As the seasons change, so do the views and the action around Melbourne’s most famous wine region, the Yarra Valley.
Our Yarra Valley Gourmet Tour visits the region’s top wineries and local producers – guaranteeing you a day full of delicious tastings. From top quality wines, to cheeses, chocolate and more, this tour is a food and wine lovers dream day out. Just a short drive from Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is waiting to be explored.
Take a look at our guide to the seasons so you can decide what is the best time to visit the Yarra Valley.
What is the best time to visit the Yarra Valley?
Summer
Months: December, January, February
Summer is a time when fruit and produce is in abundance in the Yarra Valley. The sun shines and the days are meant to be spent outdoors exploring the vineyards and winery gardens.
The first stop on our Yarra Valley Gourmet Tour is Yarra Valley Farm Fresh. The strawberry farm is bursting with fresh fruit in summertime. You can taste strawberries, apples, pears and other fresh local produce.
They stock fresh fruit from their farm as well as other local produce – giving preference to producers from the Yarra Valley but sourcing the freshest products from further afield if they are not grown in the region.
When visiting wineries such as Balgownie, Rochford and Yering Station, you can enjoy some time to explore outside. With the summer sun shining you can take some great pictures of the rolling hills and vineyards.
Autumn
Months: March, April, May
Autumn is the time when the Yarra Valley is buzzing with activity and the vines look spectacular with their autumn colours. The grape harvest happens in March each year, with the following months being the optimal time for winemaking.
A visit to the wineries is a great opportunity to learn about the winemaking process. In between sipping, swirling and swilling you can chat to the winery staff about the techniques they use to produce their wines.
At Yering Station, you can even take a glimpse into the winery to see the winemakers hard at work. Yering Station is the third winery we visit on our Gourmet Tour and it is the location where the first grapes were planted in Victoria in 1835.
In autumn the leaves on the vines change colour, from greens to reds, oranges and yellows. It makes for a spectacular backdrop as you tour around the Yarra Valley and stop in at the wineries for your tastings and for lunch.
Winter
Months: June, July, August
Winter is a great time to escape the city and spend a day touring the Yarra Valley. You won’t regret your decision when you indulge in a delicious gourmet lunch by an open fireplace, sip wines in the comfort of a cellar door with vineyards views, or return to Melbourne with a full belly and big smile on your face!
The colder weather in winter doesn’t affect our Yarra Valley Gourmet Tour because each of our stops has a cosy, warm indoor option for our tastings and lunch. Rochford Winee is where we stop for a gourmet lunch. Their restaurant has an open fireplace and big floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the views of the vineyards.
Included in our tour, along with the tastings, is a gourmet lunch. At Rochford Wines there are always four lunch options to choose from, and each meal comes with a glass of wine and tea and coffee to follow. The lunch menu changes throughout the year, as Rochford uses fresh, seasonal, local produce to create their gourmet lunch dishes.
Spring
Months: September, October, November
Spring in the Yarra Valley is when leaves return to the vines and the weekends become busier with Melburnians visiting the renowned wine region.
If you want to see the vineyards with leaves blooming and tour fantastic wineries with gardens blossoming, then Spring is the time to do it. You might spot some baby goats and cows at the Yarra Valley Dairy as we stop in to taste their delicious range of cheeses.
At the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery you will see the fruit trees blossoming. The world-class chocolatiers create an exquisite range of handmade chocolate creations – some of which use produce from their on-site orchard. We stop in for a private chocolate tasting – in a separate space with orchard views, you can taste a range of their chocolates and learn about how they are made.
If the weather is warm enough and you are not full from a full day of tastings – you might even like to indulge in some of their ice cream at our last stop on the Gourmet Tour.
Visit the Yarra Valley on tour
Melbourne’s finest wine region, the Yarra Valley, is a foodie haven! Not only are there endless wineries to choose from, but an excellent choice of local produce as well. Join our Yarra Valley Gourmet Tour to taste wines, cheese, chocolate and more – as well as indulge in a gourmet winery lunch.
Tour Highlights:
- Taste some of the valley’s freshest fruits, juices, and other local products at Yarra Farm Fresh
- Sample wine and cheese at the iconic Balgownie Estate – one of the great wineries of the Yarra Valley
- Taste the valley’s freshest cheeses at the Yarra Valley Dairy
- Enjoy a delicious lunch at Rochford Wines – choose from four different meal options and enjoy a glass of Rochford’s quality wine
- Sip away at a wine tasting in one of Australia’s great wineries, Yering Station
- Enjoy an exclusive chocolate tasting at the valley’s sweetest location, The Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
What to pack for a winter visit to the Yarra Valley
- A jacket in case you want to venture outside to explore the vineyards
- A bag to carry all the local produce and goodies you might be tempted to buy
- Your wallet (see above – so much delicious produce on this tour!)
- Your phone / camera – there are some great photo opportunities throughout the day
- Your best mates – this is a fun group day out, bring your mates to enjoy it together
Written by: Leah Furey – Digital Content Coordinator @gowest.com.au
