Yarra Valley: rising high on the ashes

Global Ballooning over the Yarra Valley and its vineyards. Photo / Sarah Ivey

As our balloon drifts across the beautiful misty landscape of the Yarra Valley in the early morning light it's hard to imagine that just a few months before this area was being ravaged by bushfires, blackened with ash and darkened by thick clouds of smoke.

From up here all you can see are grapevines shining under their winter garb of golden leaves, fields glistening with blades of fresh green grass, magnificent old mansions freshly painted and awaiting visitors and, in the background, hills clad with dark green forests.

The layer of black that coated the landscape has largely disappeared, leaving behind the vineyards and gardens, mountains and forests which for generations have attracted visitors to this valley on the fringe of the city of Melbourne.

And down on the ground it's a valley full of hidden treasures.

I was once told that if you want a wedding dress, you go to Vera Wang. If you want beautiful shoes, you buy them from Manolo Blahnik. While I was in Victoria I listened to the locals, and I soon discovered that if you want the best Australian chardonnay, you need to visit TarraWarra Estate.

Clare Halloran, the winemaker, rates the 2008 estate chardonnay as one of the best yet. The fruit is all hand-harvested, chilled overnight and all whole bunch pressed. Half of the wine is then fermented in 100 per cent French oak barrels, the rest tank fermented.

This gives a fabulous mixture of fruit freshness from the tank, while the barrel ferment builds length and complexity. The result? Lemon zest citrus aromas, with cashew notes and balanced oak lead to a palate of citrus and white peach flavours, a creamy texture with lovely length and persistence, balanced with bright acidity and selected oak.

The estate also hosts the TarraWarra Museum of Art, a collection of Australian modern art that began as a private collection belonging to Eva and Marc Besen. The couple have collected art since the 1950s and this museum, which opened in 2003, is the result of their desire to share the collection with the people of Australia.

The stunning building that plays house to the art is an artwork in itself. The sharp lines and frames within its structure provide a stark contrast to the subtle golden tones in the rolling landscape that surround it. Towering angular pillars stretch up towards the skyline, giving it a majestic, castle-like status.

There are other gems also hidden among the rows of lush green vines in the Yarra Valley. One of my favourites would have to be De Bortoli Wines. It sits on the backside of a hill, hidden from the road, and is home to a little Italian restaurant that serves delectable cuisine and wine so lovely it would satisfy even the most discerning palate.

Our host, Toni, kept our group well entertained with his jokes about his home country of Italy, and his extensive knowledge of the wines and tasty delights on the menu. When I took my first mouthful of the suckling pork, which was roasted over myrtle branches and baked with fresh borlotti beans, baby spinach and spiced apple puree, I was left quite speechless.

Now I've always been a sauvignon blanc girl, however during my three-day stay in the valley, I developed quite an affair with the pinot rose.

One of my favourites is the Innocent Bystander 08 pinot rose. It smells of fresh rose petals and strawberries and cream. On the palate, it's fresh, crisp and dry, with notes of crab apple, gooseberry and cranberries. Unfortunately the affair, which ignited while having lunch at Giant Steps Winery in Healesville, was cut short when I discovered that my new love wasn't a regular visitor to New Zealand.

If a glass of bubbles is more your style, there's Domaine Chandon, the Australian winery of French Champagne giant, Moet & Chandon. The Green Point Room's floor-to-ceiling windows boast spectacular views across the vineyards and mountain ranges beyond them. A tasting will cost you $16.50, which is pretty reasonable for four half-glasses.

The Chandon Cuvee Riche was my favourite. Unmistakably sweeter, richer and more luscious than the others, it finished with a refreshing crispness.

Another gem, and a vital one after a day of driving around the countryside visiting wineries, is Chateau Yering. Built in the 1850s, the historic house oozes a luxury usually only dreamt about. Everything you could ever want or need is catered for, whether that be to relax in a claw-foot bath, dine at the exquisite Eleonore's Restaurant, or perhaps land your helicopter on the front lawn. The elegant suites are filled with antique furniture and have views over the countryside to die for. Four-poster beds ensure an uninterrupted night on cloud nine which, in my case, meant I was well rested and ready to tackle an early start for our ride over the valley with Global Ballooning.

We were collected at 5am and taken to Rochfords Winery for a much needed coffee pick-me-up before heading out into the cool morning air. The frost on the ground made it tempting to keep hands in pockets, however our pilot Brian encouraged full participation from all 16 passengers - and a balloon that is big enough to hold 12 tonnes of air requires quite a bit of manhandling.

Once we were up in the air it was all smooth sailing and calm skies ahead. We could see Melbourne in the distance, as well as the Dandenong Ranges to the south. As we floated across the fog-swept landscape in silence, I couldn't help but wonder how such a brilliant landscape could ever have been ravished by such a violent rage of fires.

Afterwards, as we enjoyed a glass of bubbly and a hearty breakfast, it was hard to imagine the fires ever happened.

CHECKLIST

Getting there: Air New Zealand offers non-stop flights every week from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to Melbourne with connections available from all around New Zealand.

Further information: For more information on Melbourne or Victoria's regions see visitvictoria.com

Sarah Ivey visited the Yarrah Valley with help from Air New Zealand and Tourism Victoria.