Most people do the Yarra Valley as a full day: leave at nine, back by seven, lunch somewhere in the middle. This is a fine itinerary. It is not the one we prefer.
The valley changes in the afternoon. The light drops lower through the vines. The cellar doors thin out. The staff have more time for you. The wines taste different at five — this is not imagination, this is chemistry.
3:30pm — Departure from Melbourne
We leave at half past three, which puts you on the Eastern Freeway before the school run. If you live in the inner suburbs, we collect from your address. If you are staying in the CBD, we suggest meeting at the Botanical Gardens gate — there is always somewhere for the vehicle to wait, and the walk from the hotel is pleasant.
4:45pm — First estate
The first estate is chosen for its terrace. You want somewhere you can sit outside as the light changes. We do not name the estates in this piece — our itineraries are tailored to the group and the season, and what is open in February differs from what is open in June.
What we can tell you is that the first stop should be somewhere you can settle. Not a tasting room, not a standing bar. A table with a view and enough time to finish a glass without rushing.
6:00pm — Second estate
The second is smaller. Family-run, usually. These are the cellars that require a booking — they do not have the volume to accommodate walk-ins at six o’clock on a Friday. We make the booking. You arrive.
7:15pm — The drive home
The Maroondah Highway at dusk is one of the better drives in Victoria. We take it slowly on the way back. This is the moment guests most often ask the chauffeur to stop — for a photograph, for a phone call, for a moment of quiet.
We stop.