Victoria - A Yarra Valley pioneer's perfect day

Louise Johnson

Enjoy the wonderful food and wine of the Yarra Valley, Victoria [©Visions of Victoria]

Where do winemakers send their friends and family when they come to visit? VisitVineyards.com asked Graeme Miller, winemaker and viticulturalist at Millers Dixons Creek Estate, for a special itinerary of his favourite Yarra Valley flavours.

Inspired by a trip to the Barossa in the 70s, Yarra Valley wine pioneer Graeme Miller started converting his Dixons Creek dairy farm into a vineyard in 1971. In 1978 he won the Jimmy Watson Trophy, bringing attention to the Valley and it’s cool climate wines.

He sold his original vineyard to De Bortoli in 1987, starting again across the road at the present Millers Dixons Creek Estate site, building a new winery and opening a cellar door with his wife Bernadette in 2005.

As captain at Dixons Creek CFA Graeme was actively involved with local fire fighting efforts during the tragic Black Saturday fires in February 2009.

“The fires missed our property due to the vagaries of wind direction but many neighbours lost property and sadly, we have lost lives locally in Dixons Creek and Steels Creek.  Initially we were consumed with fire response in the local community and this has gone on for weeks for our brigade members, as the conditions were very dry and areas smouldered for a long time in the bush.

“Businesses are now re-opened for wine tourism, but the fires have had an enormous impact. The industry is the largest employer in the Valley and many employees have lost property, friends and even relatives. These people need a vibrant industry and jobs to return to and we have to work to encourage wine tourism back to the Valley,” he says.
 

Millers Dixons Creek Estate

Enjoy some of the best views of the Yarra Valley from the cellar door perched on the Melba Highway.  Graeme says their flagship wine is a Bordeaux blend called “Quatrain”, which is 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 17 percent Petit Verdot, 10 percent Merlot and 3 percent Cabernet Franc. 

“We have a really interesting cool climate straight Petit Verdot. The 2006 Chardonnay currently on tasting is definitely outstanding and has won 24 medals including seven gold and a trophy.

“Shiraz has always been a specialty of mine and the 2005 currently at cellar door won gold at the French Australian Chamber of Commerce Concours des Vins.  We also have recently released our Cuvee Extra Brut, three years in the making and full Methode Traditionelle, 55 percent Pinot Noir and 45 percent Chardonnay,” he says.

1620 Melba Highway
Dixons Creek
Phone: 03 5965 2553

Graeme’s recommendations:

Allinda Winery

“Al Fencaross has Allinda Winery nearby and I admire his winemaking. He lost a section of his vineyard in the fire but he is a talented winemaker and will make a good recovery.  Look out for the Reisling, Chardonnay and Cabernet,” says Graeme.

119 Lorimers Lane
Dixons Creek
Phone: 03 5965 2450

Oakridge

“I think David Bicknell  is one of the Valley’s really interesting winemakers and experiments a lot with his winemaking. Good sparkling and whites, interesting reds.”

864 Maroondah Highway
Coldstream VIC 3770
Phone: 03 9739 1920

De Bortoli Restaurant

“De Bortoli Restaurant has superb food, northern Italian/European cuisine; excellent service and a great view of the Valley.”
58 Pinnacle Lane
Dixons Creek
Phone: 03 5965 2271

A perfect day

"One perfect day in the Yarra Valley would be a leisurely breakfast at the Sweetwater Café at Chateau Yering, a visit to local cellar doors which included a sample from each of the Warburton, Maroondah and Melba routes, drop by Dominique Portet to experience his very distinct styles and perhaps a light lunch there or in Healesville at Innocent Bystander or Healesville Harvest, maybe a tour of the Sparkling  process at Domaine Chandon or catch the spectacular afternoon Birds of Prey Exhibition at Healesville Sanctuary. Finish the day with a later dinner at De Bortoli or at Eleonore’s at Chateau Yering.

Regions

• Melbourne Surrounds (VIC)
• Yarra Valley (Wine) (VIC)
• Yarra Valley, Dandenongs and the Ranges (VIC)

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