Denton

John and Simon Denton’s estate sits atop a 300-million-year-old granite plug on the border of Coldstream and Tarrawarra in the Yarra Valley, aptly named ‘View Hill’. Vine establishment was in three stages between 1997 and 2004, and included some close-planting of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at the highest elevation of the vineyard. Now sitting at 80 acres under vine, this unique site is also home to plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo (8 clones) and, more recently, Ribolla Gialla.

The Denton View Hill Vineyard is as unique a site in the Yarra Valley as you are likely to find. This special terroir was formed millions of years ago by an active volcano that left behind a granite plug. The granite-rich, sandy soils that lie above hulking granite boulders are key to the site’s expression and a huge contributing factor to the singular character and quality of the wines made here. Viticulturalist Julian Parrott has a sustainable approach; the site is almost exclusively dry-farmed, there are no herbicides applied and under-vine cultivation is used widely. With a laser focus on soil health, the fruit coming from this site has never been in better shape.

Winemaker Kirilly Gordon has an enviable resumé, having worked in Victoria with the likes of Bindi, Hanging Rock, Bress and Provenance, as well as a stint abroad working with the iconic Vie de Romans in Italy. Her intuition and skill with a broad swathe of varieties, coupled with the outstanding fruit quality from this meticulously managed site, bodes very well indeed for the continuing evolution of the Denton Wines.

The Denton’s Shed series are delicate and perfumed wines that are immediately expressive and delicious. Then there is a few experimental wines, currently comprised of a ‘Yellow’ (sous-voile Chardonnay), an ‘Orange’ (also under flor) and a Ribolla Gialla fermented on skins, while the Estate range represents the pinnacle of production from the Denton site.