There’s far more to the Yarra than Pinot and Chardonnay, however. Developments in viticultural knowledge, and simply more confidence in winemaking, have encouraged forward-thinking producers to broaden their horizons, seeking more climatically appropriate varieties. At Yarra Yering, one of the region’s original modern wineries, I learned about winemaker Sarah Crowe’s next Bordeaux parallel – experiments with Touriga Nacional. Meanwhile, tackling one of the great winemaking challenges, Luke Lambert is already producing truly exquisite Nebbiolo, a wine I would certainly urge Members to seek out.

Historic yet under-developed, a gold rush brought settlers to the Grampians, but there remain treasures to discover in these windswept hills. In one of a shrinking number of Victorian locations that remain phylloxera-free, Bests‘ Great Western hosts a historic 19^th century nursery block (below) with over 80 varieties co-planted, some of which remain unidentified. Its own-rooted, old-vine Pinot Meunier is a delight. Further west, and with Southern Ocean breezes screaming in its face, Henty is one of Australia’s coolest regions, where producers such as Crawford River and Hochkirch craft ethereal Riesling and Cabernet.

The “Melbourne Dress Circle” is a phrase coined by the doyen of Aussie wine writers, James Halliday. It refers to the five wine regions that loop around the city: Geelong, Gippsland, Macedon Ranges, Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley, of which I managed to visit four (sorry, Geelong). Pinot Noir may be the best known of Victoria’s styles, but it’s also one of the most exciting. Across the south of the state, from Ocean Eight in Mornington Peninsula to William Downie in Gippsland, the effect of the Southern Ocean was clear. In the Yarra Valley, Mac Forbes and Giant Steps’ Melanie Chester are at the forefront of sub-regional expression, their single site wines unlocking the local terroir. And in the cool of the Macedon Ranges, I spent an afternoon walking Bindi’s vineyards with winemaker Michael Dhillon (below) discussing experimental plantings and the meaning of life. His Quartz Chardonnay is already revered, but his ultra-high-density Block 8 Pinot Noir may be Australia’s next greatest wine…

Beechworth may be as close to an undiscovered gem as is still possible. Production is small, distribution is limited, and the town itself is in no-man’s land roughly halfway between Melbourne and Canberra. But if you see Beechworth on a list, give it a go – you won’t be disappointed.The most famous name here is of course Giaconda, whose Chardonnay is more than a match for most of the Cote de Beaune. Sadly, this wasn’t on our itinerary, but a visit to biodynamic pioneer Castagna (hosted by winemaker Julian Castagna, left) saw the longest queue to buy of the whole trip. Its singular Chenin Blanc and Brunello-clone Sangiovese come strongly recommended. Other impressive discoveries were more Nebbiolo from Traviarti, Schmölzer & Brown’s Rieslings, and the cult Gamay and Bordeaux blends of Sorrenberg. 

It’s often overlooked how deep Victoria’s vinous roots stretch. In Rutherglen, on the state’s northern border, All Saints calls upon library stocks of similar maturity to produce its phenomenally complex Rare and Museum Muscat ‘stickies’. At Tahbilk in the Nagambie Lakes region, tree-like vines well into their second centuries flourish, still producing fruit for the quintessential 1860 Shiraz. The winery buildings date from the same period, giving the complex the feel of a working museum. This history intersects with a modern sensibility: the winery has been certified carbon-neutral for over a decade, and is currently managing an inspirational regeneration project of the local wetlands in partnership with local indigenous groups.

This trip was equal parts exhausting and invigorating. While I considered myself an Aussie appreciator, I hadn’t expected to come away so inspired, by both the past and the potential. I hope our Melbourne footprint will enable Members to discover the quality of the region’s wines, many of which are rarely seen outside Australia – something that we hope to change…

We are due to open our Melbourne club in mid-2025 – for more details, see here