Dominique Portet: Yarra Valley’s Piece Of France

Information

Address: 870 Maroondah Highway Coldstream VIC 3770

Varieties: Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot

View of Dominique Portet cellar door (source: Dominique Portet Wines Facebook)

Experience

The owners of Dominique Portet, father and son duo Dominique and Ben, are 9th and 10th generational winemakers with strong ties to French winemaking, so you can certainly expect to get a lot from your visit. Their vineyard is all about sophisticated simplicity; offering private barrel room tastings and sharing their passion and knowledge for the wine industry in a relaxed and unpretentious way. Their staff are great fun too and there are good laughs to be had.

You can learn a lot about wine from tasting at  Dominique Portet, all while sampling some of the finest wines on the Yarra Valley.

Amazing tasting inside the winery (source Dominique Portet Wines Facebook)

Wines

The Portet family has lineage in France dating back to 1720, and Dominique himself was raised and educated in Bordeaux and Montpellier. This heavy French-influence is really evident in the varieties they produce including, award winning Chardonnay, famous Rose, Champagne style sparkling Rose, Shiraz and a delicious Cabernet.

This is definitely not a downfall, and provides Dominique Portet with a real point of difference over their neighbouring vineyards – something you’re certain to enjoy on your visit.

Food

With their Bordeaux roots it only makes sense that they would pair their French style wines with French family classics and this is exactly what they do in their bistro. More recently they have brought onboard head Chef Jarrod Hudson who aims to serve fresh and authentic dishes often using the char grill over French oak barrel embers. A great way to put old barrels to use.

Bistro serving French classic (source Dominique Portet Wines Facebook)

Setting

Set on a beautiful estate with acres of vines and a French style  building, Dominique Portet is one remarkable spot. As far as creating a memorable experience, the team have truly thought of everything; with a café on-site selling charcuterie and cheese to accompany your wine, and even an area to play Petanque,

This all follows through to the intimate barrel room or winery where tastings are held, which is just as special as the rest of the estate.

Renovated and restyled bistro at Dominique Portet (source Dominique Portet Wines Facebook)

What we like

With large or small groups the Dominique Portet team keep the tastings private and personal, you will be really engaged in their interesting and fun patter. Of course, the wine itself is a big winner and does most of the talking for the estate; in particular their reds and sparkling Rose and Rose are popular for good reason.

What we don’t like

Dominique Portet is hard to fault, the only downside is their tastings fees have been creeping up which can make it a pricey inclusion on wine tours. Totally worth it though!

Perfect outdoor setting at Dominique Portet 

Read more about wineries in the Yarra Valley or return to the Tours page.