The Chief Vigneron of Domaine Chandon, who boasts the only true French winemaking tradition in Australia, arrived in the Yarra Valley in the late 80’s to change the face of Australian sparkling wines.
The Domaine’s winemaker, Robert Jean de Vogue, stumbled upon a location that was perfect for their vision. It was a misty, old dairy farm in Victoria’s beautiful Yarra Valley. The cold climate and rich soil were ideal for the white sparkling wines.
Since then, they’ve been producing some of Australia’s most popular white and sparkling wines that are indicative of the classic Chandon Style, which has become famous all over the globe.
In this month’s Winery Spotlight, we spoke with the operators of Domaine Chandon, Australia’s largest producer and destination for Traditionelle sparkling French Brut Cuvee.
Can you tell us about the history of your winery?
Robert-Jean de Vogue – the head of Moet & Chandon – saw the potential in new wine-growing regions around the world to produce top-class sparkling wines. With this spirit of openness, he began to explore new areas and founded Bodegas Chandon, Argentina, in 1959. This was followed by Chandon Wineries in Brazil and California in 1973 and Domaine Chandon Australia in 1986. In October 1987, we planted the first Chandon vines in our Yarra valley “Green Point” location. We’ve been in the Yarra valley for almost 30 years and are now one of its most popular wineries.
Chandon was established in Australia when the Australian market was booming. The market had a wide range of sparkling wines, including carbonated sparkling, still wine, and Champagne. However, there was a need to produce a method, traditionally, premium sparkling wine. Since our founding, this has been the sole focus of our business.
We started in the Yarra Valley but have since acquired two more estate vineyards – one in the Strathbogie ranges and another on the Whitlands High Plateau. Our vineyards are diverse, allowing us to continue making methode traditionnelle bubbly with an Australian flair.
Which type of wine or Champagne are you a specialist in?
Chandon Brut NV, the most popular sparkling wine in Australia, is at the heart of our business. As we began as a vintage-wine business, our vintage sparkling winemaking is still a key part of what we offer. Visit our cellar to taste one of the most extensive ranges of vintage methods, traditionally sparkling wines available in the country.
Our top-end range is Late Disgorged, and our timeless wines have a long yeast age. Chandon S, a sparkling wine blended handcrafted with orange bitters served over ice, is an innovation that balances this.
Can you tell us a little bit about your winemakers/winemaking process?
Our unique position is that we are a modern specialist in sparkling wines with a genuine French heritage. The Domaine Chandon traditions are rooted in the great Champagne house Moet and Chandon. However, their expertise is firmly rooted in the cool-climate Yarra valley wine country. Chandon’s signature sparklings are made here, with their delicious methode traditional complexity and finesse. You will be amazed as you explore their collection, take a behind-the-scenes tour, or enjoy the perfectly paired food in their Restaurant. Chandon is a luxury brand that offers a unique experience. The stunning scenery of vineyards and rolling hills will make you feel like you are in Provence.
Bookings are required for Sunday School, the wine masterclass hosted by Domaine Chandon. It runs every Sunday between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Sunday School will take you behind the scenes to discover sparkling wine making using the methode traditionnelle, how professionals taste, and how grape varieties influence the wine’s personality.
You can enjoy lunch daily between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Executive Chef Joshua Smyth will prepare dishes that will definitely enhance the wines. Domaine Chandon inherits its traditions from the grand Champagne House Moet and Chandon. However, their expertise is firmly rooted in the cool climate of Yarra Valley wine country. Chandon’s signature sparkling wines, with their delicious methode traditional complexity and finesse, are made here. You will be amazed as you explore their collection, take a behind-the-scenes tour, or enjoy the perfectly paired food in their Restaurant. Chandon is a luxury brand that offers a unique experience. The stunning scenery of vineyards and rolling hills will make you feel like you are in Provence.
Bookings are required for Sunday School, the wine masterclass hosted by Domaine Chandon. It runs every Sunday between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Sunday School will take you behind the scenes to discover sparkling wine making using the methode traditionnelle, how professionals taste, and how grape varieties influence the wine’s personality.
You can enjoy lunch daily between 12:00 pm and 4:00pm. Executive Chef Joshua Smyth will prepare dishes that will definitely enhance the wines. Domaine Chandon draws its traditions from the grand Champagne House Moet and Chandon. However, their expertise is firmly rooted in the cool-climate Yarra valley wine country. Chandon’s signature sparklings are made here, with their delicious methode traditional complexity and finesse. You will be amazed as you explore their collection, take a behind-the-scenes tour, or enjoy the perfectly paired food in their Restaurant. Chandon is a luxury brand that offers a unique experience. The stunning scenery of vineyards and rolling hills will make you feel like a king or queen.
Bookings are required for Sunday School, the wine masterclass hosted by Domaine Chandon. It runs every Sunday between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Sunday School will take you behind the scenes to discover sparkling wine making using the methode traditionnelle, how professionals taste, and how grape varieties influence the wine’s personality.
You can enjoy lunch daily between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Executive Chef Joshua Smyth will prepare dishes that definitely enhance the wines. Domaine Chandon’s heritage comes from the prestigious Champagne house Moet and Chandon. However, their expertise is firmly rooted in the cool-climatValleya Valley wine country. Chandon’s signature sparklings are made here, with their delicious methode traditional complexity and finesse. You will be amazed as you explore their collection, take a behind-the-scenes tour, or enjoy the perfectly paired food in their Restaurant. Chandon is a luxury brand that offers a unique experience. The stunning scenery of vineyards and rolling hills will make you feel like you are in Provence.
Bookings are required for Sunday School, the wine masterclass hosted by Domaine Chandon. It runs every Sunday between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Sunday School will take you behind the scenes to discover winemaking using the methode traditionnelle, how professionals taste, and how grape varieties influence the wine’s personality.
You can enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by Executive Chef Joshua Smyth and his team every day from 12:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Our expertise comes from the founder of Moet and Chandon, a Champagne house with a cool climate.
We use the same grapes and techniques as the Champagne region in France to produce premium sparkling wine. Methode traditionnelle (the process of fermenting the wine again in the bottle) combined with fruit of the highest quality produces wines of finesse and complexity.
Chandon Prestige Cuvee, 2005 won the National Trophy for Best Australian Sparkling Wine at the 2016 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships.
Are you a restaurant, or do you provide food tastings? What type of food is available?
Our Restaurant offers a seasonal modern menu with a French flair, which can be enjoyed along with matching wines. The Restaurant is completed with a beautiful interior designed by the leading design firm Foolscap Studio. Indoor and outdoor seating and panoramic views of Green Point Vin and the yard are also available.
The winery’s Lounge Bar, which is located next to the Restaurant, has a relaxed wine-bar ambiance. It offers shared plates as well as wine by the bottle or glass. The banquette seating is the centerpiece of this winery cellar door. It offers direct views of the vineyard. Above the Lounge Bar, a playful mobile expressing the unpredictable character of bubbles hangs.
If you cater special events, please provide a brief overview of your services.
Chandon’s Sunday School program offers wine education every Sunday. Chandon’s Sunday School takes behind-the-scenes scenes to discover the 250 years of Champagne heritage and Australian expertise that goes into each bottle of sparkling Chandon. Our resident wine experts offer a unique wine class for beginners and wine enthusiasts. You will learn from the pros how to taste wine, how grape varieties affect the wine’s personality, and sample perfectly paired canapes.
Chandon hosts special events for its Etoile Wine Club. Joining the club will welcome wine lovers into the magical world of Chandon. This includes limited-release wine delivered directly to your door, Chandon-free Sunday School admission, Q&As, and sparkling discounts at our cellar.
How does your winery differ from the others in the region?
We launched a new, sparkling renovation of our hospitality center in December 2017. This was to improve the visitor experience and highlight our vineyard location, which is widely regarded as the most spectacular in the Yarra Valley.
We offer a variety of educational and experiential opportunities. There are many experiences to choose from, whether visitors wish to have a detailed discussion about the traditional method of winemaking at our tasting bar or want to enjoy a glass on our terrace.
Do you have any local attractions that you recommend to tourists?
Healesville Sanctuary, located on Chandon’s doorstep, is Australia’s best-loved tourist attraction. It’s the perfect place to interact with native Australian animals in a beautiful bushland environment. The Yarra Valley Dairy features delicious artisanal cheeses, while Four Pillars Gin is a modern distillery.
What else?
Chandon has been named as YValley’s STAR winery by the 2018 Gourmet Traveller Wine Best Cellar Door Awards. Leading wine writers in Australia scoured the country to find star wineries and top-tasting experiences, as well as places that offer first-class cuisine. Wineries were evaluated on their quality, staff, service, stemware, and food, as well as the atmosphere, venue, and location.
