowing pizza, and the hatted fine dining venture La Vètta comes complete with panoramic views and unpretentious service – luxury on-site cabins, Highland cows, emus and camel rides, reveals a winemaking Disneyland with impeccable blueprints. The Strano family are as hell-bent on preserving the history of the Sunbury GI as they are to splash some cash via adventurous endeavours.

The $22-million (and counting) state-of-the-art winery feels almost premature in its footings. However, director of winemaking Alex Beckett explains that it’s not in vain. “When Dino embarked on this project, he knew it would be ambitious; he has always taken the approach of seeking out talented and knowledgeable individuals to ensure that everything is done in the right way.” Dino employed industry legends Ray Guerin and Mark O’Callahan to initiate the first plantings of shiraz, chardonnay, and pinot noir in 2016.

Alex says the main objective is “to establish a truly unique vineyard site – one from which the essence of its site can be traced across vintages and varieties". Alex is resolute in his approach to innovative winemaking. Sure-footed and steady in his principles, yet inquisitive enough to challenge the status quo.

Marnong Estate houses two restaurants, including the hatted fine dining venture, La Vètta

This curiosity aligns well with the ambitions of the Strano family (who hail from Sicily) to cultivate Italian varieties in a cool-climate region. Though the windswept site poses challenges, there are hallmarks unique to the property, such as UV and sunshine exposure, that Alex says “drives the concentration and intensity of expression in our wines despite their delicate and fine-boned structures”. Today, the estate boasts over 31.5ha under vine including montepulciano, pinot grigio, fiano, sangiovese and nebbiolo – the first nebbiolo crop is bookmarked for the 2026 harvest.

These accessible wines, made for enjoying with shared plates, are true to the ethos of Marnong and make up just one part of the estate's portfolio. Block exploration is at the forefront of the other, featuring premium single-site chardonnay, pinot noir, shiraz and a reserve blanc de blanc, with new releases to come.

Alex says his intent is to craft “a suite of releases that can find both appeal and accessibility with everyday consumers, as well as perhaps more finely detailed bottlings, which can be loved by the more engaged wine drinker who is seeking that extra complexity that comes from terroir-driven winegrowing.” Marnong is a playground for foodies and families, as well as wine novices and enthusiasts alike.

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