The Yarra Valley became famous for wine production from the mid-1800’s until 1920, when production ceased altogether. Re-establishing winemaking took the work of visionaries such as Peter Coombs in 1969 to begin again.
Moet & Chandon was one of the first Champagne Houses to establish itself in Australia’s Yarra Valley and launch Australia’s methode traditionnelle sparkling wine scene, quickly followed by other wineries with many building restaurants or adding hospitality services as part of their operations.
Winemaking
Yarra Valley is Australia’s premier cool climate wine region, renowned for producing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and methode traditionnelle sparkling. Boasting vineyards spread out across Healesville, Coldstream, Yarra Glen Seville and Lilydale as well as its distinctive landscape and terroir (French for “sense of place”) that create world-class wines.
Yarra Valley’s seven-month growing season and average rainfall between 750mm and 950mm annually ensure it produces quality fruit essential for producing world-class wines. In addition, its diverse soil types, topography and altitude variations contribute significantly to its unique character.
From its namesake river to the snow-capped mountains that border it, the Yarra Valley boasts an unforgettable landscape and serves as a source of spiritual renewal for its traditional custodians, the Wurundjeri people. Their culture dates back 50,000 years and continues to shape the values of those who farm here today.
Mac Forbes is one of those farmers. His 70 acres of vines, grown without irrigation at the foot of Warramate Hills in Upper Yarra, flourish without irrigation due to their northerly slope, excellent drainage, and elevation above spring frost levels. Their northerly slope, excellent drainage and elevation protect them from spring frosts, yield wines which are inherently balanced, precise and elegant; during the winter his vineyard team hand prunes the vines allowing only those grapes with high levels of natural acidity which produce superior wines.
After years in analytical and instrumental biochemistry Victoria relocated to the Yarra Valley and opened an independent wine analysis laboratory there. She finds great pleasure in spending her free time enjoying the region’s delicious local foods and wines with family and friends.
Yarra Yering was the site of Australia’s inaugural commercially produced wine in 1838. Today its proud tradition is upheld with great acclaim by winemaker Sarah Crowe who pays attention to individual blocks and varieties. Today Yarra Yering produces 28 varieties of wine including single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir available online for purchase.
Fermentation
Yarra Valley is famed for producing some of Australia’s finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, both of which require cool climate conditions to grow their complex and delicate flavour profiles. As such, its terroir has earned immense attention – it allows these grape varieties to thrive and produce wines which are balanced, elegant, and delectable – which in turn have become legendary products from this region.
Yarra Valley wine stands out from many Australian wines due to its delicate blend of delicate flavours and refreshing acidity. This is due to being produced at cooler temperatures during production – these fluctuations being driven by diurnal temperature changes throughout the growing season – making these wines less susceptible to oxidation and aroma/flavor compound loss than many Australian wines produced elsewhere.
The Yarra Valley first made headlines as a wine producing region during the 1860’s when Swiss immigrants encouraged by Charles La Trobe established vineyards at St Huberts, Yeringberg and Chateau Yering. Their wine quickly become sought-after due to its elegant quality, winning several awards at major exhibitions both within Australia and internationally.
However, Yarra Valley’s first golden era eventually faded as taste preferences shifted away from fortified styles towards red table wines. The last vines were crushed in 1921 and it fell into disuse until replanting began in 1969.
Today, Yarra Valley is home to several world-class wineries such as Domaine Chandon that produce award-winning bottles of vino. Additionally, wine tourism is popular here and many of the cellar doors feature restaurants serving dishes designed specifically to complement their wines.
Yarra Valley wines are produced on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people from Kulin nation and display a diversity of terroir. Terroir refers to environmental factors that impact wine flavour, such as soil type, climate, topography and altitude variation – factors like which can have a bearing on its flavour profile such as soil types, climate zones and rainfall amounts influencing vineyard altitude variations and seven month growing seasons that guarantee ample rainfall – all contributing to creating their distinctively fresh style of wines from Yarra Valley.
Ageing
Once a wine has been produced, it must be aged in oak barrels to develop its aromas and flavours. Winemakers in Yarra Valley tend to favour French oak for its ability to impart subtle and complex notes into their wines, adding richness and texture while making sure it ages gracefully over time.
Yarra Valley is famous for producing premium red and white table wines, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As its signature wine, the fickle Pinot Noir grape requires delicate cultivation in order to produce elegant wines like those produced here; its hallmark elegance being delivered via flavor profiles that range from red berries, earthiness, spicy character, vanilla cedar wood notes as well as leather tones from oak aging processes.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the Yarra Valley’s signature premium reds, known for its range of aromatic and flavor profiles that encase it. Blends often feature Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot; making this wine versatile enough to suit drinking both young and with food, such as seafood to pork or lamb dishes.
Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines are typically aged in both new and used French oak, giving the wine ample time to develop aromas and flavors ranging from vanilla, cedar and leather aromas to spice, black berries and red fruit tastes. Oak aging also enhances structure of the wine while creating velvety layers of flavour for an elevated drinking experience.
The Yarra Valley has an illustrious tradition of producing quality wines. Its first wave of viticultural revival began in the 1960s and 1970s with Yarra Yering and Mount Mary wineries’ revival – pioneers that helped establish its cool climate wine reputation – since reopening. Terroir (French for “sense of place”) defines these outstanding vintages by drawing upon various factors like soil type, climate conditions, topography and even vineyard elevation in producing its unique flavors.
Bottling
The Yarra Valley is Australia’s premier cool-climate wine region, renowned for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Methode traditionnelle sparkling wines. Situated on traditional land belonging to Wurundjeri people of Kulin nation and home to numerous restaurants, cafes and winery cellar doors.
As we explored Healesville vineyards, I noticed that vines had been planted on land which previously held grazing paddocks, vegetable gardens or wasteland. When I visited Yarra Valley winegrowers were at the forefront of an Australian wine revival; many were reassessing their endeavours as market trends and the threat from phylloxera changed production methods.
The winegrowers of Yarra Valley responded to these changes by exploring different grape varieties and styles of wines. Many turned back to 19th-century pioneers for inspiration and redewed efforts on claret styles with fuller-bodied red grape varieties such as claret. Furthermore, climate change caused some winegrowers to switch focus toward warmer fruitier varietals more suited to local conditions.
Winemakers in Yarra Valley have recently begun producing lighter style Chardonnay that contains less oak, while at the same time still experimenting with alternative varietals such as Marsanne, Riesling and Viognier.
Yarra Valley’s unique soils and climate are ideal for creating premium wines that showcase its terroir. These wines are distinguished by elegant structure and subtle complexity, reflecting both its cold climate (warmer than Burgundy but cooler than Bordeaux) as well as topography factors affecting altitude, temperature and soil type. This climate produces higher acidity levels which allow aging gracefully for 10 or more years; wines produced here have earned international renown and are considered some of the world’s finest.