Barrique WineStore

A shopfront on Healesville's main street recently changed hands when Mike and Claire Emmett, between them two decades in packaging design and photography for Victorian drinks producers, took over from previous owners Brendon Chandler and Simone Knight. The shelves hold more than 400 bottles — local Yarra Valley labels alongside imported wines, craft beer and spirits — chosen as much for the stories behind the growers as for the label itself. Mike describes it as a wine store with a wine bar feel: customers are encouraged to browse, ask questions, and take a glass to the window seat while they decide. Free tastings run every Friday, built around a different bottle each week, and a garden renovation is underway out back to add outdoor seating for warmer months. In a town built around cellar doors and produce stops, Barrique gives visitors a single, well-edited place to taste widely before committing to a case. Open daily, with extended hours Friday and Saturday nights.