Have a foodie holiday in the King Valley

The Pizzini family planted their first vines on their Whitfield property in 1978, initially growing grapes for nearby wine behemoth Brown Brothers. In the 1990s the Pizzinis decided to go into business for themselves, releasing their first wine under the Pizzini label in 1994.  The winery is still a family affair. As you can probably guess from the name, that family is Italian, and their specialty wines are too. The King Valley is known for its prosecco, and Pizzini makes a ripper one. The winery makes excellent riesling, sauvignon blanc, shiraz and merlot, but the Pizzinis' real passion is Italian varietals. There are numerous styles, price points and vintages of nebbiolo and sangiovese, all of them completely delicious. These are wines you don't usually find at Australian wineries, so settle in and make the most of a trip to the King Valley by tasting them all (and buying a few to take home; you won't regret it).  You can also stay at Pizzini (maybe the best option if you try a few too many of those Italian wines), with a self-contained two-bedroom cottage available for hire on the property. There is also a cooking school on site, A Tavola, run by Katrina Pizzini. Most classes focus on Italian cooking, but there are also sessions on pickling, pastry and tapas. 

Brown Brothers is one of the country's oldest and most loved wineries, its Milawa vineyard located in the northern reaches of the King Valley in north-east Victoria. The winery was established all the way back in 1889 and has been a family-owned company throughout its long history, with the third and fourth generations now running the show. And they go through a LOT of wine – many millions of bottles a year go through the Milawa hub. There are more than 50 varieties to try at the cellar door, and with varieties from light and fruity through to zippy and sparkling, big and bold and sweet and sticky, there is something for everyone. Brown Brothers' winemakers have a dedicated 'kindergarten', where they work on developing new techniques, styles and varieties, as well as perfecting classics.  Take a break from all that wine tasting (it's a hard life, after all) for lunch at Brown Brothers' hatted restaurant, Patricia's Table. Head chef Jarrod Kelley focuses on local, seasonal produce, with a menu that is always evolving. You can get two courses for $65 ($75 with matched wines), three courses for $83 ($98 with matched wines) or go the whole hog five courses for $105 ($120 for half-glasses of matched wines). Vegetarian options are also available.