The Yarra Valley offers an abundance of spectacular winery restaurants with stunning vineyard views and smart winery hotels, perfect for any wine lover or bon vivant alike. Oenophiles will discover family-run wineries with distinguished credentials; bon vivants can relax in inviting cellar doors from international names; while adventurous newcomers will be delighted by experimental newcomers.
The Yarra Ranges National Park also delivers with multiple forest environments, unspoiled wildlife and stunning beauty. A particular highlight is driving along Black Spur’s scenic drive with multiple S-bends along its route.
Pimpernal Vineyards
Yarra Valley offers an abundance of boutique wineries that provide a personalized wine tasting experience in stunning locations. While larger vineyards may offer greater exposure, smaller vineyards often provide more intimate tasting experiences – Pimpernal Vineyards being an example. Their family-run cellar door and exquisite yet affordable wines make Pimpernal an excellent find.
Pimpernal wines are an accurate reflection of their terroir, with all vines dry grown and hand harvested to produce wines of exceptional quality and flavour. While this method requires additional labor intensive steps, the resultant wines offer greater variety in terms of both aromas and tastes – this process produces wine of exceptional quality and flavour; one such example being their flagship Pinot Noir One which showcases notes of ripe pears and apples alongside delicate spice notes; other must-task options include their Pimpernal Rose which offers delicate rose petals alongside sweet ripe berries for even further pleasure!
Yarra Valley wines include their full-bodied, fruit-forward Yarra Shiraz with its bold and fruit-forward character reminiscent of its winemaking region – black pepper notes and dark cherry notes are among many hallmarks. Their bold Cabernet Sauvignon also stands out, boasting notes of berry, peppercorns, and licorice; other lesser-known varietals produced include fortified Muscat and Cote du Rhone blend.
The Yarra Valley is an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts, offering numerous wildlife and plant sanctuaries for exploration. Healesville Sanctuary stands out as an iconic spot where visitors can interact with native Australian animals in their natural environment, while scenic reserves and national parks allow access to diverse ecosystems and spectacular views of Yarra Valley.
Experience something truly memorable by hiking or bicycling through the Yarra Ranges National Park and taking in its diverse ecosystems – dense rainforests and mountain ash forests to riverbanks and heathlands – or birdwatching here – over 270 species have been recorded here!
Visit the Yarra Valley for a variety of accommodation options ranging from luxury retreats to romantic hillside cottages. Additionally, its ranges offer many boutique wineries such as Greenstone Vineyards which create high-quality wines in limited quantities.
Tokar Estate
The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges are two of Victoria’s renowned wine-growing regions, but this picturesque destination has so much more to offer visitors than just great wine-making opportunities. Beautiful landscapes, artisanal producers and charming small towns all add up to an experience to remember. Unfortunately, most visitors stick to well-trodden paths instead of exploring some of its hidden gems – here are a few suggestions for when visiting these wonderful regions!
Healesville is an idyllic village boasting cafes, restaurants and artisanal producers as well as an assortment of art galleries and upmarket boutique shops. Surrounded by dense forests for added tranquillity and unique experiences such as hot air balloon rides over Yarra Valley – Healesville provides something for everyone to discover!
Stones of the Yarra Valley is another amazing spot for foodies to visit in Melbourne’s Yarra Valley region. This breathtaking vineyard has an award-winning restaurant serving Northern Italian-influenced dishes as well as hosting weddings and other events on their scenic site – they also produce exceptional pinot noir.
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery is an essential stop for chocolate enthusiasts. Offering an impressive array of gourmet chocolates and even watching chocolatiers at work, this esteemed location draws crowds year-round. If planning on visiting, be sure to go early in the day before crowds form.
De Bortoli Estate is a family-owned winery dedicated to producing quality wines and food products, particularly its signature Noble One dessert wine and its accessible yet premium range of wines. Their owners are exceptionally warm and welcoming – enjoy their hospitality in their cellar door, cafe or garden.
The Yarra Ranges National Park is a popular tourist attraction among both locals and travelers. Boasting multiple forest environments, this scenic spot is great for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and scenic viewing of Yarra Dam. Additionally, driving Black Spur provides scenic drives through its magnificent flora and fauna of this stunning park.
Four Pillars Distillery
Four Pillars Gin can be found just one hour drive from Melbourne and is considered an undiscovered Yarra Valley Hidden Gem. Since their launch in 2013, Four Pillars has become one of the world’s top award-winning distilleries; offering tasting sessions as well as small group masterclasses.
Four Pillars Distillery in Australia produces an array of different gins and tonics. Their Rare Dry Gin features traditional juniper berries mixed with Tasmanian pepperberry, lemon myrtle, Asian spices and whole oranges for an extraordinary complex flavor profile that works both in cocktails as well as on its own.
Four Pillars’ team is deeply dedicated to sustainability, working tirelessly to make its gin as ecologically friendly as possible. One innovative technique used by them is procuring all their oranges from local organic farmers who don’t spray pesticides onto them, giving the distillers greater opportunity to use more citrus peel in each batch for flavor enhancement and more complex orange taste.
They have also teamed up with a local coffee roaster to offset their carbon footprint and handcrafted their copper pot stills in Melbourne by skilled coppersmiths artisan coppersmiths. All their water comes from the Yarra Valley and is triple filtered; all their botanicals include Tasmanian pepperberry and lemon myrtle as well as traditional ingredients such as coriander seeds, angelica root and lavender for optimal gin-making experience.
Breathe Architecture created an incredible space in Healesville’s new distillery, complete with an eye-catching copper bar and Jude’s Gin Garden (named for one of Stu’s mother). Additionally, portholes provide guests a direct view into the bottling process while recycled masonry and restrained yet natural material palette are employed throughout.
Healesville also features the Tuck Shop, offering delicious gin-themed snacks by Caro Gray as well as merchandise. Additionally, Healesville provides access to an excellent range of wines and cheeses made in Victoria.
Yarra Ranges National Park
Yarra Valley is best-known for its wineries, but also features beautiful gardens and forests – making it an ideal spot for enjoying nature outdoors. Visitors can hike well-marked hiking trails while discovering local fauna or go bird watching before picnicking in one of its parks.
You’ll discover an incredible diversity of landscapes at Yarra Ranges National Park, from waterfalls and rainforests to mountains. There are walking tracks suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels throughout the park; animals such as kangaroos, wallabies and dingoes inhabiting this space – if you want to learn more about its wildlife you can book an exclusive ranger-led tour at Healesville Sanctuary.
Coombe Estate Gardens are another hidden gem of Yarra Valley. Once home to legendary Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, these three-hectare manicured gardens are truly magnificent and make for an incredible sight during summer when their full bloom. Additionally, this property also offers wine tasting and garden tours; don’t miss this incredible experience!
Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s oldest winemaking regions. With a temperate climate ideal for growing chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon grapes; and world-class wineries offering world class vintages at affordable prices – including many located in Healesville which are family owned and operated wineries like De Bortoli and Yering Station to name just two of many well-known wineries within its region.
Join a winery tour for the best way to sample Yarra Valley wines! These leisurely afternoon excursions allow visitors to savor some of the region’s finest vintages in an idyllic setting. Most Yarra Valley winery tours typically include wine tasting, cheese and lunch; some tours even visit local breweries!
The Yarra Valley lies less than an hour from Melbourne, providing the ideal day trip or weekend escape destination. Home to stunning wineries, picturesque landscapes and charming towns – making the Yarra Valley the ideal escape from city life!