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Welcome to the Yarra Valley – Australia's leading cool climate wine region.
The Yarra Valley is Victoria's oldest wine region, with over 3 600 hectares under vine. It is also Victoria's most visited wine area, located just one hours drive from Melbourne's CBD and airport.
"Yarra Valley Chardonnay is really going places these days, and the direction is restraint and complexity." Tim White, Australian Financial Review, Sep. 28-30, 2007.
" Yarra Valley is Australia's most interesting wine tourist destination, closely followed by (in random order) Margaret River, Barossa Valley and the Hunter." Tim White, Australian Financial Review, May 11-13 2007.
From elegant sparklings and chardonnay, to complex pinot noir and rich cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and more - you are sure to find YOUR favourite wine style in the Yarra Valley
While the nation's largest wine companies have holdings in the Yarra Valley, many with showpiece visitor centres, you'll also discover rustic family owned cellar doors, offering an equally rewarding experience
With the wineries at the heart of the Yarra Valley visitor offering, you'll also discover art galleries, accommodation, restaurants, cafes, antique stores, markets, nature walks and family attractions such as the Healesville Sanctuary.
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Feeding the heart and soul....
The renovations are complete, the team is in place and the time has arrived for the Yarra Valley's newest wine and food destination, Mandala Wines, to open its doors.
There is no need to rush at Mandala: whether it be over a tasting at cellar door, enjoying casual tapas in the lounge with a glass of wine or a meal in the restaurant looking out on the vineyard. Settle in and sample the wares of the Mediterranean influenced menu created by Head Chef Mauro Callegari.
To owner Charles Smedley, the opening of Mandala Wines is the culmination of a long held dream - to create a relaxing haven where people can spend quality time with family and friends.
"We always planned for Mandala to be a wine and food destination and the opening of our cellar door, restaurant and lounge completes this circle. Our new site reflects our quest to achieve balance, in everything we do, which is in turn, reinforced in our winemaking vision. We are really pleased to be able to share this with our community," says Smedley.
The team behind the restaurant and lounge has significant experience in the Melbourne food and wine scene. Head Chef Mauro Callegari (formerly of Fenix) and his partner, Front of House Manager Lily Gray (formerly of Bar Lourinha) have relocated to the Valley and are both committed to making Mandala a must visit destination.
With Callegari at the helm, the kitchen is taking the best regional produce and incorporating it into the modern, Mediterranean influenced menu. "At Mandala, we're in the enviable position of having some fantastic producers at our doorstep. We concentrate on harnessing the local flavours and highlighting what the Yarra Valley does best - great food and wine," says Callegari.
With vines as old as 20 years, Mandala's family-owned Yarra Valley vineyards produce quality fruits of varieties that excel in the region. Visitors can taste their way through the range, which includes sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, at the new Cellar Door.
The restaurant is open for lunch from midday to 4pm on Thursday through to Monday and for dinner on Friday and Saturday from 6pm. The lounge is open everyday from 10am - 5pm. The restaurant features a short interesting list of wines from Mandala and other leading producers.
A 'Mandala' circle which signifies the elements that comprise what is important in life. The Cellar Door and Restaurant is located on the Melba Highway, seven kilometres north of Yarra Glen, in one of the Valley's most visited areas.
Winestate Newsletter - 24 July 2008
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