On paper, it’s clear that Victoria’s world-renowned Yarra Valley ticks all the right boxes when it comes to prerequisites for an indulgent weekend away.

Award-winning wineries and restaurants? Check. Plenty of local produce to stock up on? Check. Lush, rolling hills lined with vines that allude to a much more foreign, far-flung destination? Check. Just a cruisy one hour’s drive from Melbourne’s CBD? Check.

But, does it live up to the hype? Accompanied by my mum Ellen, and armed with a list of must visit sites to eat and drink our way through, we were ready to discover whether or not this bountiful paradise deserved its glittering reputation.

HEAVEN ON EARTH

Any frequent visitor to the Yarra Valley knows the first port of call should always be to the region’s most popular establishment. And no, I’m not talking about one of the many famed wineries, this place is considered more of an all-ages wonderland. It’s the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, a mecca for chocolate lovers and  sweet tooths alike. Situated high on a hill in the heart of the Yarra Valley, it appears almost miragelike (especially for those who may have been on the road a while!) - a large, Willy Wonka-esque chocolate factory offering a sweet escape from the endless cellar doors.

Open since 2012, it’s the brainchild of husband and wife team Ian and Leanne Neeland. Originally hailing from Perth, they ran several successful businesses before launching the Chocolaterie – despite neither of them having had any previous experience in the chocolate-making industry. The Yarra Valley location was chosen after a long search (the Napa Valley in the US was a potential candidate at one stage), and despite a rocky beginning with several delays, it didn’t take long for their dream to take shape.

The cheese tasting was a hit 

Chatting to Ian as we perused the choc-coated strawberry section, he ran me through a couple of the crucial Chocolaterie stats.

“We’ve got 250 chocolate products, which include 31 flavours of rocky road alone. The property is set on 40 acres, and we’ve now planted 500 trees, which form our orchard. We employ 80 staff,  mostly locals, who work alongside a team of highly-skilled European Chocolatiers.”

These are some impressive numbers, made even more so when you consider the Chocolaterie is open 364 days a year (the business is closed on Christmas Day). Roughly 850 to 1000 people visit on every one of those days, and everything is handmade and hand-packed on the premises. There’s also chocolate making and tasting classes, special kids only workshops, and each month the Chocolaterie hosts a different themed festival – think month-long celebrations of brownies, rocky road, and hot chocolate. To say we were devastated to learn we’d just missed the ice cream festival is an understatement, although a few premium truffles soon perked us right up.

For Ian and Leanne though, their satisfaction doesn’t just come from the chocolate itself (although that must help!), but from knowing what a positive impact the Chocolaterie has had on the region. They endeavour to use fresh, local produce at every opportunity, and, as a family-run business, understand the importance of  working with, and giving back to, the Yarra Valley community.

On the success and continued support of the Chocolaterie, Ian sums it up quite simply, “it doesn’t matter if you’re happy, sad, have a special occasion, or need a gift, everyone loves chocolate”.

And it’s hard to argue with that.

DAIRY DELIGHTS

Buzzing from a sugar high (if you don’t leave the Chocolaterie feeling the same, you obviously didn’t gorge on enough of the free dark, milk, and white chocolate samples), it was time to treat ourselves to another one of life’s great indulgences: cheese.

Yarra Valley Dairy is the place to do that, and located just 10 minutes down the road from the Chocolaterie, it made for a convenient second pitstop on our food-focused journey.

The property is dominated by two main buildings - the cheese factory and the cheese shop. The cheese factory is headed up by experienced cheesemaker Jack Holman, who oversees a team of 30 dedicated staff. Specialising in soft-style cheese, reminiscent of the traditional farmhouse cheeses of  France and Italy, the factory uses the freshest cows and goats milk from neighbouring farms to craft their champion cheese range.

Housed in the original 100 year old milking shed, the cheese shop offers a veritable smorgasbord of Yarra Valley Dairy’s specialty products - which, aside from cheese, also includes an array of jam, relishes, wine, and homewares. The best bit though? Cheese tastings at the shop are not only encouraged, but are complementary for groups smaller than eight people. After a tasting of six cheeses - they rotate daily, depending on what’s available - and much deliberation, my mum and I couldn’t resist purchasing the Ashed Pyramid, a slab of goats cheese dusted in ash, and the Saffy, which is fresh cows milk cheese marinated in saffron, lemon ring, cumin seeds, garlic, and olive oil.

A birds-eye view of Napoleone Brewery and Cidery’s sprawling orchards and well-kept grounds

For the quintessential Yarra

Valley Dairy experience though, we’d recommend building your own cheese board - which comes complete with local bread and a variety of charcuterie items (quince paste, olives, pork terrine or spiced figs), grabbing a glass of wine (local, of course), and heading out to one of the outdoor tables. Bliss!

WORKING UP A THIRST

As any dedicated foodie knows, eating is thirsty work, so it was only natural we next went in search of something to cure that. And after plenty of swirling, swishing, and sipping, our thirsts well and truly quenched, it was quite clear (thanks to the number of bottles purchased) what our favourite spots were.

The first was Napoleone Brewery and Cidery - a surprise choice perhaps, considering we were surrounded by some of the most esteemed wineries in the country. But this is a long-standing Yarra Valley enterprise, and a true success story steeped in history.

The Napoleone family, originally from Italy, planted their first fruit trees in the region back in the 1940s. Today, still a tight-knit, family-run business, they have an incredible 350 acres of orchards and are one of Victoria’s biggest producers of apples, pears, and stone fruits. Their triumph in the cider industry, according to Glen Harrison - general manager of the cider house, can be attributed to supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths.

Enjoying a tipple of the local brew at Napoleone’s cidery

“Coles and Woolies would only take perfect-looking fruit, which meant any fruit with a blemish or imperfection was rejected.”

To waste this influx of extra fruit - which were completely edible, and still tasted delicious - would have been a shame, and a waste of the Napoleone family’s hard work, so they came up with a solution: turn it into cider. Napoleone now produce a range of best-selling ciders, and take pride in the knowledge all fruits used are from its orchards, the entire cidermaking process happens on-site, and there are no added sugars or concentrates used.

WINE TIME

Keen to finally try some of the Yarra Valley’s most celebrated commodity,  we next headed for Soumah of Yarra Valley. And I think my mum and I can agree we saved the best for last.

Utterly charming, welcoming, and with none of the frenzied hustle and bustle that often comes with visiting one of the larger cellar doors in the region, Soumah is a hidden gem of the Yarra Valley. The cool climate and rich, ancient soil combine to create the ideal conditions to produce varietals most common in northern Italy and the south-east of France, with Soumah’s Chardonnay and Pinot Noir just two of their wines that come highly awarded and recommended.

Tastings are held daily in the cellar door, but if you consider yourself quite the wine buff, and are keen to discover the best Soumah has to offer (and trust us, you do!), there’s no going past the Premium Wine Experience. It comes at a cost of $20 per person, but is well worth it as you are treated to a selection  of Soumah’s limited edition, reserve quality, and museum release wines. We had National Sales Manager Dmitri Lazariuc take us through our tutored tasting, and his knowledge of Soumah’s wines, the business itself, and the region, not to mention his enthusiasm, made it a highlight of the trip.

Dmitri Lazariuc, Soumah’s National Sales Manager

On his envy-inducing job, Dmitri says, “for me, getting to meet new people while representing a brand I love and am passionate about is the best bit, and the delicious wines don’t hurt either!”.

Soumah doesn’t just do great wine though, if you enjoy woodfire pizza - and yes, we’re calling it - these are the best in the Yarra Valley. You will absolutely not regret treating yourself to a prosciutto pizza and a glass of one Soumah’s finest (for us, that was their Ai Fiori, a crisp, refreshing rosé-style wine), both of which are best enjoyed in their Trattoria-style dining room, which overlooks the vineyard.

CHARMS OF HEALESVILLE

The quaint village of Healesville served as the home base for our trip, and for its proximity to all of the Yarra Valley’s key sights, a shopping precinct guaranteed to keep you browsing for hours, and a few choice eateries, it’s hard to beat.

If we had to pick, our tips for a top-notch meal in Healesville would have to be the historic Healesville Hotel, which does a mean steak (using local grass-fed, aged beef), best enjoyed in their leafy, fairy-lit beer garden, and Innocent Bystander, a restaurant cum-cellar door that offers an all-day menu featuring a paella that would rival Spain’s best.

So did the Yarra Valley live up to expectations? Well, considering the motorhome was filled to the brim with wine, cheese, and chocolate upon our departure, and we spent the entire journey home plotting a return visit, I think it’s safe to say the trip was a successful, and satisfying one.

Strawberry tarts, macaroons, and hot chocolates - just a standard morning tea spread at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie

Category: Destinations
Written: Sun 01 July 2018
Printed: July, 2018
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