St Leonards Vineyard can host weddings, corporate gatherings, long lunches and private celebrations, with a Barrel Hall that seats 50 to 150 guests and several outdoor settings among the vines. The winery sits at 201 St Leonards Road in Wahgunyah, Victoria, on the banks of the Murray River in the Rutherglen wine region.
Seminars and company events
Corporate gatherings are part of the private events offer. A team can hold a seated dinner or lunch for up to 150 in the Barrel Hall, among ageing barrels, with large barn doors that open onto the vineyard. Smaller groups, such as a leadership team or a client lunch, can use Harold's Room, the main private dining room beside the cellar door, set around one long table. For a more relaxed program, the Band-Stand Lawn suits a barbecue, a game of pétanque or sunset drinks with canapés after a day of work, and food is matched with the estate's own wines. An event sales coordinator handles enquiries.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are a major part of the estate's activity. Couples can choose between three ceremony settings: Under the Gumtree, beneath a gum tree about a century old; the Band-Stand Lawn, which looks over a block of Cabernet Franc and a lagoon off the Murray River and suits a smaller ceremony; and Harold's Room, an indoor option with timber interiors and a fireplace, useful in cooler months or bad weather. The reception then moves to the Barrel Hall for dinner and dancing.
Rooms and capacities
The Barrel Hall is the main event space, a barn-style room seating 50 to 150 guests. Harold's Room is a private dining room for smaller groups around a long table. Under the Gumtree and the Band-Stand Lawn are outdoor settings for ceremonies, drinks and casual events. The estate publishes no standing capacities and no figures for the smaller spaces.
Accommodation
The estate has no bedrooms for event guests. Mount Ophir Estate, a sister property in Rutherglen, offers accommodation, and the wider Rutherglen area has other places to stay.
Catering
Event food is paired with St Leonards wines, from canapés and long lunches to barbecues on the lawn. The St Leonards Vineyard Kitchen opens to the public on the first Saturday of each month, and the cellar door is open for tastings on Saturdays and Sundays.
History and setting
St Leonards was founded in 1860, which makes it one of the older wineries of northeast Victoria. The setting combines vineyards, river red gums and historic winery buildings along the Murray, the river that marks the border between Victoria and New South Wales.
Getting there
Wahgunyah lies on the Victorian side of the Murray, across the river from Corowa in New South Wales and a short drive from the town of Rutherglen. Guests from Melbourne usually drive up the Hume Freeway, and Albury is the nearest larger regional centre.
