Recipe for the perfect Yarra Valley escape

Preparation

• Grab your entourage – Invite your best company to maximise your memories. I’m lucky enough to be hitting the Yarra Valley with lastminute lovely Shauna.
• Hire some wheels – The Yarra Valley is conveniently located just an hour out of Melbourne’s CBD, which makes it the perfect place for a day trip or even better (especially with the wine on offer), a few nights. It’s a destination well worth savouring.
• Pack your stretchy pants – There’s a whole lotta food to tantalise your tastebuds here, so think smart when packing – you won’t want to miss out on the desserts on offer.

Ingredients

Ingredient 1: Start with a decent base
Starting a getaway on the perfect note is pretty easy when you’re staying at Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort & Spa.

We check in to our two bedroom director’s suite and are super stoked with the killer view before us.

Room with a view, check!

Making sure we get the most out of our home for the weekend, we start night one with an unforgettable three-course meal at on-site Rae’s Restaurant. Each course outdoes the next, and I can tell by Shauna’s scraped clean plate that hers was pretty darn good too.

Entree: I tuck into a Crab and Prawn Tian and Shauna has the herb crusted goats cheese with house grown beetroot and apple salad.

Main: I opt for the market fish which is a delicious fillet of salmon, and Shauna has the 18hr sous vide lamb rump – both equally delicious.

Dessert: We share the Assiette for two, consisting of chocolate delice, apple cheesecake, lemon panna cotta, house made sorbet and meringue. Now you see it…

… Now you don’t.

Ingredient 2: One cup (or three) of wine
Hello wine-lover’s heaven! There are over 75 wineries and cellar doors to choose from in the Yarra Valley, so do a little research before you go to make sure you don’t miss out on your faves.Here are mine:
Domaine Chandon: Established by French champagne house Moet & Chandon (that’s Mo-et not Mo-ee) in 1986, Domaine Chandon is a must-visit for any champagne lover. True to its heritage, the winery is super lavish, offering a Chandon tasting bar, guided or self-tours, and the ever-so-delicious Greenpoint Brasserie. In the name of research, we head straight to the tasting bar where we sample a few too many before our guided tour. It’s safe to say the trip is off to a bubbly start.

Tim @ Chandon tasting bar

Lunch at Greenpoint Brasserie; Zuchinni flowers stuffed with goats cheese & Salmon for me, Duck for Shauna. One word – Amazeballs

De Bortoli Wines: Having remembered drinking this wine from my younger years (straight from the cask, ewww) I was a little sceptical about this one. But I was so wrong! De Bortoli is one to watch out for. With beautiful rolling vineyards, and a delicious range of drops, I highly recommend a visit here.

Yering Station: Located in a super adorable restored winery, be sure to take your time at Yering Station. Built to architectural pour-fection, there are stunning artworks spread throughout the cellar door to take in.

Oakridge winery: Oakridge is the turning point for me. Coming from an ABC background (Anything But Chardonnay), I’ve finally found a chardy that I could drink on the reg – 2011 Oakridge Local Vineyard Series Chardonnay, Denton Vineyard. Yummmo!

Rochford Wines: With time running out we manage to quickly squeeze in one more winery for the day. We head to the adorable family owned venture, Rochford Wines. Well worth a visit.

Ingredient 3: A dash of oil
A perfect escape wouldn’t be complete without a massage, so we head off to Balgownie Estate’s very own, Natskin Day Spa. After 60 minutes of unforgettable pure indulgence, I’m rejuvenated and ready for as much wining and dining the Yarra can throw my way. Bring it on!
Ingredient 4: A dose of greens
You wouldn’t normally think to visit a garden display in a wine region (hello, there’s drinking to be done), but I’m here tell you it’s a must in the Yarra Valley. Alowyn Gardens has six areas to explore but my favourite had to be the edible garden – not only do the apples taste amazing (fresh off the tree), but the gourds make for hilarious rude veggies. Check it out.

So mature, right?

Ingredient 5: A splash of colour
A getaway to Victoria wouldn’t be complete without a bit of culture. We get to explore Jeffrey Smart’s ‘Master of Stillness’ works at the fabulous TarraWarra Museum of Art*. The exhibition showcases his art from 1940-2011 so you can really begin to appreciate his broad range of works over his expansive 61 year career. My favourite piece has to be Morning practice, Baia 1969.

Morning practice, Baia
Jeffrey Smart, 1969
Oil on canvas on composition board

Just right beside the Museum of Art is the TarraWarra Estate – yep, you guessed it another vineyard. We’re lucky enough to get a behind the scenes tour of the winery, where we taste some TarraWarra vintage right from the barrel! It’s pretty cool to taste the difference between barrelled and bottled vino – I must admit, I’m a bottled kinda gal.

Ingredient 6: A pinch of sugar
Anyone with a sweet tooth will agree that a perfect escape isn’t complete without indulging in some naughty treats. The newly opened Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery has over 150 different chocolate varieties available for temptation – so you can forget about that diet right now.
They are so passionate about the quality of their chocolates that they fly in Belgian and French chocolatiers to handcraft everything in store. My favourite thing about this place (apart from the chocolate of course) is the huge glass window where you can watch the chocolatiers working their magic, making everything from scratch right in front of you.

Erh mar ghard

Ingredient 7: Something fine to finish
The icing on the cake for the perfect escape has to be our last night’s dinner at the one ‘hatted’ restaurant, Eleonore’s Restaurant. Located at the super fancy Chateau Yering Historic House Hotel, this award winning restaurant truly is the cherry on top. With a menu designed by Executive Chef Matthew McCartney, we reach palate perfection with a three hour meal, overlooking the Chateau’s gardens. Yum!

My entree: Suckling pig with white onion puree, rhubarb relish, black pepper jus

Food envy! Shauna’s entree of miso-cured kingfish with nahm jim sorbet, caramelised cashew, Thai salad

For mains: Chilean sea bass with chilli crab cannelloni, radish, fennel, avocado puree. Shauna indulges in Yarra Valley sirloin, chickpea chips, red cabbage slaw, bordelaise sauce

So there you have it, combine these ingredients to create a delicious recipe for the perfect escape.
Rae’s Restaurant, Balgownie Estate

Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery

Eleonore’s Restaurant

*The Jeffrey Smart exhibition closed on 1 April 2013. Check out the current and upcoming exhibitions at the TarraWarra Museum of Art here.