Yarra Valley winery reviews
Check out wineries in the Yarra Valley wine region independently reviewed by wine writers Ralph Kyte-Powell, Ben Edwards, Stuart Gregor and Sally Gudgeon.
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The Yarra outpost of Bendigo-based winery Balgownie is one of the valleys best places to enjoy lunch and a glass of good wine. The stylish, rammed-earth cellar door and restaurant provides lovely views across the valley, and a museum of local wine history is an enlightening place to visit. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are staples.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Situated where the country takes over from Melbournes suburban sprawl, Bianchet is a good starting point for a tour of the Yarra Valley. It offers an eclectic mix of wines for tasting in the spacious cellar door, including oddities like the white Verduzzo, and a good café serving European country fare with flair, accompanied by an interesting regional wine list. The outside deck under the brightly coloured shade sails is a great place to be in warmer weather.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Boat OCraigo has one of the Yarra Valleys best located cellar doors. At the far end of Healesville en route to the high country, it sits above vines next to Graceburn River. Forested hills and mountains fill the panoramic windows, kangaroos and wild ducks fossick among the vines and magpies chortle in the trees. Excellent whites are made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, elegant reds from Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Try them here with a grazing plate of local specialities, sit back and breathe the mountain air.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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The timber country of the Upper Yarra Valley near Yarra Junction is a place of fresh air, verdant meadows and forest, with hillsides and Mt Donna Buang a constant backdrop. The outside deck at Bulong Estates modern French restaurant nestles under the wooded brow of a hill, overlooking a well-kept vineyard. Its a wonderful vantage point for soaking up the atmosphere while choosing from the tempting menu, or sipping one of the estates likeable wines. Red wines are a speciality, but dont miss the good quality whites.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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The cellar door looks across the lovely pastoral landscape of the Yarra Valley towards the northern hills. Its a comfortable place to taste the excellent Coldstream Hills range and chat with the knowledgeable staff about the wines. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the mainstays here, and the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon can be superb.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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This winery-restaurant-cellar door complex in the picturesque northern part of the Yarra Valley should be a compulsory stop on any itinerary. Its a welcoming, professional operation with excellent Italian-inspired cuisine, truly outstanding wines, and a tasting room hosting Richard Thomas Cheese at De Bortoli, a perfect place to benefit from Richards encyclopaedic knowledge of cheeses, both local and international. The top-end wines here are among the very best in the valley, and the lower-priced examples show that you dont have to pay a lot to get great wine.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Everybody knew the Yarra had arrived when the French giant Möet & Chandon set up stumps at this magnificent site smack in the middle of the valley. Everything here is classy and elegant, from the roses in the vineyard to the tours of the facilities. Best of all, the delicious range of sparkling wines just keeps getting better. Keep an eye out for the excellent still wines.
Stuart Gregor
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The Portet family has been making wine for 10 generations, since the early 17th century. Now affable Frenchman Dominique Portet, a household name in Victorian wine circles, and son Ben, are continuing the tradition at this charming winery in the heart of the Yarra Valley. The cellar door has a French country feel, and the terrace café serves light foods from the winemakers table (perfect with a cool glass of the estates Fontaine Rosé). Wine quality is exemplary across the board, and the serene surrounding landscape is the Yarra Valley at its best.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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This is one of the most beautiful vineyards in Victoria. Well kept, manicured gardens and lovely trees frame a breathtaking vista across a verdant valley to the rolling hills beyond. An ideal place to rest and survey the scene, perhaps with a drop of Elmswoods very good chardonnay, available in both oaked and unoaked versions, or one of the correctly styled Cabernet blends.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Evelyn Estate's buildings won an architectural award, and the feel of the place is very swish and contemporary. On the Kangaroo Ground side of the Yarra Valley, the smart restaurant has an outdoor terrace where you can dine
almost among the vines, and the cellar door downstairs
offers a cosy alternative. If you have time, browse the interesting artworks in the gallery beside the restaurant. Wine quality is very good, and so is the coffee.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Eighty-year-old oaks and towering cypresses stand sentinel outside this comfortable, welcoming winery set in the southern Yarra Valley hill country. A visit here is like a tonic fresh clean air, beautiful natural surroundings, and a memorable range of Cabernet-based red wines provide good medicine for the visitor. Its a labour of love for Judy and Wally Zuk, whose Canadian origins are reflected in the architecture of the place, and the easy smiles of the hosts.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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With its imposing gates, and architecturally designed building, this property stands out against the backdrop of rolling hills. There are two blocks in the hundred-acre vineyard, the 'old' block planted with chardonnay and pinot, which are over 20 years old, and the 'new' block, which has some experimental varieties such as arneis. You can eat in the well-priced Vines Restaurant, wander through the gardens, or drink in the view of the hills
from the casual BBQ area.
Sally Gudgeon
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Kellybrook is situated in gorgeous country rolling hills, bush, orchards, lush pastures and verdant vineyard on the Melbourne suburban fringe at Wonga Park. Despite its proximity to the city, Kellybrook is an eternity away from all that hustle and bustle. Magpies carol, bellbirds ring, and a vast 110-year-old oak tree beckons you to enjoy its shade. Try your hand at pétanque or visit the good casual restaurant. The winery is unique in that very good cabernet-merlot and chardonnay are made alongside a range of ciders and Cavados-style apple brandy, all produced from local fruit.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Killara Estate
The Palazzo family recently expanded their vineyard holdings to include this picturesque property with a cellar door and views over Mount Donna Buang and the Warburton Ranges. Come here to experience la dolce vita with their warm hospitality and hearty Italian fare. Sample the broad range of wines, including pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, shiraz, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, while you gaze over the vines in this blissfully rustic setting.
Sally Gudgeon
Lillydale Estate
This is the Yarra outpost of the giant McWilliams empire and as you would expect, its a professionally run, substantial regional vineyard and winery, in a very pretty end of the valley. The wines are very good across a spectrum of varieties and offer great value. The restaurant is a modern, airy space with a central barbecue where patrons cook the selection of meats and seafood that are provided with a good range of accompaniments. Its an excellent place for a leisurely casual lunch while visiting the region.
Stuart Gregor
Mandala Wines
A sail-like steel wall bearing the estates own mandala, a circular representation of unity and the universe, fronts this impressive new Yarra winery and restaurant. It looks set to be a regional benchmark. The feel is contemporary and professional, relaxed and family-friendly. The restaurant looks across lawns and hillsides, with lots of glass inviting the pastoral landscape inside. Dont miss the charming photographs of Yarra Valley country life on the menus. Bar food and a cellar door menu are also available, and the estates wines aim for the highest quality.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
Medhurst Wines
Even in a region of beautiful vineyards and countryside, impressive wineries and vineyards, Medhurst is a benchmark. The driveway meanders past an old red shed beside a dam, contemporary pieces of sculpture, and black-faced sheep grazing among vines and stands of eucalypts, to a smart cellar door and casual restaurant among the trees. Large glass windows and a terrace allow visitors lovely views, and the staff are ultra-friendly and very professional. Chardonnay and pinot noir excel here, and the well-priced second label, Red Shed, offers great value.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Oakridge is a significant Yarra wine producer with real presence. The smart contemporary café and cellar door are comfortable places to be, and the lovely vistas of vineyard, lake, hills and valley are something to behold. It's a soothing place, and the Oakridge wines have been getting better and better in recent years, making it one of the must-see and must-taste estates in the
region.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Outlook Hill is appropriately named. From the cellar door and the highly regarded restaurant, a broad tapestry of the Yarra Valley spreads as far as the eye can see. A cosy wood fire warms chilly weather, and the outside terrace allows you to chill out in warm weather. Outlook Hill also offers luxury accommodation in three self-contained cottages that are perfectly placed to take advantage of the lovely views. Regional benchmarks chardonnay and pinot noir are good here, and pinot gris, not common in the Yarra, is a speciality.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Punt Road's name comes from Punt Road in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra, the site of thriving vineyards 150 years ago. This beautifully tended modern vineyard is in the prime Yarra Valley heartland, sharing its location
with an apple orchard and a smart, comfortable cellar door. Punt Road wines are very good and fairly priced for their quality.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Rochford Wines property is one of the Yarra Valley's true showplaces. Follow the curved driveway lined with trees and vines to find a classy restaurant, a cellar door among the barrels, a café and a broad outdoor space for chilling out among the beautiful Yarra hills. A sound shell in the
grounds sometimes offers concerts to entertain and inspire. Wine quality is very good, and tastings are available of both Rochfords Yarra Valley wines, and the products of their Macedon Ranges vineyards.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Roundstone is a bit off the beaten track, but its worth seeking out for its lovely surroundings and the timeless feel of the rolling hills in this part of the Yarra Valley.
A large dam with wild ducks bobbing on it fronts the peaceful restaurant and cellar door, and good French bistro style cuisine can include home-smoked salmon
and roasted meats from the wood-fi red oven. Wines made here include some unusual types, like the Yarra Valleys only wine made from Gamay, the red grape of Beaujolais. Viognier is another speciality.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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This smart, modern winery occupies one of the highest hilltops on the western fringe of the Yarra Valley. A vast expanse of rolling countryside sprawls before you, with Melbourne in the distance. Mobs of kangaroos graze the countryside and the vineyard that slopes away from the broad picture windows. The smart restaurant in the old barrel hall has good local art on the walls, and breakfast is available on weekends. This is a great place to wine, dine and relax, and the outside deck is a perfect place to revive.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Seville Estate
A pioneering vineyard of the Yarra Valleys modern wine story, Seville Estate has a picturesque location among rolling hills and pastures. Mature gums and old orchards share this southern part of the valley with grape vines, and the feel is less fussed than the vineyard country further north. New owners maintain the estates quality tradition, the cellar door is as friendly and relaxed as ever, the old label design is back, and young Dylan McMahon, grandson of founder Dr Peter McMahon, is an accomplished winemaker. Seville Estate continues in good hands.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Theres a wine to suit every palate at Seville Hill: sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, rosé, cabernet shiraz, and a vintage port. The crisp sauvignon blanc and complex chardonnay are particularly interesting. The immaculate vineyard was established in 1991. Wine tastings are available every day, and on certain weekends during the summer months you can sit and relax under the shade
of the ancient elm trees and listen to jazz. Check the website for details of forthcoming events.
Sally Gudgeon
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Hidden away in a lovely quiet little area among the gum trees and foothills at the northern end of the Yarra Valley, Shantell is a great place to visit. The relaxing pastel-coloured cellar door and friendly restaurant have picture windows that invite the outside in as though youre sitting among the vines, and you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere outside in warm weather. Shantells wines are very good too, offering consistency and high quality at fair prices. A winery worth a detour.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Originally established in 1862, St Huberts is one of the fabled properties that made Yarra Valley wines famous in the 1800s. Replanted in the 1960s, its again at the heart of the regions wine story. The welcoming cellar door at the edge of the vineyard has interesting photographs of the estate in its 19th century heyday to reflect on. The labels on the bottles resemble the old originals, but the wines are modern styles and very good across a range of types. There are also rare specials like Roussanne to explore.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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The drive to the cellar door of Steels Creek takes you through some gorgeous Australian country and is worth the effort. Once there, immaculately tended vines and a cellar door to match will greet you, with owner Simon Peirce on
hand to show you the only commercially released colombard to be found in the Yarra Valley. The reds are dense and serious with plenty of savoury, earthy characters, and the structure to suggest the ability to age.
Ben Edwards
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Affable winemaker Rob Sticks Dolan, a long, lean man, gives his nickname to this enterprise, based on a mature vineyard and established winery on the edge of Yarra Glen township at the base of the northern Yarra Valley hills. The smart cellar door is small and intimate in scale, a bit like a cosy little lounge, with views across the valley and interesting art on the walls. Sticks wines are outstanding value, combining authentic regional personality and high quality with very fair prices.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Sutherland Estate
Sutherland Estate has one of the most spectacular vineyard sites in Australia. On high ground at the southern edge of the Great Divide, the cathedral-ceilinged cellar door and large outside deck command impressive views down the Yarra Valley and far into the distance. Birdsong fi lls the air, and the highway seems far away. Cheese platters are available here to accompany the estate wines that are headed by a very good Chardonnay. The Spanish-origin Tempranillo planted here, a rarity in the district, shows great promise.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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If you had to visit only one winery in the Yarra Valley, TarraWarra would have to be at the top of your list. It's an immaculately kept place on a hillside with superb views down the beautiful forested valley known as Long Gully, and
theres a smart café, wine bar and cellar door perfectly placed to enjoy the wonderful ambience. Then there's the other aspect of this incredibly impressive place, the TarraWarra Museum of Art, housing an outstanding collection of significant works by Australian artists. As if all that wasn't enough, the estates wines are excellent, especially the super-complex chardonnay and
pinot noir. Dont miss any of it.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Leon and Rita Tokar have realised their vision for their vineyard with the establishment of a fine-dining restaurant, cellar and up-to-date winery. Tastings
can be enjoyed on the patio, and the views over the valley and the distant ranges are among the best in the region. The mature vines produce highly awarded wines, particularly pinot noir and a rare Spanish-inspired
tempranillo.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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The little navy blue and yellow rail motor that used to ply the Yarra Valley is long gone, but the railway track remains, running across this beautifully kept property. It feels as much like a working farm as a winery, with Zonzos wood-fired pizza restaurant in the old milking shed, and the cellar door in an old tractor shed. Theres a wonderful view of distant Mount Dandenong, and Napoleon the moose looks down on you from the wall as you taste the estates wines, especially the elegantly balanced reds.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Warramate enjoys some of the best views in the Yarra Valley on the northern slopes of the Warramate Ranges. The Church family have been there since 1969 and the style has not changed much over the years. The wines are beautifully crafted and elegant in style, and show true vintage variation and depth of flavour in their dry-grown vines. New vines have been planted by the next generation, so there will be more Warramate wines available for visitors to enjoy in the coming years.
Ben Edwards
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Yarra Loch
Few Yarra Valley wineries are as well located as this new operation in the valleys southern hills. Its a beautiful location, and neighbours include some big names known for benchmark wine quality. Yarra Loch is run with an obsessive eye, which augurs well for the future. Vineyard plots as far afield as Kangaroo Ground and the old quality wine region of Whittlesea have been chosen for their suitability for particular grapes, and wines made here include regional oddities like arneis and viognier as well as better known varieties. A winery to watch.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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The long driveway from the Melba Highway to Yarrawoods hilltop cellar door winds through vines, pastures and gentle hills, the Dandenong Ranges looming in the distance, and kookaburras cackling nearby. The café and tasting room are cosy places, offering a friendly welcome to visitors. There are attractive vineyard and country views and an interesting range of wines to sample some with good bottle age unusual for the Yarra Valley and a commendable thing.
Ralph Kyte-Powell
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Yering Station is set on the site of the valleys fi rst vineyard, planted in 1838, and it is now one of the most impressive stops on any Yarra Valley tour. The winery/restaurant/wine bar must be seen to be believed great views, delicious food and excellent service create quite a package. The wines are all good and the Yarrabank sparkling is one of the countrys finest.
Stuart Gregor
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