Two days exploring soils, climate and the future of Yarra Valley wine.

Exploring Yarra Valley Soils

Yarra Valley Wine Week is a biannual event that brings together trade and media for two days of tasting, training and exploration in the Yarra Valley.

This year’s program opened with two presentations on soils and their influence on wine quality and style. Rob Gell delivered a detailed talk on the geomorphology of the region and explained how rocks and soils formed over hundreds of millions of years.

Around Coldstream, upper Devonian acid lava eruptions shaped the soils approximately 450 million years ago. These eruptions also created two cauldrons in the Cathedral Ranges. In Gruyere, Silurian and Devonian soils dominate the landscape, while Hoddles Creek features Devonian lavas and Gembrook contains acid lava soils.

Although the detail was complex, the key takeaway remained clear. Yarra Valley soils are older than those in Burgundy, which adds further depth to the region’s story.

Climate and Harvest Changes

Following this, Mark Krstic from the Australian Wine Research Institute discussed changing vintages and climate patterns. Harvests are now starting earlier and becoming more compressed. As a result, grape varieties are ripening days apart instead of weeks apart.

For example, Chardonnay now ripens approximately 1.87 days earlier each year, based on data from McLaren Vale. At the same time, Cabernet Sauvignon advances by around 2.81 days annually. Consequently, the gap between varieties continues to narrow.

Soils and Site Tastings

The following day, attendees split into two groups. One group visited TarraWarra Estate for a “Soils and Site” tasting of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Dylan McMahon and I moderated the session and explored how soil types and subregions influence wine style.

The tasting grouped wines by soil type and then by subregion. As a result, many attendees identified a clearer distinction between red and grey soils, particularly in Pinot Noir.

Meanwhile, the second group attended a “Classic and Future” tasting at Oakridge Wines with Steve Flamsteed and Sandra de Pury. Although I did not attend the session, attendees shared highly positive feedback and highlighted both the depth and future direction of Yarra Valley wines.

Emerging Wine Styles

In the afternoon, the groups rotated between tastings hosted by Clare Halloran, Simone Steele, Sarah Crowe and Tim Shand.

The final morning featured the “Vibe” tasting, which Steve Webber and I hosted together. This session focused on emerging and less traditional wine styles, including lesser-known grape varieties, field blends and skin-fermented whites. As a result, the tasting offered a snapshot of the region’s more experimental direction.

Wines Featured Across the Program

We were proud to feature three wines across the program. These wines included the 2015 Alena Chardonnay and 2016 Alena Pinot Noir in the “Soils and Site” tasting, along with the soon-to-be-released 2016 Wayward Child Pinot Gris in the “Vibe” session.

It was a privilege to see our wines featured alongside such a strong and diverse group of Yarra Valley producers.

Events such as Yarra Valley Wine Week continue to highlight the depth, diversity and future potential of the region. They also provide a valuable opportunity to share ideas, challenge assumptions and celebrate the wines that make the Yarra Valley one of Australia’s leading wine regions.

If you’d like to explore more stories from the estate, read A Few of My Favourite Things or revisit The Week That Was: 2017 Yarra Valley Wine Week.

You can also browse our online wine shop to discover the wines of Helen & Joey Estate or head to our Blog page to read more events coming up.