The Yarra Valley – the cool climate heartland of Victorian table wine

First planted in 1837, the Yarra Valley was home to the first recorded vineyards plantings in Victoria, gaining international acclaim for some of the wines produced there. However, with the Depression of the 1890s and the consumer shift to fortifieds, the region underwent a decline. So much so that, by the 1920s the last winery ceased operations, only to be resuscitated by medical doctors in the 1960s who caught the markets' return to table wines, re-establishing wineries in the Valley. Nowadays, hundreds of hectares are under vine and millions of dollars and the Yarra Valley is once more the centre piece of Victoria’s table wine production. Red varieties planted include Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Noir and Shiraz. White varieties include outstanding Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Semillon, Marsanne and Riesling. The Yarra Valley’s proximity to Melbourne means the many cellar doors in the region enjoy numerous visitors, and the annual Grape Grazing Festival, a celebration of wine, food and live music, is always well attended.