A TASTE OF YARRA VALLEY

2022 Mayer Bloody Hill Villages Chardonnay, $42 Pink grapefruit, green melon and nectarine meet subtle flinty notes and oak in a show of elegance and a refined minerality. This modern style of chardonnay pairs wonderfully with lobster linguine. timomayer.com.au

Four Pillars Bloody Bandwagon, $50 This punchy “faux pillars” non-alcoholic gin uses Yarra Valley shiraz grapes to build colour and burst out of the glass with red berries and hints of spice. Perfect for a riff on a highball, with a generous splash of soda. fourpillarsgin.com

2021 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir, $70 The sun hits early at Applejack Vineyard, causing full ripeness of both stems and fruit. This creates ideal conditions for the generous use of whole bunch in the blend. Thus making this pinot a savoury bomb of mushroom and truffle notes with incredible earthiness. giantstepswine.com.au

2015 La Maison De Ong ‘The Hermit’ Museum Selection Syrah, $68 With pinot noir and chardonnay hogging the Yarra Valley limelight, Jayden Ong’s museum-release syrah is a benchmark example of why we shouldn’t overlook other varieties in the Yarra. Perfumed blue fruits elegantly weave through a mediumbodied palate with a lick of sweet spices. jaydenong.com

2021 Mac Forbes EB76 ‘Taken for Granite’ Pinot Meunier, $40 Fermented and matured entirely in concrete vessels for maximum purity of fruit expression. Pinot meunier is for the lovers of light, chilled reds. Vibrant strawberry and cherry expressions, alongside tart plums, make this an excellent charcuterie board wine. Just dunk in an ice bucket as you graze away the afternoon. macforbes.com