Meet the businesses dragging Melbourne's hipsters out to the hills.
Founded by schoolmates and locals Bhen and Troy, Payten & Jones is not your typical Yarra Valley winery by any measure. Their funky cellar door is right in the middle of Healesville and while some wineries go for clean, minimalist aesthetics, Payten & Jones have covered the place in street art including a bright purple gorilla smoking a cigar.
Their wines are different to what you'd expect from the Yarra too, pushing minimal intervention natural winemaking that puts personality at the forefront. There are Yarra classics like pinot noir and chardonnay, but also more uncommon varietals for the region like sangiovese, verdelho and mataro. All the wines are bottled unfiltered and pack a juicy punch, no doubt thanks to Bhen's father, Peter, who is a renowned viticulturist with over 30 years experience in Victoria. He managed Australia's first organic vineyard and his expertise has been crucial in helping Bhen and Troy source the kind of high-quality fruit that's needed to make great natural wines.
These wines are sometimes cloudy, sometimes surprising, and a tasting at the cellar door is a laid back affair. There's no pretension or nonsense and the staff both know their stuff and love their wines. If there was ever a wine tasting for someone who hates wine tasting, Payten & Jones is it, and with interest in natural wines booming across the country, these guys are pouring some of the best in the state and attracting visitors from all over.
No trip to the Yarra is complete without a visit to the Four Pillars Gin Distillery, which says a lot given the distillery has been in operation for less than 10 years and the tasting room for just six. Four Pillars has not only ridden the surging wave of craft gin globally, but also acted as a catalyst, pushing Australian craft distillers into the international spotlight thanks to its innovative, high-quality gins. It was crowned International Gin Producer of the Year in both 2019 and 2020, but make no mistake, awards aren't a priority here, just a welcome by-product.
Like Payten & Jones across the road, Four Pillars keeps things casual with a seated tasting room that sprawls outside. It's cheese boards, cocktails and tasting flights out the front, while the gin itself – both the established and experimental styles – is made out the back.
Their most recognisable gin is the purple Bloody Shiraz Gin, which is made using Yarra Valley shiraz grapes and has grown from a cult favourite to a global phenomenon, but this is just one of Four Pillars' award-winning gins. The Chardonnay Barrel, Sherry Cask and Spiced Negroni gins have all taken home gold, while the Navy Strength and Rare Dry Gin have both won Double Gold in various competitions. It's no wonder why Gin Foundry said 'Four Pillars is arguably the most exciting and dynamic gin brand anywhere in the world.' Now that's high praise.
There's nothing cooler than craft beer and Matilda Bay just happened to be one of the first craft breweries on the scene. It was established in Perth by Phil Sexton back in 1983, and quickly grew to incorporate several brewpubs when the major pubs wouldn't stock the beer.
Following its early success, the brewery was sold to Foster's in 1990 and, as Matilda Bay itself admits, proceeded to lose its way for a number of years. Fast-forward to 2019 and Phil Sexton, the original founder, returned to help establish a brand-new brewery in the Yarra Valley, where he also owns the iconic Giant Steps Winery.
The new brewery threw open its doors only to close them months later due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the team used Melbourne's lockdown to tweak its revamped beers to perfection. Now Matilda Bay's high-tech brewery, located in Healesville proper, is an essential stop for any craft-beer lover because of both its history and the fantastic beers, which include a dark lager, pale ale and wheat beer.
There's been just as much attention paid to the food as the beers, with a menu featuring staples like pizzas and burgers (vegan options available for both) as well as steak, lamb shoulder, smoked eggplant and mushroom lentil paté. Add in regular live music and you've got a world-class local brewery that doesn't skimp on beer, food or atmosphere.
You'd be hard-pressed to not find something for everyone to enjoy at Punt Road Wines. Owned by the fruit-growing Napoleone family for three generations now, the winery makes premium pinot noir and chardonnay as well as cabernet sauvignon, gamay and more, under the watchful eye of renowned winemaker Tim Shand. There are cheese platters, picnics and even a bocce court to flex your muscles once your tasting has finished, making for a nice halfway point between casual and classy.
A wine-tasting at Punt Road is an experience in itself – relaxed, informative and delicious – but there's more to the estate than wine. Napoleone Cider is also produced here and the team has built an on-site Orchard Bar to drink it, billing the experience as a garden party celebrating all things cider. Expect Napoleone's apple and pear ciders, as well as some special guests and cider cocktails, with rotating food trucks dishing up food on the weekends. And if you're visiting on the third Sunday of the month? Then you'll be able to browse the monthly farmer's market, selling all the local Yarra produce you could ever desire.
