The Yarra Valley will forever hold a dear place in our hearts. It is only about an hour out of Melbourne and is a great spot to visit all year round. In late 2019 my now husband got down on one knee in a hot air balloon and asked me to marry him high above the vines. Then in 2021, we revisited the Yarra Valley to get married! So I thought in honour of our fantastic wedding week, I would do an updated Guide to visiting the Yarra Valley.
It was so much fun sharing our highlights of this great cooler climate wine region with our friends and family. We had a few days around the wedding exploring with them and sharing some of our highlights. It was different exploring with a larger group, and so I wanted to share some of the top spots we visited. We didn’t get to as many wineries as we would normally, but the experiences were even more special!
In 2020 I shared two guides to the Yarra Valley that you can find links to below. But this updated guide to visiting the Yarra Valley shares some of the highlights from our wedding week including some old favourites and new spots for you to discover:
So let’s jump in!
A little bit about the Yarra Valley
Before we jump into my favourite spots, a guide to visiting the Yarra Valley wouldn’t be complete without letting you know what to expect. The Yarra Valley is very easy to get to by car from Melbourne and usually takes around an hour to get to. There are three main towns: Yarra Glen, Healesville and Seville. Healesville is the most established with plenty of dining and accommodation options so is worth a look if you are after somewhere to stay. It can be hard to find dinner restaurants so if you don’t want to cook at home this is your best bet!
These three towns create a sort of triangle of wine goodness but each is around 10-20 minutes from each other. So make sure you plan out your day accordingly. You wouldn’t want to be jumping between wineries around Seville and Yarra Glen/Yering all day!
The great thing about the Yarra Valley is that it has something for everyone. There are some large commercial wineries that are well-known and perfect for groups. But there is also plenty of boutique and family-run wineries offering a more personalised experience, smaller wine lists and great conversation.
The Yarra Valley is considered a cool climate wine region but it can be cold all year round. Make sure you pack a jacket even in Summer just in case. From Autumn to the end of Spring, however, expect to be wearing your warm clothes! In Autumn you get the most beautiful colours on the vines and trees before winter, and so this is my favourite time to visit. But Spring is also beautiful as the flowers start to come out.
In terms of wine, the Yarra Valley is known for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. But it also has so many more wines to discover including Cabernet, Shiraz and some more experimental varieties. Each winery offers new wines and a new experience, so you’ll always find something new.
Where we stayed
We had two spots that we stayed for our wedding and both were fantastic. The first was on a winery called Yering Farm and is called the George. The George is a beautiful manor that used to be the family home for the winery and is now accommodation that is perfect for large groups. It has seven bedrooms including a loft master room that makes it perfect for wedding accommodation. Not to mention the fireplace and heated pool and spa!
This house was a perfect base for the bridal party as it was close to heaps of wineries, and was the perfect size for a larger group. If you are heading to the Yarra Valley with a number of people I would highly recommend it. What makes it even better is that the cellar door is just down the road. We ducked down there more than once for a couple of emergency bottles of wine! Megan was also incredibly helpful and always available if we had any questions.
You can find out more about The George here.
The night before the wedding, the bridesmaids stayed at a beautiful spot called Yarramunda BnB’s. We had Angus house which had two bedrooms and the most incredible view out over the Valley. It was the perfect spot for getting ready for a wedding but was so beautiful that I can’t wait to stay there again the next time we visit with another couple. It was beautifully furnished and really close to the wineries near Yering.
Where to eat
We definitely hit the ground running when it came to food in the Yarra Valley. We visited a couple of places we’d been before, but also found some new favourites! In this guide to visiting the Yarra Valley I’m sharing a few of the highlights:
Herd Bar and Grill
We had our welcome drinks at Herd Bar and Grill and it was so perfect. They were so accommodating in giving us space exclusively between lunch and dinner so our guests could meet up for a drink or two. However I have to say, the wine list and cocktails on offer were so good we all had a couple more than a few! All the staff were lovely and completely on top of dealing with heaps of people. The food here is also incredible, whether you want some bar snacks or something more substantial. It is in a great location in Healesville right in the centre of the town and is perfect if you’re after somewhere for a decent meal without paying for a set menu.
Meletos
We went to Meletos the night before we got engaged and got married next door, so it seemed fitting to have our rehearsal dinner here. The last time I visited the food was a little more casual, and this time it was a set menu. But we were blown away by how good the food was. Each dish was better than the next, with the roast lamb being the star for me. They were so great at managing our dietary requirements, and their extensive wine list of Yarra Valley wines meant we were spoilt for choice! Meletos is great if you’re looking for a dinner spot as there aren’t many available, and better yet it is open during the week!
Soumah
We went to Soumah before our welcome drinks with our bridal party for a beautiful lunch. They started us off with a tasting of their wines and then we had a set menu for $50 including some antipasti to start with and a choice of mains along with a glass of wine. When it comes to set menus this is super affordable! We absolutely adore the wines at Soumah and the views are second to none. Definitely worth a visit if you’re after a great meal with some beautiful scenery, and even better wine!
Seville Estate
We visited Seville Estate on Mother’s Day and it was absolutely amazing. The set menu here is incredible, and each dish was better than the next. They are always changing the food they have on offer with what is in season and available. The highlight for me was the gnocchi, which they are renowned for. I’m gluten-free and so they gave me chickpea gnocchi which was out of this world! They also made my mum feel extra special by gifting her a bottle of wine for Mother’s Day! If you’re after a special meal full of seasonal flavours, definitely check out Seville Estate. Their gardens are absolutely beautiful too!
TarraWarra
We visited TarraWarra for our first meal in the Yarra Valley and it was incredible. They offer a set menu and it was out of control delicious. There wasn’t one dish that I wouldn’t dream of going back and enjoying again. It’s also worth a visit just for the incredible building and beautifully cosy restaurant. Although it wasn’t the cheapest meal, it was perfect for a special occasion and a great excuse for a beautiful meal. The highlight for me was the mushroom tart!
Cellar door highlights
And now for the moment, you’ve been waiting for. A guide to visiting the Yarra Valley wouldn’t be complete without my highlights from the cellar doors we visited. We didn’t visit as many as I would have liked, but each winery was incredible. Here are my favourites:
Pimpernel
Pimpernel is one of our favourite wineries in the Yarra Valley so we had to make it back there. We served Pimpernel Pinot Noir at our wedding and also put away a bottle of their wine to enjoy on our ten year anniversary. If you are a Pinot Noir fan, you have to make it to Pimpernel. They have so many different wines available, but their Pinots have to be my favourite of the bunch (and there are four available). The Chardonnay was also so good that it made one of our Chardonnay disliking friends into a Chardonnay lover! The tasting fee is redeemable on purchase, but the cellar door is small so make sure that you book ahead!
Soumah
Soumah has an incredible selection of wines to discover whether you are after traditional Yarra Valley wines or something different. They have a range of lesser-known Italian varieties which make for a fun tasting. Our favourite range has to be the Equilibrio however, and this still rung true when we visited. But all their wines are delicious, and with the most beautiful setting, you can’t go wrong. Each time we visit we discover new things, and the staff are so much fun to do a tasting with.
Dominique Portet
We had a truly special experience at Dominique Portet. For $20 you can do a private tasting in their Andre Room which overlooks their winery, and I highly recommend it if you love wine as much as we do. We really got to know the wines and taste some seriously special drops. I loved chatting to Tony about the history of the vineyard and learning about some of their lesser-known wines. He then took us down to try some of their Museum Wines which were seriously special. It is well worth the extra money to take your time going through their French-inspired wine list. The highlight for me was their Rosé as always, but also a Sancerre style Sauvignon Blanc! I am not a Sauvignon Blanc fan, but this wine really blew my mind. For anyone who loves a Chardonnay, I think you’ll love this one.
Yering Farm
We frequented the cellar door at Yering Farm over our trip as it was just down the road from us. But it wasn’t convenience that kept us going back, it was the wine! Their wines were a hit with our wedding party, and it is easy to see why. They offer a great range whether you are into white wines, reds or even cider! They’ve also recently started doing a Rosé which was absolutely delicious. However, the standout for us was the Cabernet Sauvignon which my partner loved so much that he got anxious that it had been drunk when he couldn’t find it! Luckily I had already stowed it away for safekeeping. The cellar door has a beautiful view and they also offer platters if you feel like enjoying a glass of wine over some cheese.
TarraWarra
The cellar door at TarraWarra is worth a visit for its looks alone. Any Lord of the Rings fans I’m looking at you! But inside are some great wines ready to be discovered. We did the express tasting which took us through their main wines and I loved learning about the difference in flavours between their vineyards. It was also beautiful taking a seat in their cellar door in the sun and enjoying wine with friends. They also offer tasting paddles you can enjoy in the garden with some cheese!
Coombe Estate
Coombe Estate has a beautiful setting to visit just to see the beautiful Melba Mansion. But in their cellar door, there are some great wines ready to be tasted. The tasting here is far more casual than the other wineries we visited which I loved. Most wineries are now doing seated tastings due to COVID but this one felt like old times where we could chat across the bar and try the wines that got us talking. There were too many beautiful wines to count, but the Estate Chardonnay had to be my highlight. Coombe is also perfect if you just want a glass of wine to enjoy in the sunshine as they offer wines by the glass to be enjoyed in their courtyard along with a range of snacks.
Seville Estate
Seville Estate has a beautiful range of wines that they offer in a very flexible tasting. We sat down before lunch and they took us through a couple of their wines, taking note of what we loved and changing accordingly. It was great to learn more about the Estate and try some truly special wines before tucking into a great meal!
Chandon
We actually visited Chandon twice because it was such a great spot for a group. It has a nice large area with plenty of seating in its cellar door and offers a range of tasting options. When we were there they had a Mother’s Day special, but the standard tastings offer a great range of bubbles to try. You can then grab a glass to enjoy over some bar snacks. They also give you the most amazing complimentary chips (seriously). We also loved Martin who was incredibly knowledgeable and very sassy as he took our rather large group through our tasting!
Four Pillars
So Four Pillars isn’t a winery I know but definitely worth a visit. We paid for the tour and it was set above the distillery. The tasting was incredibly informative and taught you how to actually taste Gin without getting the burn. It was a technique I used all throughout Tasmania! The gins here are world-renowned for a reason, and we learnt so much in the tasting about all their different gins, how they came about and what to taste in them. Definitely worth a visit if you are after a break from all the wine!
In summary – Guide to visiting the Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley certainly turned it on for us in terms of the beautiful weather, gorgeous wine and incredible food. We had so many great experiences here and it was even better that we could share them with close friends and family. I hope this most recent guide to visiting the Yarra Valley helps you plan your next trip to this beautiful wine region!