Who says you can’t enjoy the outdoors in winter?!

Last Sunday, the sun shone warmly from blue skies through the fresh Red Hill air, offering up a perfect day to throw on a coat, gather some friends and take a drive.

Of course, it’s the stops along the way that turn a simple drive into a great day. First stop was Tuck’s Ridge, sitting comfortably at an outdoor table to soak up the rays of warmth and take in the beautiful views of the vines in the crisp sunshine down the valley.

Such a moment requires full sensory experience obviously, so we ordered some chardonnay (a favourite of ours); and an afternoon wine just wouldn’t be the same without a cheese platter …

The big kids took to the totem tennis before a football came out, bringing together people from various tables for a kick – this is how wonderfully relaxed the vibe is at Tuck’s Ridge, as well as an example of the friendly nature of Mornington Peninsula folk.

Tuck’s Ridge is dog friendly. Several ‘fur babies’ wandered around, lapping up attention from guests wherever they could.  It’s also a great place for the human variety of child – the young kids played on the lawn while those of us content with wine and cheese looked on.

We all got moving after the fairly relaxed start at Tuck’s Ridge, but were soon in the mood for something a little sweet for afternoon tea. This called for a quick stop off to check out Johnny Ripe’s new home and pick up some delicious baked goods.  Their new restaurant looks divine (we’ll let you know more when we take the menu for a ‘taste drive’!).

We continued on to Foxey’s Hangout, where we saw out the afternoon in front of the homely fire, sampling some more delectable wines, as the temperature outside dropped.  We had all well and truly had our fill of food, but those with eyes bigger than their stomachs had to think twice when we saw the tapas plates go past.

Sometimes you just have to save some of the good stuff for another day. And with the lure of the beach abated, winter is a great time to spend days exploring the Peninsula’s other treasures.