Collection: YABBY LAKE VINEYARD

This high-profile wine business was established in 1998 by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. The vineyard enjoys a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is on 25ha of pinot noir and 14ha of chardonnay; pinot gris and shiraz are also planted. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as group winemaker in ’08 added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy–winning pinot noir in ’14 and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with single-block pinot noirs. In Dec ’22, Yabby Lake purchased a 12ha property in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, much of it already planted to pinot noir, joining the raft of mainland producers investing in the state. -JAMES HALLIDAY

After a long search of the Mornington Peninsula during the mid-1990’s, the Kirby family found the ideal parcel of land in Tuerong, located in the north of the peninsula. After thorough soil surveys, and careful mapping and planning of this special site, the vineyard was planted in 1998, a feat overseen by founding viticulturist Keith Harris.

Our winemaking philosophy is to craft wines that reflect the spirit of the season and the vineyard.

Each parcel is hand selected and handled separately in the winery, and along the way, if something stands out for its individual personality, we take a small parcel and bottle it separately under our ‘Single Block Release’ label. 

Winemaker Tom Carson and the Yabby Lake team take an intuitive approach to winemaking, and it is their understanding of the vineyard that sits at the heart of this philosophy. Our focus is on pinot noir and chardonnay, but we also have small plantings of pinot gris and syrah.