Our Single Vineyard ‘Premier’ Chardonnay 2019 shone brightly last week at the 2021 Langton’s Yarra Valley Wine Show and in the 2021 James Halliday Australian Chardonnay & Cabernet Challenge, receiving a top gold medal in each show.
This wine also received an impressive 97 points in the Halliday Wine Companion 2021. Captivate the senses and take this opportunity to experience an elegant example of a cool climate Chardonnay.
Produced by Chief Winemaker Kaspar Hermann, this critically acclaimed Chardonnay proudly reflects its Upper Yarra origin. With bursts of white botanicals, cashew, lime skin and flint, flavours of mojito, nectarine, grapefruit, pine nuts and fresh cream; you don’t want to miss out on this exquisite premium wine.
For RRP $100, you can shop one of the nation’s best Chardonnays today. Membership discounts will apply. Secure this limited available stock via our website or call Linsey on 5957 3322.
We shine the spotlight on one of the Yarra Valley’s most important subregions and our wines that come from this special area.
It’s higher, cooler and has some of the valley’s most loved vineyards. Don’t be confused by it’s name though, as the Upper Yarra is actually in the south. This subregion adds a lot of diversity to the Yarra Valley, but as we’ve found through our exploration of pinot noir and chardonnay over the years, the same site doesn’t necessarily mean the same results.
We’ve found that our Upper Yarra wines have a certain yin and yang character, which really shows in our ‘Dans les Bois’ and ‘Terre’ ranges of pinot noir and chardonnay. To our winemaker, Kaspar Hermann, they’re affectionately known as the ‘siblings’, and though both of these wines are grown in the same area, the results couldn’t be more different.
To get even more specific, the ‘siblings’ hail from the Gembrook area of the Upper Yarra, which is known for its volcanic derived red soils on a granite outcrop. These quartz-rich soils are perfect for growing chardonnay and pinot noir. Gembrook has some of the southernmost vineyards in the valley and as such, the cooler temperatures mean that we can retain the freshness and natural acidity and allow for more complex layers of flavour through longer ripening periods.
The Dans les Bois (in the woods) Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are named for the stunning location of the vineyard, which is surrounded by trees. We’ve found that this whimsical name tends to suit the characteristics of the wines;the pinot noir is prettier, more fruit expressive, and has a softer tannin structure, while the chardonnay is often referred to as the fruit salad of the vineyard as you get a variety of flavours including ripe peach, lime curd, and baked lemon tart.
The Terre Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are vastly different wines. The appropriately named ‘Terre’, or ‘earth’, range comes from the granite ridge that runs through Gembrook and these wines are more earthy and mineral. They’re tighter in their early years, but truly reward those with a little patience.
The pinot noir is earthy, spicy and has a stronger tannic presence. Recently rated 98 points by Halliday, it’s described as, ‘A supremely elegant and expressive wine that flows joyously along the palate and into the long aftertaste.’ The chardonnay, on the other hand, has a touch of smoky reduction on first look, and more fresh citrus characters dominate the palate with a long mineral finish. As you go deeper into your glass, there are creamy cashews and richer, lemon curd.
If you want to see our Gembrook ‘siblings’ in action, we love opening up these wines side by side. Head to our website to see the range of Single Vineyard wines and try them for yourself.
Rochford Wines would like to thank everyone who purchased a hamper for Fathers’ Day and have continued to support us throughout 2021. We are moved by the overwhelming response we received and wanted to share it; have a read below:
“My dad LOVED his wine and beef and my partner’s parents loved their cheese platter and don’t get me started on our lasagna! Yum! It was like having a slice of our normal family Sundays during the lockdown and it wouldn’t have been possible without your spectacular food, wine and delivery service. I know you write on your note to clients that you are grateful to have customers buy these amazing meals in order for your staff to still have an income, but you should know that I for one am very grateful for what you do. Your deliveries helped to make this crazy time a little more bearable and today your meals today have helped bring my family together for the first time in a long time. Thank you, thank you, thank you!†– Catherine H.
I would like to thank Rochford Restaurant for a wonderful Fathers Day dinner, delivered to our house last Saturday. The preparation instructions were simple and clear, and the result was a delicious and generous dinner. It may have been lockdown, but had we closed our eyes we could have been enjoying a star rated dinner in the Yarra Valley. I would not hesitate to repeat the experience!†– Kathy H.
“Thoroughly enjoyed our Father’s Lunch. The food and wine was amazing. Totally made Dad’s day. You are doing great things and I wish you all the very best during these tough times. Hang in there! Thanks again.†– Lori
“Tonight families across four suburbs are enjoying your hampers. My husband and I decided that this Fathers Day was going to be Parents Day. Our three children have been working from home as well as homeschooling………..a tough gig! To acknowledge what they, as well as many others have been enduring, we sent each of them one of your hampers (as well as one for ourselves). Thank you for pivoting your business to make these hampers available. As my husband and I were enjoying our dinner and wines, I reflected that the four hampers were actually as cost effective as taking our family out for dinner. Thank you for making these available and for allowing my husband and I to share with our family when we can’t actually do it in person.†– Robyn B.
“We received the food yesterday and loved every single part of it. My husband loved the surprise and our 10 year old daughter played chef/waitress. Thank you for helping us celebrate Father’s Day!†– Kerri G.
“I just wanted to thank you for the amazing meal we had tonight. I ordered the chicken with mushrooms and was moved by your note about how hard your industry has been hit. It is my 60th birthday tomorrow and feel pretty flat in lockdown but your meal cheered us up and was a lovely treat. I hope I can continue to support you just as you are doing for us. Times are tough but as long as we can keep it going that’s all we need to do. Thank you and take care.†– Sue H.
“I just wanted to give you some positive feedback from the recent food delivery I received on the weekend. The Father’s Day meal was AMAZING!! Great flavours, fresh ingredients, divine dessert - we managed to get 2 meals out of it all (for the 3 of us)! And of course the wine was brilliant:-) I also ordered some bagels and wanted to THANK YOU for the wonderful extras you provided, the salmon and bresaola were divine, and I’ve popped the sparkling wine in the fridge to enjoy on a sunny day sitting outside in our backyard, it will certainly lift my lockdown spirits 😉 Thanks again for making our 2nd Father’s Day in lockdown a lovely day of celebration; we appreciate you still being able to operate in these uncertain times and wish you and your staff a great day!†– Michelle A.
“I just wanted to say thank you so much for our Father’s Day heat at home dinner and wines. We grazed and dined and drank over the afternoon and it was absolutely delish, and just wanted to pass on our gratitude that we were able to still have an amazing winery experience in metro Melbourne. It was really important when I chose a Father’s Day present for my hubby that we could support our regional businesses that we couldn’t reach at this time. I was so excited when I found your winery through a FB ad too! Please pass on our massive thanks to all your team, from the lovely lady I spoke to on the phone, to the chefs, the people who packed the meal, the winemakers, your staff and the delivery person. You all made our day and I hope at the end of all this isolation and separation that we can come and visit you at the cellar door and celebrate together with a wine and feed once again.†– Cat
“I am writing to let you know we all really enjoyed and appreciated the service and quality of produce, in the Father’s day hamper last weekend. It was just so easy and a bit of a treat and as close to a restaurant experience as we’re going to get right now. The man of the house particularly loved the beef brisket, the sticky date pudding was a hit all round, the wine too and the bread….oh the bread. Is there a local eastern suburbs stockist for that bread, it was delicious. Again – thank you for putting this together and delivering to us, it was much appreciated†– Sandie F.Â
Get to know one of our Yarra Valley sites, Isabella’s Vineyard, and the wines that make up the range.
It’s something that constantly comes up when we talk about extra-special wines: they speak of their place. Some call it terroir, others call it provenance; either way, when you drink a single vineyard wine, there’s a special something that goes with it.
Isabella’s Vineyard is one of our best vineyard sites and situated in the sub-region of Gruyere on the coveted Briarty Road contour. The site was purchased at the end of 2009 and named after Isabella, who is the daughter of Helmut, Rochford’s owner. Boasting some of the Yarra’s most famous vineyards as neighbours, Isabella’s gets plenty of sun and has the added benefit of being sheltered, meaning great concentration of flavour in the fruit. The steep slopes also provide great air-drainage, so the cool air can descend down the slopes to prevent the risk of frost.
The other special thing about this site is the vine maturity, with the vines here being over 30 years old. As vines age, they settle into their environment and the subsequent wines gain more and more complexity. The three varieties that are planted here are chardonnay, pinot noir, and cabernet sauvignon, so let’s take a closer look at this Single Vineyard Range.
Rochford Single Vineyard Isabella’s Chardonnay 2018
This chardonnay has a significant intensity to it, with the nose driven by lemon, grapefruit and a subtle chamomile character layered with struck match. Isabella’s Chardonnay is deeply flavoured and amongst the concentrated citrus, it is balanced by it’s minerality and superfine phenolics. The mid-term cellaring potential will reward the patient ones with development of the cashew-like creaminess and white nectarine characters starting to shine through.
Rochford Single Vineyard Isabella’s Pinot Noir 2019
This vintage is the very first iteration of Isabella’s Pinot Noir. This pinot is deep, broody and intensely aromatic. The darker red fruits of mulberry, cherry, and plum are complemented by warm baking spices and earthy tones. The tannins are almost talc-like, supporting the layered and complex flavours. This is definitely a pinot noir heading into the medium-bodied territory, but it still has a refreshing acidity that makes it infinitely appealing.
Rochford Single Vineyard Isabella’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Isabella’s Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine that will last the distance in your collection. With mulberries, blackcurrants and plums driving the nose, it’s layered with a subtle herbal character and the sweet spice and fruit characters are supported by gravelly tannins. This cabernet really walks the line of savoury and fruit character with elegance, and with the secondary characters starting to peep through, we’re excited to see where this wine will be in the years to come.
There’s no doubt that the wines from this site are only going to get better as we understand the parcels and harness the very best from the vines. We want to make sure that our winemaking is simply used as a toolkit to show just what these sites can do.
Ready to take a deep dive into the range with our new Isabella’s Collection? You can find the mixed pack on the website, or come and taste them the next time you’re visiting our cellar door.
Are you scratching your head and wondering what kind of fun, school holiday activities Melbourne has to offer your kids? Or what to do during this wintry mid-year break? Why not make a trip out to the Yarra Valley!Â
Only 15 minutes from Lilydale, located in the serenity of the Yarra Valley, Rochford Wines is here to treat the entire family! These winter school holidays, *children under 12 dine with us for free! This special school holiday promotion will run from Monday June 28 until Friday 9 July at Isabella’s Restaurant and il Vigneto Pizzeria; both located on-site at Rochford Wines.Â
There’s never been a better time to book a day trip (or two!) to Rochford Wines these holidays. With rolling hills, fresh air and plenty of space to roam, there is something for everyone to enjoy at Rochford.
Isabella’s Restaurant’s French-Mediterranean cuisine may be more appealing to the grown ups, but there is something to please every child in the kids’ menu prepared by head chef (and dad) Raki Andriana. With kids eating for free, how could you possibly pass up this fantastic offer?
Il Vigneto Pizzeria Pizza, Pasta and all things Italian is the busy parent’s dream! Still, we also know that our littlest customers won’t go past a slice or two. Luckily enough, you can give them just that this mid-year break, with a *FREE meal for children under 12 – better yet, they won’t be stealing yours!Â
Rochford Wines is well-known as the ultimate Yarra Valley family destination for creating unforgettable moments through sharing food and wine.
This offer will run throughout the Victorian school holidays, from Monday June 28 – Friday July 9, at Isabella’s Restaurant and Il Vigneto Pizzeria in Coldstream, Victoria. *Children under 12 years of age can claim one free main course at either venue.
Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience with Chief Winemaker Kaspar Hermann and Cellar Door Manager John Bright.
These four individual and distinctive Single Vineyard Release Experiences are the perfect opportunity for a lover of wines to understand more about the terroir of specific single vineyard sites and the wines that come from these totally unique Yarra Valley vineyards.
This half day wine journey also includes a 2-course lunch in our Isabella’s Restaurant featuring the best in local seasonal produce all perfectly matched with 3 of the latest release wines from the Vineyard of the Day to enjoy with lunch.
For more information or to make a booking, please email linsey@rochfordwines.com.au or call (03) 5957 3333.
Saturday July 10th – Upper Yarra Valley. Think Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from our ‘Dans les Bois’, ‘Terre’ and ‘Premier’ ranges and you are there. Fragrant, distinctive and elegant.
Saturday August 7th – Rochford Hill Road Vineyard, Coldstream. This special day is for the red wine lovers – we will have our highly anticipated new release ‘L’Enfant Unique Pinot Noir 2019, Premier Pinot Noir 2019 and the first showing of a new wine in our Single Vineyard family – the Hill Road Syrah 2019.
Saturday August 23rd – Isabella’s Vineyard, Gruyere. This vineyard boasts our oldest vines and this will be a showcase of elite, cool climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Saturday September 4th – Toolangi Vineyard, Dixons Creek. It is all about site with these wines. These are our best of the best of Toolangi with different vintages on offer from the Toolangi E Block Chardonnay, Toolangi F Block Pinot Noir and Toolangi D Block Shiraz.
Gather your friends to come along for this all-inclusive price for an intimate, one off experience. Price is $120 per person.Â
Maximum guests per day is 16 people.
The Vineyard of the Day overview:
11.00am – Meet John in cellar door for tea or coffee and pastries on arrival
11.30am – Head out to the Barrel Hall to meet Kaspar and explore the 2021 vintages and taste the matching current new releases.
12.30pm – Parallel back vintage tasting with John
1.00pm – Two course lunch featuring the best seasonal produce at Isabella’s Restaurant at Rochford Wines accompanied by matching wines from our new releases
T&Cs: Nonslip footwear essential. Dress warmly and be prepared for inclement weather. Please advise of any dietary requirements upon booking.
To celebrate the release of our latest vintage of Estate Blanc de Blanc, we’re talking all things sparkling.
There’s nothing quite like a bottle of bubbles and fortunately Australia does them darn well. The Yarra Valley, which we call home, is one of the country’s premier sparkling regions, with its weather patterns showing many similarities to northeastern France. It averages an annual rainfall of 750–950mm and while it does get warm during the summer season, the temperature drops off very quickly before harvest. This allows the traditional sparkling grape varieties of pinot noir and chardonnay to really thrive and become wines with those hallmark tart and acidic notes we know and love.
When it comes to sparkling, the cardinal rule is that a wine can only be called Champagne if it’s from the Champagne region, though you’ll see other classifications while shopping for bubbly including blanc de noir and blanc de blanc. Literally translated as ‘white from black’, blanc de noir sparkling is made with pinot noir and/or pinot meunier grapes, and blanc de blanc, as you may well guess, is the opposite: sparkling made with only light-skinned grapes, typically 100% chardonnay.Â
The use of these grape varietals means that while the sparkling wine may wind up looking similar in colour, there is a distinct difference in the taste of a blanc de noir and a blanc de blanc. Generally speaking, a blanc de blanc will be lighter and drier, and have obvious citrus and mineral characteristics, while a blanc de noir will showcase bolder flavours and have slightly more body. And while we love all sparkling (especially when we’re in the mood to celebrate), we’re particularly fond of blanc de blanc as an aperitif with oysters, caviar or smoked salmon. Now that’s something to cheers to.
Ever struggle to make up your mind between a glass of wine or a refreshing gin on the rocks? Well, grapple no more because you can have the best of both worlds in one glass. To celebrate World Gin Day (12th June), we’re diving into the world of wine-infused gin, an exciting new subcategory shaking up the spirit industry. But first, let’s take a quick history lesson, and discover where and when gin has its origins, and who we should be thanking for its existence!
Gin’s honourable beginningsÂ
As is the case with most of our favourite spirits, gin was first consumed as a medicinal liquor, made by monks and alchemists across Europe way back in the Middle Ages. Ancient texts say Benedictine monks in Salerno, Southern Italy, were the first to pick juniper from the trees surrounding their monastery and combine it with distilled alcohol to create powerful tonics for healing.
Juniper had been an essential part of doctors’ kits for centuries, and apothecaries utilised it for all manner of ills like coughs, colds, pains, ruptures, and even to protect from the Black Death. Fast forward to the 1600s and the Dutch were producing gin in earnest in Amsterdam, for more recreational purposes. When British soldiers landed on their soil during the Thirty Years War and got a hold of it, it didn’t take long for gin production to spread to England, where it took off with such vigour there was a span of 40 years known as ‘The Gin Craze’.
And the addition of gin’s frequent companion, tonic? In tropical British colonies, the only effective anti-malarial treatment available was quinine, which was dissolved in carbonated water to form a tonic. It had an awfully bitter taste, so herbaceous gin was added to mask the flavour, and the G&T was born.
What makes gin, gin?
Like vodka, gin is made by distilling grain, but the thing that turns it from a neutral spirit into gin is the addition of juniper berries, which are responsible for it’s classic piney smell and taste. The juniper must remain the predominant flavour for gin to be classified as such.
That’s where the rules end though, and the art of gin making really begins. Other natural botanicals are used during the secondary distillation process to produce hundreds of different result,. hence the variations in taste among gin brands and bottles. And now, wine has been added to that list of flavourings too!
Meet the Rochford gins
We love the way that the boundaries of gin production are currently being pushed, and wanted to get in on the action. So with a helping hand from the talented team at Healesville’s Alchemy Distillers, we created three styles of gin infused with Rochford wine: chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz. Each bottle is 40% alcohol, and has distinct characteristics expressing the essence of each wine clearly.
Our Chardonnay Gin is bright, crisp and clean. It was infused with our chardonnay and has classic notes of white grapefruit, coriander seed, cinnamon and almonds supported by a subtle oak. Our Shiraz Gin, on the other hand, has a warming, winter aroma of spiced plums, cherries, clove and cinnamon. Earthy tones from our Shiraz are balanced with the addition of cloves and orange, amongst other botanicals.
Sitting pretty between the Chardonnay and Shiraz is the Pinot Noir Gin. This one is juniper heavy, with woody botanicals of aniseed, cinnamon and angelica root. On the nose, this gin brings flavours of raisins, cherries and pine needles with deep rich fruit aromas.
These flavourful spirits are rounded enough to enjoy neat or on the rocks, but you can also match with your favourite tonic, or mix into a cocktail for a special treat. And while wine will always be our first love, there’s plenty of room in our hearts for fun and exciting new drinks, so we’re embracing gin with open arms.
