The name Passing Clouds is an in-joke; a dig at the people who thought Graham Leith and Sue Mackinnon were out of their minds to attempt growing pinot noir grapes at such a high altitude.

Fast-forward half a century and the winery’s stellar reputation speaks for itself, with a consistent five-star rating from critical doyen James Halliday. However, in a nod to the Central Victorian climate, the next generation of Leiths – son Cameron, who is now chief winemaker, and his wife Marion – have just reopened their spectacular dining room after a major WatsonYoung Architects-driven renovation that brought the terrace inside.

“We were only using it for about a month every year because it does get rather chilly out there,” says Marion of the project that essentially doubled their capacity to 70 seats. “We can now seat groups, which was always a problem in the long, narrow space. But the views of the dam and the vines are as gorgeous as ever.”
Nestled in the pretty village of Musk, Passing Clouds’ new dining room has ushered in a new era for head chef Cameron McKenzie. For the past seven years he has cooked solely over a charcoal fire pit, but the arrival of a Combi oven promises to expand his repertoire. Housemade bread is on the horizon, as is an expanded retinue of vegetarian dishes and desserts, with the new oven enabling pastry chef Christian Reuthen to experiment with baking.

But otherwise, you can expect the three-course shared La Famiglia menu to remain faithful to the produce-driven style that has won it countless fans. The fire pit continues to lend its signature to dishes like wood smoked salmon with remoulade and fresh horseradish, and classic vitello tonnato, two of the just-dig-in appetisers that can also include charcuterie from local heroes Istra and Ballarat’s Salt Kitchen, and mains such as five-day brined rotisserie chicken or rump cap. Plenty of sides are a given, sourced from the Passing Clouds kitchen garden or local artisan producers.

To drink? The Estate’s wines are available by the glass, including exclusive museum vintages worthy of a splash-out. But Marion recommends stopping by the cellar door first for a tasting to decide which way you’re going to jump with the pinot, chardonnay, Riesling, viognier, shiraz and more.

Fun Fact: at just seven minutes’ drive from Daylesford, Passing Clouds has the closest cellar door to the tourist town. For extra novelty you might choose to ditch the car and take the train. Running each Sunday, the vintage Daylesford Spa Country Railway trundles along the scenic route from near the Daylesford market to Bullarto, stopping en route at the Passing Clouds platform.

“We got funding five years ago to build the platform,” says Marion. “The train takes around 15 minutes to get here from Daylesford, and it goes through the Wombat State Forest. Autumn’s spectacular and if you’re lucky in winter there will be snow on the ground. It’s a gorgeous way to travel, and no stress!”.