Seville Hill

Up the road from Whispering Hills, this is another gem of the Seville area of the Yarra Valley. You drive in along the vines and end up on top of a hill with a lovely view of the surrounds. A dedicated, modern cellar door sits up there and you enter ready for a taste of this area's siginificant produce.There is an extensive range; the usual whites and reds but also some interesting exotic varieties. The Sav Blanc was a little different to others and worth another try. The Chardonnays are very good. The Shiraz also. Of the reds I liked the Sangiovese the best, although the Tempranillo was sold out. To be honest I need to go back there to try them all again - there were so many!

Mandala Wines

Well this is a large commercial establishment with a posh cellar door at the front and then a fancy eatery down the corridor in the unseen inner sanctum. The place did give off cold, disinterested vibes. Wineries usually do when the waitress from the restaurant has to come running from her duties to serve the wine taster showing all the while the inconvenience and desire to have this over and done with so she can get back to her other duties. So I stood waiting for a while and was disappointed by the lack of engagement but this is a big winery. I didn't get into the whites nor the Shiraz but enjoyed the Pinot Noir and Cab/Merlot very much indeed. Especially the Prophet Pinot Noir which is usually not on tasting but somehow there was an open bottle behind the counter (always ask, and then ask again). So I left with a couple of bottles and went on my merry way.

Dixons Creek Estate

Or as the label also says, "Graeme Miller Wines". It's good not knowing too much about the people, the regions, the particular sites and slopes because then you can just let your taste buds make the decisions. It is clear on arrival that this is a winery in the true sense. It is a very comfortable cellar door but not for huge groups, not too much food stuffs (maybe one bookcase?) no platters, just wine. The effect you get as you walk in is fantastic, thanks to the clever design of the space. The tasting area is in effect an internal balcony area overlooking the barrel shed to one side and the vines outside on the other. It is cool to not only be so close to the barrels but to have an elevated position. I went through the whites, Sav Blanc or Pinto Gris really have to jump out at me to convince a purchase and they didn't but the Chardonnay did. Top quality, good value stuff. But the reds were something else. A clever selection; Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet and Petit Verdot as well as one other I'll mention in a minute. I say clever because not only can these all be successful in these region but it provides the opportunity for blends and in particular the monster blend that is called Quatrain. And this is a monster. A wine of substance and distinction. All sorts of stuff going on for ages and ages and you know it will get better over time. Even though it's not cheap, I still think it's good value. I left with the impression that this guy knows what he's doing and is trying to create something really special year after year.

Yileena Park

On a whim I turned into the driveway to give this one a go. What a lovely setting! The vines are up a hill to the left and you look forward to entering the cellar door structure that is a modern. psuedo-stone affair built into the side of the steepish hill that protects the structure, and the cellar underneath, from the north sun. Upon entering, you walk up stairs to enter a old English sitting room, wood panelled walls, carefully chosen fitttings and fine carpets. Except that it's not old. The tasting counter is well equipped and modern. I had to admit that the overall effect was pleasing and I wanted to order a glass of wine and sit on the balcony to steal a few minutes. But I had to try the wines first. Pitching itself as a premium, boutique winery I was curious to see how far this description would go. As I was beginning to notice in the valley, the reds stood out dramatically. I enjoyed the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon immensely and was overjoyed to find a 2003 reserve Cab/Merlot on tasting. It was exceptional. I quickly put my name down for information on future cellar releases. Good, medium weight, long length reds.

Yering Farm

Accessible from two major roads, the drive in enhances expectations as the dirt road runs along row after row of old vines. A pleasant grassy area out the front would be perfect for a picnic on a nice day. The cellar door is a large space, character-filled being a renovated, original stable. Designed for large groups and indeed a busload turned up while I was there. But don't let this detract you, the wines here are very good, especially the reds. In fact, all the reds; Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cab/Merlot and Cab Sav. Big, rich, thick stuff but with softness, subtelty and flavour. There are three label levels and the middle one represents great value but the premiums are very, very nice. A quality winery that will have at least one more regular visitor!

St Huberts

Along a well trodden path lies this classy cellar door. I knew that the winery had been there a long time so it was easy to imagine the vineyard once remote and quiet but now close to highways and traffic. There is a large patch of grass near the cellar door - I always like to see this as it sometimes helps if you are bringing kids or if you feel that you need a little lie down before you can continue. The cellar door is modern and well equipped, even with a coffee machine. I found the wines on tasting tight, controlled and competent. For a winery this old it was a little disappointing but I suspect that the premium stuff is kept for different company. Still, the Cab Sav was solid and is one for keeping.

Wild Cattle Creek

I was in need of lunch so stopped here. I like winery restaurant combinations as it allows a tasting before the meal. I usually select my favourite wine, order a glass and then select the best dish that matches the wine. So I came here ready for lunch and immediately smelt the whiff of mainstream tourist spot. Conference lunches, functions, that sort of thing but not of the classiest character. Not bad, just not the real deal. Trying hard though. The building was all newish and substantial but lacked character and soul so that the eyes just tend to gloss over and fireplace, mantle piece, wooden wall panels etc. I waited at the cellar counter for some time before noticing a button or bell (I can't remember which). A man (the winemaker I think) trundled out of a side office, presented a long list of the wines and informed me that not all wines were open for tasting as there were so many on offer and it would be silly to open a $30 bottle just for a tasting or two throughout the day. This was not a good start. But I had some Sav Blanc and this changed things a little. It was fresh, vibrant and flavoursome but without too much complexity. It was quite good and ended up being the wine I purchased for the meal. The Riesling was okay. The rest, quite frankly, were miss-able. Quite disappointing. I was thinking that this is a case of trying too many things in search of an answer rather than knuckling down to the two or three or four that showed the most potential for promising returns. He was happy with the Cab Sav but I was not. Anyway, I had a nice lunch.

Whispering Hills

Heading north out of Melbourne toward the Yarra Valley wine region you will see a turn off to the east (right) heading toward Warburton. If you decide to take this route you are deciding to miss the old, established, reknowned wineries of the Yarra Valley and go exploring a little. But you will find some gems down this road and Whispering Hills is one of them. Small, raggerdy exterior but with a comfortable cellar door displaying cheeses and other food stuffs also. The chap behind (or sometimes in front) of the counter loves talking about his wines, his vineyards and equally loves hearing how much you like his wine. Which I do. A good solid range of whites and reds, reasonably priced, with one notable exception which I'll get to in a moment. I liked the Riesling and the Chardonnay even more; I usually can't help purchasing at least one of these. But the reds is where it happens at this place. The Cab Sav is perhaps the best value Cab Sav in the valley for drinking now or down the track. The Bendigo Shiraz is also good but the standout, when it's available, is the exceptional Appassimento. Made from Cabernets in this case but with a production method that involves drying the grapes to drop the weight by about a third and therefore concentrate the sugars and other flavours. It sounds like it may be syruppy but it isn't. Luscious is the best descriptor I can think of. Only one vintage produced so far, 2005, but the result was amazing. One of my favourite wines. Thankfully my brother discovered it before one of the critics and we managed to purchase a few bottles before the price went though the roof. Nevertheless I await the next release.