Discover the places behind the wines.

North of Melbourne, Heathcote is renowned for Shiraz. Dark-fruit and spice notes, fine tannins and a velvety texture are hallmarks of many of its wines.

A landscape that shapes the wine.

Around the Mt Camel Range, distinctive red soils are associated with ancient Cambrian geology, though soils vary across the region. Cool southerly and south-easterly winds also influence growing conditions.

Start with Shiraz, then explore Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache for other expressions of Heathcote.

A different expression of Shiraz.

Alongside the sweet impression of ripe fruit that we love in Barossa, the Heathcote wines that captivated us offered a different kind of power: darker fruit, more pronounced spice and greater concentration. For us, they bring together so much of what makes Shiraz compelling. They are wines we love to share over steak or a barbecue.

That is a personal impression, rather than a rule for every bottle. Looking beyond fruit to tannin texture and the finish makes comparing producers even more rewarding.

East of Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is a cool-climate region known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Pinot often shows cherry and strawberry notes, while Chardonnay can offer white-peach fruit.

One region, many expressions.

Altitude and aspect create varied growing conditions. Grey-brown sandy loams over clay and younger red volcanic soils contribute to a diverse patchwork of vineyard sites.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are natural starting points, but Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz also deserve attention. Yarra Valley Viognier is another personal favourite of ours.

A region for Burgundy lovers to explore.

Those wines sat at the premium end of the local market. Even so, compared with Burgundies that gave us a similar level of enjoyment, they felt remarkably good value. That sense of finding something special has stayed with us.

If you love Burgundy, we would warmly encourage you to explore Yarra Valley Pinot Noir—not simply as a substitute, but for the character its own vineyards and producers bring to the glass.

There is more beyond Pinot.

We are also particularly fond of Viognier from the Yarra Valley. It is a reminder not to define a region by one grape alone. Sometimes the next glass reveals a completely different side of a place you thought you knew.