Restaurant

Paternoster Wines

17 Paternoster Rd, Emerald VIC 3782, Australia

Recommended by 29 people

Updated

Find Paternoster Wines

17 Paternoster Rd, Emerald VIC 3782, Australia

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HoursMonday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: Closed Thursday: Closed Friday: Closed Saturday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Paternoster Wines

Tasting straight from the winemaker’s shed in Emerald beats any commercial cellar door. Paternoster runs on an old-school rhythm—vigneron Phil Hession works his own vines and pours directly for visitors. No bought-in fruit. In true French fashion, bottles spend years resting in the cellar before release, putting aged Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays on the counter alongside a 25-year Charlotte Tawny.

  • Winemaker-Led Shed Tastings: Phil pours directly in his working shed, sharing hands-on viticulture insights without commercial tasting room gloss.
  • Cellared Back Vintages: Bottles cellar for years before release, putting mature Pinot Noirs and a 25-year Charlotte Tawny on the pouring bench.
  • Estate-Grown Vines: Every drop comes strictly from vines tended on the Emerald property, with zero bought-in fruit.

What's On at Paternoster Wines

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

The Paternoster Distinction

Why wine enthusiasts choose Paternoster Wines for an authentic, maker-led cellar door experience.

  • Working Shed Cellar Door

    Tastings take place directly with winemaker Phil in his working shed rather than in a polished commercial tasting room.

    Straight from the shed of the winemaker is what wine tasting should be like.

    Martina Hayes
  • Personal Winemaker Dialogue

    Visitors enjoy uncommercial, one-on-one tastings with the maker detailing the passion behind every bottle.

    Not your standard commercial cellar door experience, instead a very personal and insightful tasting.

    Courtney G
  • Aged Back Vintages

    Bottles are held until optimal readiness, offering rare cellar back vintages directly on the tasting lineup.

    Releases wines only when ready, which means that most of the wines come with a few years of age.

    Dennis Repkes
  • Rare Mature Tastings

    Guests can sample mature releases and fortified wines aged over two decades at accessible cellar prices.

    I also really appreciated that you can taste back vintages and premium releases which is a rarity these days.

    Paul Pattison
  • Scenic Off-Track Detour

    Located off the conventional tourist route in Emerald, providing a genuine artisan alternative to high-volume winery circuits.

    Amazing small little winery and cellar door. Philip is an amazing host and makes one of the best wines I’ve tasted so far here in Australia. Worth a visit (or a detour)!

    Noor Gerrits
  • Firsthand Viticulture Craft

    Guests gain deep insight into meticulous vine-by-vine viticulture and French winemaking philosophy.

    An amazing cellar door with delicious wines and a great insight into the wine making process!

    A Payne

Beyond the menu

Intimate shed tastings, extended bottle aging, and direct access to the maker.

  • One-on-One Winemaker Tastings

    Tastings are hosted one-on-one by winemaker Phil inside his working shed, walking guests through his philosophy where he oversees every vine and bottle personally.

  • Tasting Pours of Aged Back Vintages

    Rather than pushing current releases, the cellar door pours mature back vintages held until ready, including wines over a decade old alongside rare aged pours.

  • 25-Year-Old Tawny Finishes

    Guests are offered aged fortified barrel releases at the finish of tastings, featuring the 25-year-old Charlotte Tawny drawn from the property.

  • Bespoke Viticulture Insights

    Phil details his precise vine-by-vine viticulture and French winemaking style, explaining how each individual vine on the property is managed by hand.

Before you head over

Practical planning advice for visiting Phil Hession's boutique shed cellar door

  • Book ahead for shed tastings

    Tastings are hosted one-on-one by the winemaker in his working shed rather than run as an open commercial tasting counter, so reserve ahead to secure dedicated time with Phil.

  • Plan to taste cellared back vintages

    Unlike typical cellar doors pouring current vintages, tastings here feature matured back vintages and aged fortifieds—take time to sample older bottles across the list.

  • Expect a focused tasting shed

    Paternoster is an intimate boutique producer focused strictly on wine tasting and cellar door sales, not a full-service hospitality venue with dining or extended amenities.

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