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The leap of faith behind Mostyn Street Cellars

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The Nugget
December 19, 2025

★ The leap of faith behind Mostyn Street Cellars★

Alex Dickson at Mostyn Street Cellars

Alex Dickson has made a few brave leaps in his life.

The latest has landed him at the helm of Mostyn Street Cellars with his good mate Charles, living out a dream years in the talking.

But this leap didn’t come out of nowhere.

Alex's path into wine began years ago with dreams of throwing off the shackles of the office grind.

He mass-emailed wineries across Victoria, armed with plenty of enthusiasm and zero experience.

One winery replied. That 'yes' prompted a move from Melbourne to Heathcote, where he spent the next seven years learning the craft.

When Covid hit, Alex returned to office work, but three months in he was reminded of exactly why he’d left.

These days he’s back in wine at lovely Trutta winery in Harcourt — a job that came about after his dog made friends with the right dog at the local park.

Alex and Charles have known each other for a decade. They would often finding themselves romanticising about opening a wine bar in the late hours of a boozy evening.

 “We kept having the same conversation,” Alex says. “Castlemaine is having such a time, and we knew if we didn’t do it, someone else would.”

When the right space became available, they had to try. The room carries a hint of Parisian, old-world elegance, a nod to the years Charles spent there studying art, while still feeling relaxed.

That ease is super intentional, Alex says.

“I want to move away from the pretension and intimidation that can come with wine,” Alex says.

“This is a space for people who like wine but don’t feel like they know a lot.”

Central Victoria’s abundance of talented winemakers made curating the list an easy starting point, with plenty of local producers represented including a new generation of young makers. But the shelves also wander further afield, currently featuring bottles from places like Croatia and Sicily.

“Wine can take you on a journey,” Alex says. “It goes with great food, and it tells you about the places and the people who grow it,” Alex says.

“It’s fun to choose wines that are a little different, a little out there,” Alex says. “People are really receptive to it."

Mostyn Street Cellars is a choose-your-own adventure kind of place. Drink wine by the glass, grab a bottle to take away, or pick one off the shelf to enjoy in-house for a small corkage. If you don’t finish it, you can take it home. Very civilised. There’s also beer, pastis, cocktails and spritzes on offer.

Alex and Charles are always close by, happy to share tips and stories — or step back if that’s your preference. It's worth asking about the Rob McHaffie painting hanging on the wall and what Charles does for a day job.

Also, how Alex and Charles manage to work approximately four full time jobs between them and still manage to be consummate hosts.

One of the upsides of a passion project is that it comes with a backpack full of stamina because you're doing what you love.

For Alex, a big part of that is taking things back to basics. “Wine is fermented grape juice. It’s meant to facilitate conversation and good times.”

That’s exactly what Mostyn St Cellars is about. And judging by all the love from the community so far, Castlemaine in. With a courtyard on the horizon and plans for tastings and meet-the-winemaker events, this is just the beginning.

❀ Circus show this weekend! ❀

Looking for something magical in the run-up to Christmas?

The Castlemaine Circus Aerial Troupe is lighting up the night with Glow: an aerial awakening — a contemporary circus show created by young local artists.

“We’re a small group of emerging aerialists in our teens and early 20s,” says troupe member Frieda.

“Most of us work at the circus as junior trainers as well as taking classes there. We’re all really passionate about circus and especially aerial apparatus — silks, straps, hoop, trapeze and aerial hammock.”

The show, directed by troupe member Sam Campbell, spotlights aerials plus acrobatics, playful clowning and physical storytelling.

“It’s a story of transformation and connection and finding your glow," Frieda says.

"All proceeds of the show go to the Castlemaine Circus, which is a great local not-for-profit that supports kids, teens and adults.”

Show times:

  • Saturday 20 Dec, 7.30pm

  • Sunday 21 Dec, 5.30pm

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