Located in the township of Seymour, Wine by Sam is one of the few urban wineries in Victoria. Owner Sam Plunkett and his wife Bronwyn Dunwoodie live 30 kilometres away on the family farm, where they have eight hectares of vineyard alongside his father’s 40-hectare vineyard. Plunkett has been making wine in the Strathbogie Ranges for almost 30 years.

With his father Alan Plunkett, who first planted vines in 1968, he established Plunkett Wines, before developing Wine by Sam in 2012. Initially based in a leased winery in the Strathbogie Ranges, Plunkett and Dunwoodie purchased their current site in 2015 and re-developed the former Dyeworks site into an urban winery. The couple have transformed this mid-century industrial building into a retro-chic viticultural destination.

Crushing approximately 800 tonnes of fruit each year, Wine by Sam is primarily known for its shiraz, as well as a further 10 varieties produced for its range of brands, including The Victorian, Stardust & Muscle, The Halo Effect and Single Vineyard Series.

Visitors can experience winemaking first hand, as the cellar door and cafe allow direct access to the main cellar. Why not engage in a tour or relax in the cellar door with a gourmet platter? The winery is only 600 metres from the Seymour train station, and a little over an hour from Melbourne’s CBD, so it’s ideal for a day trip away.

Plunkett has received many awards for his efforts over the years, most recently two gold medals at the Sydney International Wine Competition (SIWC) for the 2017 The Halo Effect Late Harvest Viognier and Single Vineyard Series Cabernet Sauvignon.