Winemaker, viticulturist, a spot in the prestigious Top 50 Young Gun of Wine for four consecutive years, and a People’s Choice Award thrown in there for good measure. When it comes to wine, Natillie “Tillie J” Johnston doesn’t mess around. The rising star’s CV is full of time by the vines at notable wineries right here in Victoria and much further abroad, but the cool climate and complex terroir of the Yarra Valley ultimately called her back to home soil to launch Tillie J Wines — and one such belter of a Yarra Valley pinot noir in 2019 that was met with critical acclaim.
Here’s Johnston now with the rundown on what’s pouring well in the Yarra Valley and across Victoria, and the case for drinking rosé across all four seasons.
As far as I’m concerned, the defining place to get a drink in Victoria is City Wine Shop because it’s a bloody institution! City Wine Shop has always been the place to visit when I’m in Melbourne. For either a pre-drink before an event or for a knock-off after. The staff are amazing and there have been a few great humans that have started their wine careers under this roof and made it out to the winery to become accomplished winemakers or viticulturists. It’s truly a place that has a symbiotic relationship with every stage of the wine supply chain. A great launching platform too.
When someone hands me a drinks list, I look for friends. I love to see which of my friends are up in lights on a wine list. Then I probably geek out on French Burgundy and of course suss out any aligoté featured.
The Victorian wine I’m loving most right now is Tarrawarra Swallowfield chardonnay. Swallowfield is one of a few well-established upper Yarra Valley sites, situated quite close to Gembrook Hill. Tarrawarra has been fortunate to secure the lease on these beautiful vines. The chardonnay from this site is an expression of the red volcanic soil and decomposed granite, the cool average temperatures and rainfall. It truly is a magical and marginal site creating stunning chardonnay. Fresh, pure and elegant. Sarah Fagan and Chris Beard do a stellar job at showcasing the vineyard.
The last three delicious Victorian things I drank were…
QD Wines – King Valley riesling
QD is a brand-new side project from mate Hannah Maltby. Crafting beautiful small-batch wines from special parcels of premium fruit. Her wines are absolutely delicious.
Gembrook Hill – JKM pinot noir
This Gembrook Hill pinot is a beautiful expression of a 100 per cent whole-bunch pinot. I’m a huge fan of the Marks family vineyard – it’s a wonderful site in a marginal southern fringe of the upper Yarra Valley.
Dexter – White Label chardonnay
Dexter Wines have been making great booze down on the Peninsula under the steady hand of Tod Dexter and the Dexter family. Their current release White Label chardonnay ticks all the boxes when it comes to a beautifully balanced, fresh Mornington chardonnay.
There’s no better value on wine list or in a bottle shop in Victoria than a good Victorian rosé. Rosé is such a versatile beverage. Friends and I have been known to switch it out instead of a beer as a knock-off drink and the broad spectrum of styles is endless. From whisper pink to bright and the ones that leap out of the glass. It’s such a fun drink and definitely should be enjoyed all year ’round, not only when the sun is out.
My favourite place to buy booze is Barrique Wine Store. When it comes to local love you can’t beat Barrique Wine Store. Mike and Clare have created an epicentre for amazing wine selections and hospitality that is unmatched. They are fierce supporters of local Yarra Valley producers and stock a sensational range of international wines too. Their events are always well attended, from Fridays showcasing producers from near and far to small gatherings during the week such as chess nights and fly tying for the fishing enthusiasts. You never feel out of place in their beautiful space.
The best thing happening in wine in the Yarra Valley right now is a growing community of young, female winemakers and viticulturists. I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by an incredibly talented community of female winemakers and viticulturists. Some of whom have been in the Yarra Valley for years and I’m lucky to call mentors – for example Sarah Crowe, Sarah Fagan, Caroline Mooney and Nicole Esdale. There are also some amazing up-and-comers out there including Jess DiGiorgio at Seville Estate, Stephanie Koomen at Hillcrest Vineyard, Kate Webber over at De Bortoli Wines and Georgia Dale of Georgia Dale Wines – this is just to name a few, of course.
I’d love to see people planting more aligoté in Victoria because there’s just not enough of it in Australia and we have a great climate for it here in Victoria. Aligoté is definitely a lesser-planted variety here in Australia with only a few growing it commercially. Its origins are in Burgundy and although the genetics that we have here in Australia are unclear, it’s known for its high natural acidity and can be moulded and crafted in the winery to make many unique expressions.
My guilty pleasure at the bar is a good dry sherry. Perfect with a plate of grilled Padron peppers from the garden. When it comes to a great Victorian sherry you can’t go past Pennyweight in Beechworth. Fino, oloroso and manzanilla are some of my favourites. Recently I opened a bottle of oloroso from Equipo Navazos and this was absolutely superb with the padrons.
The best or most important change to the way people drink in Victoria in recent years has been a focus on small producers with a story to tell. Small wine labels without a cellar door drew me in and was a huge motivator to start Tillie J Wines. Alkimi Wines, Stefani, Santolin and Trapeze to name a few.
For me, the most inspiring people in the Victorian drinks world are you guys, the wine drinkers, for choosing small producers and choosing to drink Victorian.
Find out more about Tillie J Wines at tilliejwines.com.au, and follow along at @tilliejwines.