The Yarra Valley makes some of the best Chardonnay in the country, why isn't there more in bubbly form? This Hirsch Hill Blanc de Blanscs is all Chardonnay and it's a lovely mouthful of gently toasty flavour. There's this line of bread dough/brioche that comes from the wine maturing on lees for 15 months, complementing the gentle white peach fruit underneath. A really classy Yarra fizz.

Founded in 1998, Hirsch Hill Estate is owned by the Hirsch Family and located in the cooler northern part of the utterly picturesque Yarra Valley. Wine wasn't their first passion, but they've taken to it quickly! The vineyard is part of a horse stud, where the Hirsch’s breed racehorses are trained at Caulfield. What a combo for Race Week! When they are not breeding and racing horses, they explore new vineyard practices and engage some of the region's top winemakers to fashion their wines. The Hirsch’s have 12.5 hectares of vines planted mainly to Pinot Noir, but also Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet. All the grapes are estate-grown and hand-harvested, ensuring full control over the entire winemaking process. In the last few years, local legend Rob Dolan has carried out the winemaking duties. His hands-on approach to winemaking is a perfect fit for the family and the estate. The wines go from strength to strength and are really coming into their own with recent vintages. Modern wines, with a focus on freshness and clarity of fruit, these are true examples of Yarra Valley elegance.