Yarra Valley

The Yarra Valley wine region claims to be Victoria's oldest and at just 50km east of Melbourne, or less than an hour’s drive, it has many cellar doors that easily attract thousands of Melbournians each year.

The main towns of this small region include Coldstream, Healesville, Yarra Glen and Lilydale. Lilydale is derived from the name Lilly, who was the daughter of Paul de Castella, an early property owner and planter of vines. Little of great note has taken place in this region over the years; the railway line was laid out from Melbourne in 1882, and after that it was not until Dame Nellie Melba decided to buy Coombe Cottage at Coldstream in 1909, that the locals had much to talk about.

The history of the Yarra Valley region’s wine production has more of note, however. Wine growing was established early on when three brothers, William, Donald and James Ryrie brought their cattle in from NSW, in 1837. Once settled, they decided to plant vines that are said to have created Victoria's first vineyard at Yering Station. This property was bought in 1858 by the de Castella family, who began producing wine with greater seriousness, so much so that Yarra wine began winning international prizes. Seemingly less affected by the phylloxera that so influenced other Victorian regions, wine production nevertheless declined as wine drinking itself declined or tastes shifted to fortified wines. Only in the 1960’s did wine production and planting begin again. Nowadays, some 2,500 hectares of vines, and more than 40 wineries operate in the Yarra Valley.

The Yarra Valley region has the Plenty River to its west and the Yarra River to the east, this last continuing its journey until it reaches Melbourne. The beautiful Dandenongs make up its southern boundary and the region’s altitudes range from 50m up to 400m. While the Yarra Valley region does receive quite a lot of rain, this does not fall at quite the right times, making some irrigation usual. The cool climate also makes frosts a common problem in the vineyards.

With an excellent cool climate the Yarra Valley region is dominated by Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot, and in the whites by Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. These wines are produced by many small to medium wineries with the Yarra Valley’s closeness to Melbourne making cellar doors a popular business. One of these of note is the Coldstream Hills winery, established by James and Suzanne Halliday in 1985. Producing Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, the view of the northern hills from the cellar door is superb. Another wine grower of interest is the Giant Step Vineyards owned and named by people who took a giant step, in this case from their Devils Lair vineyard across a continent into Victoria to develop the perfect cool climate vineyard. The vineyard is situated on two ridges that lie from 100m to 300m and also overlook the Yarra valley.

Situated in the very heart of the Yarra Valley is the Train Trak Vineyard. This vineyard's name is taken from the fact that a train track (disused) runs right through the property. Train Trak was planted in vines in 1995, and uses only hand picked grapes to produce its Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Rosé, and Shiraz wines.

The Yarra Valley region is one that is conscious of its previous wine history and two vineyards are conscious resurrections of this past. Yering Farm Wines is located on land that had many vines on it in the nineteenth century before economics and changing tastes led to the land being used for other purposes. Yering Farm began to be replanted in vines in 1989, and in the process an old hayshed has been re-created as the winery’s cellar door. Here yet more great views of the Yarra Valley can be enjoyed along with barbeques and, of course, fine wine. Enjoying a similar appreciation of its wine history is Yering Station, the site of Victoria's first vineyard in 1838. The present vineyard dates from 1988 and produces excellent Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Visitors can enjoy restaurant dinning while observing the winemaking facilities from viewing platforms. An Art Gallery, bar and cellar door complete the picture.

Major events in the Yarra Valley region at which to enjoy its range of wines include the Grape Grazing Festival and Jazz in the Vines, both held in March. And while attending such events why not take in some of the sights, such as at Coldstream, best known as the place where Australia's most famous opera star Dame Nellie Melba lived. You can still see Coombe Cottage at the dividing of the Maroondah and Melba (guess who it was named for!) highways, and in Lilydale the museum provides fascinating details of the star’s life and times.

For the more energetic there is the Warbuton Rail Trail, a bicycle track that runs for 38 kilometres from Lilydale right through to Warburton. The track follows the line of an old railway built in 1901 and closed in 1964.

As a cool climate region the Yarra Valley excels in such red varieties as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Its great whites include Chardonnay, Semillon, Marsanne, and Riesling.