Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Victorian Vino
Bacchus appears to have smiled upon the state of Victoria. Its small size belies the variety
of its climates, which makes for a splendidly diverse wine scene, with around 900 vine-
yards spread over 21 growing regions. Melbourne itself is surrounded by five of these - the
Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Macedon Ranges, Geelong and Sunbury - all with
distinct climates and soils. Wine-region weekends away and grape- grazing festivals are
popular with Victorians, and with many of the regions close to favourite beach resorts or
ski fields, they also provide a gourmet backdrop to seasonal holidays. Whether it's for con-
fidently working your way through a Melbourne wine list or for creating a cellar-door itin-
erary, understanding what's what only makes the tasting sweeter.
Beginning at Melbourne's suburban fringe, the Yarra Valley is a patchwork of vines, and
it's here that you'll find the glamorous big boys of the industry, Chateau Yering and Do-
main Chandon. These glistening temples to the grape absorb the tour-bus bustle surpris-
ingly well, with a rota of produce markets and entertainment, as well as striking architec-
ture, making up for the high traffic. The area still has its share of rustic tin sheds where it's
just you and the winemaker if that's more your style. Fruity, unwooded pinot noirs, peachy
chardonnay and crisp sparklings are the darlings here, but there's plenty of experimentation
with other grapes, too.
A little further afield in Melbourne's southeast is the rarefied rusticity of the Mornington
Peninsula. The hills and valleys of this favourite beach destination hide an embarrassment
of riches in terms of small-scale viticulture - there's literally a winemaker around every
bend (not to mention symbiotic cellar door, restaurant, gourmet provedore and shop selling
French plimsolls). Mornington vignerons are a tenacious, innovative lot, who coax the
most out of the volcanic soil and capricious, often chilly, maritime climate to produce beau-
tiful, early ripening pinot noirs; subtle, honeyed chardonnay; and pinot gris, as well as fra-
grant Italian varietals such as arneis and pinot grigio, possibly Australia's best. The vine-
yards of the Bellarine Peninsula, on the opposite coast, have gained a following of their
own, and their delicate maritime-climate aromatic whites are getting a lot of attention.
In Victoria's northeast, wine has been continuously produced since the thirsty days of the
gold rush, with Brown Brothers making both fortified and table wines right through the
20th century. Northern Italian farmers also made a big contribution to this region's devel-
opment. They noted similarities in the landscape and introduced grapes from their home re-
gions that took to the local terroir. Today, the gloriously diverse geography, climate and
soil, from the flats around Milawa to the high country of Beechworth and the cool, wet
