Yarra Valley Pinot Noir Guide: Style, Wineries & What to Taste

Pinot Noir is one of the Yarra Valley’s two defining grapes, and site, elevation and winemaking change it from one cellar door to the next. From the calendar below you can book Vinetrekker’s winery day with lunch at Yering Station: four Pinot producers, $243 each, rated 4.9 from more than 150 reviews.

What Does Yarra Valley Pinot Noir Taste Like?

Common characters include:

cherry;
raspberry;
cranberry;
florals;
spice;
earth;
fine tannin.

Some examples are delicate and bright; others are savoury and structured. The lighter wines usually lead with red fruit and florals, while the firmer ones show more spice, earth and grip.

Why the Yarra Valley Suits Pinot Noir

Pinot does best in cooler conditions, where flavour can develop while the grapes keep their acidity. The valley has warmer sites on the valley floor and cooler, higher vineyards in the Upper Yarra, so the same grape can taste noticeably different a short drive apart. Look for that contrast when you plan which cellar doors to visit.

Wineries to Know

Pinot-focused visitors often look at producers such as:

Giant Steps, in Healesville, which bottles Pinot Noir from individual vineyards;
Oakridge, where the deeper tastings compare Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and single blocks;
Yering Station, on the site of the valley’s first vineyard, planted in 1838;
TarraWarra, which makes an Estate Pinot Noir alongside its Chardonnays;
De Bortoli, at Dixons Creek, which pairs its wines with cheese at the cellar door;
SOUMAH, which makes single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from its Hexham and Upper Ngumby sites alongside its Italian varieties.

You do not need to visit all of them. Choose two with different sites or styles and taste their Pinots one after the other.

Several tours cover part of this list. The Yering Station day stops at De Bortoli and Yering Station, and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when Medhurst is closed, it swaps in Punt Road, Dominique Portet, Giant Steps or Oakridge. The full-day Yarra Valley wine experience with lunch costs $134, is rated 4.7 from more than 780 reviews and usually finishes at SOUMAH, although the operator says its line-up can change from day to day. If you want to choose the pace yourselves, the Yarra Valley wineries private day tour (from $235, rated 4.7 from 17 reviews, a small sample) stops at Yering Station and TarraWarra; tastings and lunch on that tour are paid separately.

Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir

Single-vineyard wines are particularly useful with Pinot because they let you compare the same grape across sites. When you arrive at a cellar door, ask which single-vineyard Pinots are open that day. Look at colour, acidity, fruit, spice and tannin instead of trying to identify obscure aromas.

Pinot Noir vs Shiraz

Pinot is usually lighter, paler and finer in tannin. Shiraz is generally darker, spicier and more structured. Tasting them side by side is a good exercise for beginners, and many Yarra cellar doors pour both.

Food Pairing

Pinot Noir goes with a wide range of food. Good options include:

duck;
salmon;
mushrooms;
charcuterie;
soft cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yarra Valley Pinot Noir light?

Often, but not always. Site and winemaking can produce anything from delicate to quite structured styles.

Which tour should Pinot fans book?

Pick a day that stops at producers with different vineyard sites. The Yering Station day with lunch ($243) stops at four producers that all make Pinot Noir; the full-day wine experience with lunch ($134) costs less and usually ends at SOUMAH. At each stop, ask for the single-vineyard wines if they are open.

Final Thoughts

Yarra Valley Pinot Noir is most interesting as a comparison grape. Taste it at two or three producers and the differences between the valley’s sites become obvious. Check the winery line-up when you book, because operators can swap stops on the day.

Related guides: Yarra Valley Chardonnay Guide · Best Wineries in the Yarra Valley · Standard vs Premium Tastings