Yabby Lake Vineyard

This high-profile wine business was established in 1998 by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. The vineyard enjoys a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is on 25ha of pinot noir and 14ha of chardonnay; pinot gris and shiraz are also planted. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as group winemaker in ’08 added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy–winning pinot noir in ’14 and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with single-block pinot noirs. In Dec ’22, Yabby Lake purchased a 12ha property in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, much of it already planted to pinot noir, joining the raft of mainland producers investing in the state. -JAMES HALLIDAY