Located within the 80 Collins precinct, Farmer’s Daughters Wine House is an intimate wine bar with a deep connection to Gippsland winemakers. At its helm is head sommelier Stephen Amman, whose approach to wine and hospitality has been shaped by years in the industry and the mentors who came before him.
A Philosophy Built From Mentors
Ask about the influences behind the venue, and you get two answers: one hospitality, one wine.
The hospitality lesson comes from chef Roger Morley, a "very classic European chef" who ran the kitchen at a restaurant on Flinders Lane for nearly two decades. After every service, he would pour himself a glass of wine and shake every guest's hand. What stayed with Stephen is a simple rule: in hospitality, the answer should always be yes where possible. "If we can make something happen that's going to make someone's day, we should be doing it."
The wine philosophy comes from Jeremy Honerset, whom Stephen previously worked with and who helped shape his approach to making wine feel approachable and accessible. As Stephen puts it, “wine’s complicated; it’s scary.” The goal is simply to get the best possible thing into the guest’s glass, whether that’s a $50 glass or a $200 bottle. As long as it delivers quality, wine should be accessible, and the experience should always be an enjoyable one.
The Bottle That Changed Everything
It all started with a bottle of Heidsieck Monopole, eyed off a shelf where Stephen once worked. He saved up for it, used his staff discount, and finally brought it home for Christmas. Discovering it and opening it became the moment everything clicked, and as Stephen asserts, "you don't often know good wine until you've had great wine, and that was that moment where I realised how great this industry can be." It is the kind of realisation that now shapes how he wants every guest at Wine House to feel.
The Star of the Show
Wine House shares a distinct connection with sister venue Farmer's Daughters and the Gippsland region, with around 60% of the curated wine list drawn from there. Stephen leans toward "options that are a little bit more eclectic, a little bit interesting" rather than the obvious names. A Featured Winemaker program keeps things engaging: each month, a Gippsland winemaker nominates a wine to pour. Every bottle comes with a story; if a guest questions why a particular wine made the cut, Stephen can point to exactly who recommended it and why.
Historically, Gippsland's reputation rested on a narrow range, with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling being the highlights, made largely by a handful of boutique producers alongside bigger names like Bass Phillip. Rather than finding that limiting, Stephen treats it as "a fun challenge," made richer by younger winemakers planting varieties the region has never seen before, like Chenin Blanc, Riesling, and even a Spanish variety, Enthea, found in a small Leongatha vineyard. It's why Stephen calls the region "the final frontier of Australian wine."
What Shapes the Venue
It comes down to three key principles: care, quality, and comfort. Care and quality are about knowing the product inside and out, as Stephen puts it, "we know our product, and we know it really well." Comfort is about keeping the barrier to entry low, where you can walk in, have a half glass, walk out, or stay longer, whatever suits the mood of the room. There is no expectation to commit to a full menu or a lengthy sit-down experience unless that's what you're after. The result is a venue that's knowledgeable without being formal, a place where, as Stephen says, "we can have a laugh with you and enjoy the experience together."
The Perfect Location
As part of the 80 Collins precinct, close to hotels, office towers, theatres, and everything exciting that Melbourne has to offer, Wine House sees a constant stream of people passing through, stopping for a casual drink, and often coming back later. Even those who don't step in on their first pass tend to notice the venue and make a mental note to return. As Stephen says, "It's handy to be right in that nexus into town." It is a fitting home for a venue built on provenance: knowing where things come from, right down to "that knowledge of background, that love of culture" that ends up in every glass poured.
Wine House is located within the 80 Collins precinct, where Gippsland winemaking finds a home in the heart of the city.
