Yarra Valley – Wineries
When staying at Cottages Monreale in the Dandenong Ranges you are only a short drive away from the famous Yarra Valley wineries.
The beginning
In 1838 Yering Station located in the Yarra Valley and is identified as the start of the Victorian wine industry, until about 1921 when the demand for fortified wine saw their wine production cease.
Today
The Yarra Valley now boasts over 80 wineries and is recognised as Australia’s finest area for growing Pinot Noir and sparkling wines and has over 3 600 hectares under vine.
Yarra Valley boasts that it is Victoria’s most visited wine area, and can be easily reached from Melbourne being located within one hour’s drive from Melbourne’s CBD or airport.
Some of the established wineries with exceptional food establishments are;
Some of the established wineries with music festivals and galleries
Rochford’s Eyton with its summer music concerts and Tarra Warra Estate with its prestigious art galley.
If you are looking for exceptional Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon you need go no further than the Yarra Valley.
Cellar door sales
- Yering Station
- Punt Road
- Tarra Warra and many more to find as you explore this rich historic region.
Gourmet’s delight
The area has a great number and variety of festivals celebrating food or wine.
- Kinglake for Raspberry lovers in January.
- Kellybrook Cider Festival in May.
- Grape grazing festival in May.
- Victoria Strawberry Festival in Seville in November.
- Country Harvest Festival in November
- Warratina Lavender Farm.
- Victorian Cherry Festival held at Wandin in December.
Pioneer history
The National trust manages Gulf Station, an early period setting and farm display.
Healesville Sanctuary
Nature in stunning natural surroundings, seeing the “eagles in flight is something to experience”.
Shopping
During your stay you will find a large number of art galleries, restaurants, cafes, antique stores, markets, nature walks.
Yarra Valley History
- 1960′s saw major replanting of the vineyards.
- 1990s, saw the area grow to such an extent is passed the high point of the vineyard numbers of the 19th century.
Wines made in the Yarra Valley
- Sparkling wine plus those made in partnership with French Champagne houses.
- Fine Chardonnay
- Complex Pinot Noir
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Shiraz
1892 Dame Nellie Melba’s father, David Mitchell planted his vineyards at Stringybark Creek.
1937 Vineyards were forced to revert to pasture and farming because of the great depression and some adverse climatic conditions..
1963 New wineries started to establish, one of the first was Wantirna Estate.
1968-1975
From this period we saw a number of great wineries establish vineyards
- Fergusson
- Yarra Yering
- Mount Mary
- Seville Estate
- Warramate
- Yarra Burn
- De Bortoli
Others such as Yeringberg and St Huberts re established their vineyards.
1989 Yering Station, the owners replanted the vines and restored its original buildings.
