Rochford Wines

Author: Rochford Marketing

  • Looking for the perfect Yarra Valley Wedding Venue in 2023?

    Looking for the perfect Yarra Valley Wedding Venue in 2023?

    It’s officially wedding season! The sun is shining and couples all over Australia are getting ready to tie the knot. Here at Rochford, we are so excited to start welcoming our 2023 brides to the greenery and beautiful venue spaces that we’ve become renowned for.

    Situated in the picturesque Yarra Valley, Rochford is the fully customisable and unique wedding venue that will make your day extra special. 

    In order to create and run these beautiful events, we turn to our expert and  dedicated wedding coordinator, Stacie, who lives and breathes her passion for curating incredible wedding days that her couples will never forget. 

    If you’re an upcoming bride or planning a wedding, read below for all the insights into the world of weddings at Rochford. 

    What makes Rochford such a great venue for weddings?

    “Rochford is a perfect venue for weddings. Not only because of the beautiful views of the vines and Yarra Valley, but also because it has such an open floor plan, with multiple spaces to choose from, that we can customise the wedding set-up to suit your dream wedding!”

    What is the secret to a seamless wedding day?

    “It’s certainly an over-used ‘secret’ but planning ahead! There’s nothing worse than having to rush around the day before your wedding finalising all the bits and bobs like your seating allocations, timings, etc”.

    What’s your favourite thing about being a wedding coordinator? 

    “Seeing the day come together, the joy and love on everyone’s faces, there’s nothing better than watching someone’s dream wedding day come to life”. 

    What wedding trends do you forecast for 2023?

    “Non-traditional weddings are on the rise. With couples straying from your typical run-sheet, opting to sit with their guests rather than sitting separately at a ‘bridal table’, taking bridal photos before the actual wedding, etc. 

    Baby’s breath and your more natural/rustic flowers and themes are as popular as ever! And wedding bouquets seem to be downsizing!”

    What’s been your favourite/funniest/most entertaining wedding memory to date?

    “A few of my favourite wedding moments have been the themed weddings, we’ve had a few Disney weddings, it’s always exciting to see something unique!!

    It’s heaps of fun customising packages. We can add things such as lawn games, cocktail hours, photobooths, gelati carts, etc. It adds something a little extra special onto your day that makes your wedding stand out!”

    What would the perfect wedding day at Rochford look like? 

    “The perfect wedding day involves being surrounded by your family and friends, hopefully some nice weather (however this is Melbourne after all!), having a glass of wine or 2, celebrating and dancing all night long”. 

    To enquire or get some further information on having your wedding at Rochford, give us a call on via (03) 5957 3333 or weddings@rochfordwines.com.au 

  • THE BEST VENUE FOR YOUR MELBOURNE CHRISTMAS PARTY

    THE BEST VENUE FOR YOUR MELBOURNE CHRISTMAS PARTY

    Are you searching for the ideal venue to have your Christmas party? Look no further than Rochford Wines! We offer a diverse range of spaces and packages to ensure  your celebration is one to remember! 

    In the heart of the Yarra Valley, Rochford is much more than just a winery. Located an hour from Melbourne’ CBD, we are a versatile wine, food and entertainment destination and can tailor all of your Christmas events to suit. Whether you are celebrating with the office, family, or a group of friends, we have exactly what you need to make this year’s Christmas function your most festive yet! 

    Gather at the beautiful Isabella’s restaurant which is the ideal location to sit back, relax and enjoy a day of festivities with friends, family and a few bottles of incredible Rochford wine. Take in the fresh air and beautiful scenery as you celebrate Christmas right here in the Yarra Valley. Our talented chefs can prepare a special two or three course Christmas feast, or you can go for a more casual vibe and opt for a selection of dishes to share. 

    Isabella’s is a popular option because it’s filled with gorgeous natural light and has plenty of space and stunning views over the vineyards, but it’s not the only Yarra Valley Christmas function option we have at Rochford.

    Il Vigneto is our authentic Italian restaurant serving up woodfired pizzas overlooking the lake and more vineyards! This is the perfect space for a Christmas party with kids, or anyone after a relaxed atmosphere.

    We have plenty of indoor/outdoor function areas that can cater for anything from intimate groups to large launches and events. For a smaller guest list choose one of our private indoor rooms such as The Pinot Gallery – intimate yet festive and decorated with creative artwork. 

    No matter which space you choose to dine and party, we’ll keep the wine flowing all day and night. And make sure you order a few G&T’s for the crew made from our range of Rochford Gins!

    We look forward to having you at Rochford for your winery Christmas Party this festive season. Bookings are filling up fast, so be sure to get in now to organise your special event!
    Bookings and enquiries can be made here:
    https://www.rochfordwines.com.au/functions.aspx

  • Spring Dining with Rochford

    Spring Dining with Rochford

    A change of season brings a new set of exciting food offerings in Rochford Wines’ signature restaurant, Isabella’s. Using only the best produce and ingredients, Head Chef Ryan Frost creates the ultimate Yarra Valley dining experience.

    Choose between a two or three course set menu of specially curated dishes combining French-Mediterranean flavours, perfectly complimented by our globally award-winning wines.

    Overlook green surrounds across to the vineyards from both our indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Relax and enjoy views of the Great Dividing Range while our team of talented staff take care of all the details.

    Our new Spring menu offers dishes to suit all occasions. 

    Highlights include an entree of grilled king prawn served with guacamole, prawn bisque, tomato powder and lime wedge; or for a vegetarian option that doesn’t skimp on taste or impact, there’s our goats cheese and pumpkin roulade, served with dried cherry, pistachio crumb, honey and house baked sourdough. 

    For main course, you must try the lamb shoulder with jerusalem artichoke puree, fried kipflers, golden raisins and rosemary salt jus – couple this with the Rochford Estate ‘la Droite’ Merlot Cabernet Franc 2020 for a decadent pairing you won’t forget. 

    From our sharing menu the 16 hour sous vide Cape Grim beef short rib with cauliflower rice, soaked raisins, Jerusalem artichoke puree, jus, gremolata – is just too hard to go past.

    Of course, every good meal should be finished off with a decadent dessert. We recommend the sweet lemon tart served with raspberry coulis, raspberry macaron and mascarpone cream. 

    For the true Rochford Experience, take advantage of our Rochford Sommelier‘s Wine Recommendations to ensure the perfect wine pairing!

    Whether dining with family, friends or for a special occasion, one thing is certain – Spring is the best season at Isabella’s. 

    For bookings, please call our friendly staff on (03) 5957 3333 or click the link here. 

  • Why work in hospitality? Let us list the benefits.

    Why work in hospitality? Let us list the benefits.

    Here at Rochford Wines, we are very passionate about what we do. This is for a number of reasons; our beautiful location, amazing staff, huge concerts, vibrant dining experience and of course, world class wine. This makes Rochford an exciting and dynamic place to work.

    Here are the top reasons you should try employment with Rochford Wines:

    Your work hours are flexible

    Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent or a university student, you’ll find that working in hospitality allows you the freedom of choosing when and how much time you spend on the job. Many employees find that weekend work fits in well with their child care routine or study schedule.

    You’ll meet new people

    The hospitality industry is the perfect place to make friends. At Rochford we employ staff of all ages, genders and nationalities. We think of our team as one big family. Working alongside others in a fast-paced environment; you’re guaranteed to make friends for life. 

    You’ll learn essential skills

    Knowledge of wine and good food can take you everywhere. Great customer service translates throughout culture and language. If you happen to catch the travel bug, you can use your hospitality training to work in any city or country in the world!

    It’s a blast!

    It’s 100% true when they say that hospitality doesn’t feel like a normal job. It’s not unusual to see a helicopter landing, a stretch hummer rolling into the driveway or a team of archers firing arrows across the Rochford green. We have so much fun, with something different happening every day.

    If you’re interested in working in hospitality, please email careers@rochfordwines.com.au

  • Rochford Single Vineyard ‘Premier’ Chardonnay 2019 Wins Gold

    Rochford Single Vineyard ‘Premier’ Chardonnay 2019 Wins Gold

    And the winner is ….

    The results for medals are just in for the 2022 James Halliday Australian Chardonnay Challenge and our incredible Rochford Single Vineyard ‘Premier’ Chardonnay 2019 has been awarded a GOLD medal in this very competitive and prestigious wine show.  

    A fabulous result we are immensely proud of, this wine has already been given 97 and 95 points from the critics and was previously awarded a GOLD medal in the running for a trophy at the Yarra show last year.  

    The Rochford Single Vineyard ‘Premier’ Chardonnay 2019 reflects its Upper Yarra origin; with flavours of mojito, nectarine, grapefruit and pine nuts with fresh cream, and bursts of white botanicals, cashew, lime skin and flint, produced by Chief Winemaker Kaspar Hermann.

    Don’t miss out on your chance to sample our award-winning Rochford Single Vineyard ‘Premier’ Chardonnay 2019, available on our website.

  • Blossom Wine & Dine Experience

    Blossom Wine & Dine Experience

    Dreaming of sunnier days? With Spring only a few weeks away, have we got the ultimate Yarra Valley adventure for you!

    The annual Blossom Festival is on again this September in the Yarra Valley and this year, Rochford have teamed up with our friends at CherryHill Orchard, to bring you a memorable Wine & Dine Experience as part of this unique two-week long event.

    Gather your friends and family and join us at our wonderful estate, overlooking the vineyard and spectacular rolling green hills, for a perfect Spring afternoon of wine tasting and fine food, then experience the magic and splendour of the white cherry blossoms in full bloom at the neighbouring CherryHill Orchard, located just a short drive from Rochford.

    The Blossom Wine & Dine experience includes wine tasting on arrival at the Rochford Cellar Door, followed by an elegant two-course lunch* at our premier restaurant Isabella’s, paired with a glass of Estate wine.

    After lunch, make your way down to the CherryHill Orchard to capture the beauty and wander through the stunning rows of Spring blossoms (only in bloom for two weeks of the year!) and then cap off this special experience with a complimentary Cherry Blossom gelato.

    The Blossom Wine & Dine experience is available September 19th – September 30th, 2022 (mid-week bookings only).

    *There are two lunch sittings at 11.30am or 1.30pm.

    For more information and to book your tickets click here

  • Celebrate International Pinot Noir Day

    Celebrate International Pinot Noir Day

    The 18th of August marks International Pinot Noir Day, a time to pay homage to one of the world’s most popular wine grapes and a favourite varietal here at Rochford Wines.

    Originating centuries ago from the revered Burgundy wine region in France, Pinot Noir takes its name from the French words for “pine” and “black”, referencing both the pine-cone shaped grape clusters and the deeper colour of the fruit. While Burgundy remains its birthplace, today Pinot Noir is grown extensively in many other cool climate wine regions around the world, including right here in the Yarra Valley.

    Brought into Australia in the early 1800s, Pinot Noir (a black thin-skinned wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera) was planted in the Yarra Valley – Victoria’s first wine region and now one of the oldest wine-producing regions in Australia – with the cool climate and soil ideally suited for growing conditions.

    At Rochford, Pinot Noir is grown across our diverse single vineyards in the heart of the Yarra Valley – each with distinctly unique microclimates, soils and elevations, resulting in intensely flavoured fruit with well-balanced acidity, capturing the essence of each site’s origin.

    Often described as “the most romantic of wines”, Pinot Noir is characterised by its delicate flavours of red fruits and spices, soft tannins, high acidity and lighter colour compared to other red wines.

    The Rochford Estate Pinot Noir 2021 hasa very fragrant nose of dried rose petals, red plum, warm spicy red berry fruits and a background hint of forest floor. The palate follows a similar path of red berry fruit, particularly raspberries, with a river pebble tannin providing structure. Lively acid gives freshness. This should evolve to be a classic Yarra Pinot Noir.

    The Rochford Single Vineyard ‘L’Enfant Unique’ Pinot Noir 2019 is a medium ruby red. Aromas of Asian spice, rose petal potpourri and plush red fruits form a heady bouquet on this Pinot Noir. It is a well formed, relatively muscular Pinot fruit that sits in comfortable repose on a bed of earthy forest floor humus and herby/bracken flavours. A wine to wallow in the sumptuous fruit, savoury mushroom and long spicy oak tannin finish.

    Versatile and food-friendly, Pinot Noir can be enjoyed with a wide range of foods from roast meats, rich pasta dishes and casseroles to chocolate-based desserts and a variety of cheeses and cured meats. 

    Explore our beautiful range of Rochford Pinot Noir today and see why this red varietal is loved by winemakers and enthusiasts globally.

    Celebrate International Pinot Noir Day with a visit to the Rochford Cellar Door or shop our extensive Pinot Noir range online here.

  • Breakfast at il Vigneto

    Breakfast at il Vigneto

    They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and we couldn’t agree more. So, we’re delighted to share that for the first time, our popular Italian eatery il Vigneto, located amongst our beautiful Rochford vineyard estate in the Yarra Valley, is now serving breakfast every weekend.

    Open from 9am-11am on Saturdays and Sundays, start your day off the right way with our new breakfast menu offerings.

    Whether looking to brunch in the Yarra Valley with friends, taking the kids out for a special morning treat or getting an early start on your Yarra Valley winery adventures, il Vigneto is the perfect place to stop by, relax and enjoy a delicious meal, before getting on with the rest of your day.

    If you like the idea of eating pizza for breakfast then you’re going to love il Vigneto’s new menu – with inventive takes on traditional favourites inspired by the freshest locally-sourced ingredients.

    Choose between such tasty breakfast pizza creations as smoked salmon, ricotta, rocket and hollandaise, pork and fennel sausage, provolone, hash brown, egg or prosciutto and streaky bacon, mushroom, fior di latte and egg.

    Inspired by Neapolitan street food, our pizza fritta stuffed with ricotta, provolone, tomato and capsicum will leave your taste buds dancing or for something a little extra, try out the breakfast risotto with pancetta, pork and fennel sausage, rocket créme fraiche, egg and hollandaise sauce.

    A kids menu is also available and will satisfy even the fussiest little eaters!

    If you prefer sweet over savoury then il Vigneto has that covered too, with a tempting selection of sweet pizza served with vanilla gelato. 

    Click here for bookings or to view the full breakfast menu on offer at il Vigneto.

  • Rochford Gin Bar – a unique sensory experience

    Rochford Gin Bar – a unique sensory experience

    Captivate your senses and discover the wonderful world of gin at Rochford Wines – the perfect way to warm up this winter. Whether you’ve sampled our wine-infused gin before (and are coming back for more) or you’re curious to try something new, the Gin Bar, nestled within our beautiful estate, is a great place to start.

    The Gin Bar at Rochford is an elegant purpose-built space where gin lovers can gather and explore the distinct characteristics of our masterfully curated gins, created in collaboration with the Alchemy Distillery team.

    Take the Rochford wine experience to a whole new level and immerse yourself in a unique sensory experience guided by our highly knowledgeable and dedicated team. Explore our wine-infused gin range comprising Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz, as we deconstruct each gin for you and guide you through the flavour profiles while matching fruit and botanicals.

    As well as offering gin tastings, our Gin Bar also provides a selection of classic gin cocktails, which you can sample while sitting at the bar or enjoy out on the terrace overlooking the stunning vineyard.

    Rochford is proud to create memorable experiences for all our guests, allowing you to tailor your perfect Yarra Valley adventure. 

    “My friend and I visited Rochford Winery yesterday to taste some gin. From the get-go, the staff were so kind and accommodating. We were given a tasting by Linsey, who was so warm and welcoming and so knowledgeable about the gin. We would like to thank Linsey for the amazing experience we had, it was thoroughly enjoyable and because of such amazing customer service, I came back today to buy a bottle of gin”.

    – Customer Testimonial

    The Rochford Gin Bar is open 7 days a week. Click here to book your gin tasting experience or call (03) 5957 3333.

  • Winter Dining at Isabella’s Restaurant

    Winter Dining at Isabella’s Restaurant

    With the change of season comes delicious new food offerings at Rochford Wines’ premier restaurant, Isabella’s. Showcasing the best in seasonal fare and the freshest, locally sourced produce, each dish has been created by our Head Chef Ryan Frost and designed to complement Rochford’s globally awarded wines. 

    Combining French-Mediterranean flavours, choose between a two or three course set menu with a vast selection of mouth-watering and hearty dishes to tempt your tastebuds. With an open fireplace set amongst our beautiful, relaxing dining space and sweeping views of the Great Dividing Range, it’s the ultimate destination this winter to experience all that the Yarra Valley has to offer.

    Featuring multiple dining options and tasting experiences, Isabella’s new winter menu encourages sharing meals as well as offering plenty of delectable choices to individually enjoy.

    Highlights this season include warming entrees such as French onion soup served with sourdough bread and gruyere cheese and roast veal accompanied by a warm mushroom and cherry tomato salad.

    For mains, enjoy a 16-hour slow cooked beef oyster blade with tomato and pumpkin tagine, gremolata and smoked almonds or winter mushroom risotto with asparagus, gremolata, lemon crumb and Grana Padano. Heaven!

    From our sharing menu, try the lamb shoulder served with tomato and pumpkin tagine, confit garlic, gremolata – a standout choice.

    And who can pass up the chance to indulge in one of our incredible winter desserts? We recommend the classic sticky date pudding with toffee sauce and mascarpone, or our dark chocolate and macadamia brownie served with coffee custard.

    There is also of course the a la carte (casual) option, as well as a variety of vegan menu selections, with complementary Rochford wines to match every meal. Why pick one dish when you can have them all?!

    Whether dining with family or friends, one thing is certain – you are in for a treat this season at Isabella’s.

    For bookings, please call our friendly staff on (03) 5957 3333 or hit the link below.