Inside the Upper Yarra: The Yarra Valley’s secret sub region of wineries at Seville
FORGET the Yarra Valley’s crowds, big names and multimillion-dollar operations. Turn off instead to this little-known wine region with tiny cellar doors, huge mountain views and a low-key vibe.
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WHEN heading to the Yarra Valley for a day of sipping and sampling some class in the glass, about 40 odd clicks out of Melbourne, just past Lilydale, you’re faced with a choice.
Do you, as countless bus tours and thousands of like-minded day-trippers do, continue on the Maroondah Highway down to Healesville stopping off at some of the valley’s most famous names along the way: Domain Chandon, Oakridge, Levantine Hill and Rochford?
Or do you turn right onto the B380 — Warburton Highway — and take the road less travelled?
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Those who do will be rewarded with tiny cellar doors and huge mountain views and a low-key, relaxed edge to exploring this more rugged region.
Welcome to the Upper Yarra, where the flat expanse of the valley floor gives way to hilly Australian bush and breathtaking views across to Mt Donna Buang and Baw Baw beyond.
With an understated air and alternative vibe, the townships of Yarra Junction, Wesburn and Warburton have been long on the map for horse riders and cyclists, thanks to the Warburton Rail Trail.
But when it comes to wine, the Upper Yarra is whole new world compared with other side of the valley — in geology, geography and geniality.
What you’ll find in the Upper Yarra
Here you’ll find a collection of the region’s smaller wineries, family owned and run vineyards with humble cellar doors down dirt tracks, which you’ll find mainly focused in and around Seville.
Sure the razzle dazzle of the mulltmillion-dollar cellar door is a sight to behold, but for those keen to chat with the person who grew the grapes and made the wine, then there really is gold in them thar hills.
Gold medals, at least.
Seville Estate, one of the first vineyards planted in this region, has just been named the Australian Winery of the Year by the doyen of Australian wine, James Halliday, in his annual wine awards.
They also took home the trophy for best shiraz and best pinot noir.
It’s an impressive haul.
First planted with cabernet sauvignon in 1972 by Peter McMahon, and now run by his grandson, Dylan McMahon, Seville Estate is at the forefront of the cool-climate valley wines the region is renowned for, the vineyard’s 200m elevation expressed in its signature shiraz, chardonnay and pinot varieties.
An extensive investment in the estate by new owner, wine retailer Yiping Yang, has resulted in top accommodation on site — either in the refurbished original homestead of the McMahons or apartments overlooking the vineyard, a new cellar door and restaurant serving a weekly changing menu of Valley and Victorian produce.
The estate has put Seville firmly on the touring map of wine lovers in the mood for discovery.
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SEVILLE HILL
The annual ShedFest — now in its 17th year — is a perfect opportunity to explore these smaller boutique wineries, with two days of food, live music, entertainment and, of course, wines poured by the makers.
An initiative of the Yarra Valley Smaller Wineries Association, ShedFest (Oct 13-14) puts the spotlight on this charming pocket of the region, but its wineries shine bright all year round.
“Some days during the week, we might only get five, six people coming to visit us,” says John D’Aloisio of Seville Hill.
“The bus companies don’t do this side of the valley. But when people do come, they’re really impressed. The undulating hills means there’s lots of incredible scenic vistas.”
And one of the best is here at Seville Hill, where every second Sunday (from Sept 30) a jazz trio take to the stage that overlooks the cherry orchard that’s a blooming beautiful sight to behold. The orchard joins 18 acres under vine, with cabernet, shiraz, merlot and chardonnay joining Italian varietals all made under the estate label.
As well as jazz, the working winery’s barrel room is transformed Friday through Sunday into a cellar door eatery, where chef Marie di Battista serves up her homemade gnocchi that draws fans from afar, grazing platters filled with Yarra Valley dairy cheeses and for the kids — small and big alike — cheeseburger jaffles.
Seville Hill, 8 Paynes Rd, Seville. Cellar door open daily 10am-5pm. sevillehill.com.au
PAYNE’S RISE
Head up through the vines and step back in time at Payne’s Rise, which is not only named after Seville’s first settler, Thomas Payne, but has his original 1860s outbuildings furnished and open to explore — with a glass of estate wine in hand, of course.
Tim and Narelle Cullen planted vines here in 1999 and from the property’s eight acres, with the help of winemaker Franco D’Anna (Hoddles Creek), make a range of complex fruit-driven wines that include a bright rose, a creamy chardonnay, elegant shiraz and pinot. The cellar door has the wines on the pour, pizzas in the oven and expansive lawns to relax on while enjoying the views.
Keep an eye out for the statue of an old-time squatter, impressively carved out of a single piece of wood — by chainsaw!
Payne’s Rise, 10 Paynes Rd, Seville. Cellar door Thurs-Sun 11am-5pm. paynesrise.com.au
MORGAN VINEYARDS
At one of the area’s oldest vineyards, Morgan (planted in 1971) you’ll find one of the newest addition to the area’s foodie cred. This humble cellar door, run by Samuel Gunther whose family bought the winery in 2009, is also the sole stockist for new cheesemaker Millgrove Dairy.
A five-cheese with five-wine tasting match is a great way to explore both ranges — the estate wines made by Andy Matthews; the cheeses by Pieter and Nicky Trompf.
Take a glass (or, why not, a bottle) of the Morgan pinot or cabernet, and a platter of cheese that includes an Australian Jalsberg, cheddar and brie, and settle into the rustic barn or on one of the tables out on the lawn. Don’t forget to grab a chunk of cheese (or two), and some hand-churned butter for home before you go.
30 Davross Court, Seville. Cellar door Thurs-Sun 11am-5pm. morganvineyards.com.au
SEVILLE ESTATE
“He was a stubborn old bastard, he wanted to prove them all wrong,” says chief winemaker Dylan McMahon of his grandfather Peter, who was told the site that is now Seville Estate was too cold to grow grapes, especially the Bordeaux varieties that were in fashion when he planted vines in 1972.
“But he persevered with the property and now the cooler side is proving very beneficial, especially for the pinots and chardonnays the region is renowned.” And how, with the winery winning the coveted best shiraz for the 2015 Dr McMahon along with being named winery of the year at the James Halliday Wine Awards for 2019.
It’s not just the swag of trophies that’s proving a drawcard for wine lovers to Seville Estate — though the cellar door boasts some of the most spectacular views across the valley of any — but the new restaurant where a changing menu of local produce is served up in a beautiful Scandi-chic room filled with living greenery. Crunchy-crusted sourdough cob hot from the oven might precede a vibrant patch of freshly plucked veg dressed in bright, punchy vinegar; terrific radishes with housemade goat’s curd; and gorgeously pan-tanned gnocchi with smoked chicken and tarragon, all matched with estate wines, some of them rare releases only available here.
The Seville Estate 2017 wines will be launched across the weekend of October 5-7, available to taste and purchase.
65 Linwood Rd, Seville. Cellar door daily 10am-5pm; restaurant Fri-Sun. sevilleestate.com.au
SIR PAZ
Sitting high on the hill with uninterrupted views across the valley to the mountains beyond, Sir Paz Estate is one of the more imposing and impressive cellar doors in this part of the Yarra Valley. But if you want to come visit and try the shiraz and merlot, the sparking and the sauvignon blanc, you’ll have to come on a Sunday, the only day the estate opens the doors.
“I wanted to create a place that we could use to celebrate family occasions, it wasn’t something I went into as a commercial operation,” says John Zapris. “I just wanted somewhere for the family to enjoy. If other people do too, that’s great.”
Created to honour his father Evangelos, who was a winemaker in Drimos, Greece, before emigrating with his young family to Australia, it’s now John’s four sons — Peter, Evan, Anthony, and Christopher — who pour the wine and ferry the generous cheese and charcuterie platters to those who gather on the veranda on Sundays to enjoy the view and the wine.
“All I want is for people to leave with a smile. If they do, then I’m happy,” John says.
Sir Paz, 54 Parker Rd, Wandin East. Cellar door Sunday 11am-5pm. sirpaz.com
BRUMFIELD
“People are starting to discover this side of the valley. Here you’ll usually talk to the winemaker, or family behind the wine and people really like that,” says David Crothers from Brumfield. “And I’m happy to talk about wine all day long.”
When he’s not chatting at the cellar door, David is out tending the nine acres of vines that include sangiovese and shiraz, with gewurztraminer and nebbiolo almost ready to be added to the range.
“We work seven days, but it’s not like work because it’s wine, it’s our passion.”
While David takes care of the wine from grape to glass, wife Anda bakes sourdough loaves that are famed throughout the valley (she supplies a number of local cafes), and from next month, daughter Li will be adding an on-site brewery to the cellar door. SLAQ brewing will launch on Oct 5 (and over that weekend), with new brews fresh from the tap and pizzas hot from the oven.
Brumfield, 539 Queens Rd, Seville. brumfield.com.au
UPPER YARRA: OTHER THINGS TO DO
Eat a steak sandwich at Nancy’s
Probably the best in the east, possibly the best in the state — this steak sanger at Nancy’s is a homegrown beauty. Tender scotch fillet, chunky chutney, creamy aioli, tomato, fried egg and sharp vintage tasty cheese melted on toasted sourdough buttered on top, it’s simply magnificent.
Nancy’s of the Valley, 2460 Warburton Hwy, Yarra Junction
Indulge your sweet tooth at The Flying Apron
Ask any local where to go for coffee and a sweet treat and almost all will answer The Flying Apron. With a cabinet laden with freshly baked — and daily changing — cakes and patisserie there’s always reason to drop in for a vanilla slice, peach frangipani, eclair or that day’s sausage roll flavour. Locally roasted Silva coffee provides the get up and go.
The Flying Apron, 2874 Warburton Hwy, Wesburn
Breakfast at the Carriage Café
“Tether your horses here”. You know you’re in the country when cafes come with parking for your horse. On the rail trail by the creek at Seville, the Carriage Café harks to time past.
While rail trailers use it as a handy caffeine pit stop, its charms — whether in the century-old carriage, on the deck or out on the lawn — make it a worth seeking out on its own. Recommended: the savoury French ciabatta with avo, bacon, spinach and sun-dried tomato.
Carriage Café, 35 Seymour St, Seville. carriagecafe.com.au
SHEDFEST 2018 is on Oct 13 and 14 from 10am-5pm both days at participating wineries across the Yarra Valley — including the Warburton, Maroondah and Melba Highways from Healesville, Yarra Glen, Seville and beyond. $20 entry includes tastings at all participating wineries. For tickets and more information: yarravalleysmallerwineries.com.au
Dan Stock travelled to Seville with the assistance of Visit Victoria. visitvictoria.com.au
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