We recently spoke with Melissa Jreissati, Marketing Director at Levantine Hill, to explore the brand's origin story, their journey into the digital space, and what exciting plans lie ahead for the future.

Can you share the story behind Levantine Hill – how did the brand come to life?

MJ: After having searched the globe for the perfect vineyard Estate, visiting many renowned wine regions around the world, the decision was clear when we arrived at the property that is now Levantine Hill. The Hill Road property is perched atop one of the highest points in the Yarra Valley, making it exceptionally unique. We knew we wanted to plant vines on this incredible hill top – but the experts said this could not be done, due to the steepness of the slope and the extent of the rocky earth. Of course we didn’t take no for an answer – we shipped in multiple diamond-tipped drills from the mines, broke a number in the process, and excavated the earth that was then planted with traditional French varietals, known as our Family Paddock vineyards. We do love a challenge. With our quest to produce incredible cool-climate wines came the need for a cellar door and restaurant, naturally. So that is how it all began.  

Levantine Hill is known for its luxury positioning, was that always the goal from the start?

MJ: We certainly had our sights set on producing some of the finest wines in the world. Authentic, hand-made, meticulous winemaking, without regard to cost or effort. We also wanted to create art in everything we did – and that is why our restaurant and winery buildings have been designed by world-renowned Karl Fender of Fender Katsalidis architects. It was important that the buildings respect their natural surrounds and look like they ‘belong’ in the Yarra Valley landscape. We also wanted to design our landscape architecture to be viewed from above – by air – and this means we incorporated a number of helipads in the property design of Levantine Hill. Some may call this luxury – we do love a challenge and we really wanted to create something very special, authentic, and that stands the test of time and is a beacon for oenophiles and visitors from around the world. 

Can you share a bit about the experience at Levantine Hill for those who haven't been to the venue? 

MJ: You will first be greeted by the sculptures spotted around the grounds – featuring pieces from local artists to the internationally known; part of our commitment to celebrating art and craftsmanship in the Yarra Valley. Our Estate vineyard surrounds the restaurant and cellar door building, which upon entering you will be warmly greeted and start your experience with a tutored wine tasting, hosted by one of our wine ambassadors. Our lunch menu has been designed to reflect our Mediterranean heritage, featuring flavours and recipes from the Levant (Middle East) with each dish designed to match perfectly to our wines. 

What did moving into the online space mean for the brand, and what were some of the early challenges you faced?

MJ: Moving into the online space infinitely expanded our markets – it meant that you could order Levantine Hill wines on your sofa at night, instead of driving to our Yarra Valley cellar door, or looking up our list of current stockists online and finding those bottle shops. You can buy your favourite wine from home at cellar door prices and it will arrive just a couple of days later direct to your door. 

What unique value proposition do you offer to customers purchasing directly from you, as opposed to a retailer?

MJ: We have a very robust membership rewards program, The Inner Circle, that rewards our customers who purchase directly from us with money-can’t-buy-experiences, dining credit, personalisation, access to exclusive wine products, and more. Membership levels are tiered and based on cumulative wine spend. We absolutely believe in providing additional value (tangible and intangible) to ensure our customers know how important they are to us. 

When buying directly from Levantine Hill, our customers can also be assured from the minute that wine is bottled, it has been perfectly stored at the ideal temperate and light conditions to ensure its absolute quality. Our wines have generally been cellared at perfect conditions for a number of years. 

You will also receive access to our personalised service which involves a personal shopper that can assist you in recommendations, placing orders, monitoring for sale delivery for high value orders, and assisting with last minute gifts and bookings. 

How does the customer journey differ for someone buying online vs visiting the cellar door?

MJ: The main difference here will be that someone purchasing at our cellar door has the opportunity to taste our wines and ask any questions with our wine experts. When buying online, we are as thorough as possible with providing information on each wine. But from the moment you purchase, thanks to our integration of key systems, the journey is very similar – whether it’s live delivery updates, updates on our membership loyalty status, a personal follow up to ensure your order arrived safely, and member benefits accruing – it’s seamless and integrated to ensure an outstanding and very personalised experience is provided in each scenario.

How does Levantine Hill ensure a seamless experience for customers who engage with both channels?

MJ: Systems integrations are key here – ensuring you have one source of accurate truth for each customer, with a 360 degree view, means you can really elevate their experience and provide wine advice, access to limited stock, and event invitations that are truly tailored to their tastes. It also means spend is accurately tracked and rewarded whether they purchased online, at an event, or at our cellar door. 

Do you use data from cellar door visits to personalise online marketing and vice versa?

MJ: Yes, our cellar door runs on Shopify POS, and is fully integrated with our online store and CRM. This seamless setup ensures our customers have a more personalised experience, receiving wine recommendations suited to their unique tastes, along with updates on their membership rewards that align with their individual wine journey. It’s so important to provide meaningful content that is relevant to your specific customer – whether it be that they only drink red wines, rare wine, or generally like to purchase at Christmas time. 

Can you share anything exciting about future plans?

MJ: We are thrilled to have construction of our on-site hotel at it’s final stages, with an opening anticipated for August 2025. This will be a great addition to the Yarra Valley region, which currently has limited accommodation, and also provide an added convenience for the weddings and corporate conferences we host in our function spaces.

Shop the incredible range of Levantine Hill wines via their Shopify site.