Leave a trail of empty prosecco glasses on a tour of the King Valley. It’s a taste of Italy with warm hospitality, regional produce and fine wines.
The only thing that could have topped gentleman bushranger Harry Power’s experience of the King Valley, is a glass or two of glorious prosecco.
This picturesque area in Victoria’s High Country reminded a group of early Italian immigrants of the countryside in northern Italy. They settled and planted tobacco, which was later replaced by grape vines. Hard work, a blessed climate and good soil has led to the creation of an impressive wine region.
These days, the King Valley is the Australian home of Mediterranean-inspired wines including prosecco, nebbiolo, sangiovese, pinot grigio, dolcetto, arneis and barbera. At the small, intimate family wineries and the bigger wineries, warm hospitality shines.
It has become a food and wine haven and they certainly know how to throw a party with great annual festivals, including La Dolce Vita Festival, which is scheduled to be held over the weekend of November 20–21 this year.
The King Valley is perfect for a winery hop – and if you love Italian bubbly, follow the 50 kilometres of Prosecco Road stretching from Cheshunt to the Milawa Gourmet Region. It offers a variety of intimate prosecco tastings and culinary experiences at Chrismont, Pizzini, Brown Brothers, Sam Miranda and Dal Zotto cellar doors.
Otto Dal Zotto, his wife, Elena, and sons, Michael and Christian, pioneered prosecco in Australia, planting it in 1999.
Based in Whitfield, guests are welcomed to Dal Zotto Wines and the Trattoria restaurant with a big “buongiorno” scrawled on a blackboard as you drive in.
The popular winery is known for its many award-winning drops while the Trattoria offers Italian dishes including handmade pasta and great pizzas. Chief winemaker Michael Dal Zotto says: “It was never a dream to produce prosecco alone – it was a vision for the King Valley as a whole.”
His brother Christian adds: “Prosecco shows the strength of a little village like the King Valley working together.”
Family matriarch Elena is the caretaker of the thriving Trattoria veggie garden and its precious produce ends up on the table – think bright, ripe tomatoes bursting with flavour, delicious zucchinis and artichokes, plus abundant herbs.
E-bikes can be hired for a spin around the area where there is a surprise around every corner and bocce is hotly contested by all who take up the challenge.
Eight luxurious eco-pods will be open later this year overlooking the vineyard.
For stunning views and fabulous dining, Chrismont Restaurant, Cellar Door and Larder is another must do. Arnie and Jo Pizzini offer warm, genuine Italian hospitality, excellent wines and an Italian-inspired menu that is a mix of the couples’ northern and southern Italian heritage.
There’s nothing like soaking up the views – prosecco in hand – before dining on fresh burrata served with truss tomatoes and fresh basil and house-made potato gnocchi tossed with rocket and lemon pesto, or perhaps prawn and lobster ravioli.
For a decadent finale, the millefoglie, ‘thousand layers’ of puff pastry, strawberries and Chantilly coconut cream is outstanding.
Closer to Whitfield is Pizzini Wines where Fred Pizzini planted his first riesling vines in 1978, after growing up on a tobacco farm with his parents.
It’s a family affair, with son Joel making wines that include award-winning pinot grigio, riesling, arneis, shiraz, sangiovese, nebbiolo and vin santo (a rare Italian dessert wine).
Fred Pizzini’s wife, Katrina, who learned to cook from her Italian mother-in-law, shares her treasured recipes at her A Tavola! Cooking School, where you can learn how to make pasta, ravioli and gnocchi the true Italian way. A new Pop and Fizz prosecco food-pairing experience reveals surprising matches that are long memorable.
Further along the valley, at Oxley, Sam Miranda Wines is the home of great wines including prosecco and Mediterranean-style food. The striking cellar door has a lofty tower and entry is via a sleek underground passage.
Drop into Brown Brothers at Milawa for a glass of bubbles or wine – the family has been winemaking for the past 130 years and now has fourth-generation family involved in the business.
Head chef Bodee Price uses produce from the winery’s extensive kitchen garden as well as offerings from Victoria’s North East producers in his menu.
“This region has an abundance of amazing local produce and we try to showcase the best this region has to offer,” he says.
“We cure some charcuterie and make some basic cheeses using Gippsland Jersey milk and make all our own pasta using Milawa free-range eggs.
“I go to local orchards from Glenrowan to Beechworth to collect fruit when available and Milawa Cheese is just up the road. And I use Londrigan butchers in Wangaratta.”
Mr Price says he’s excited about the new menu which is perfect for sharing.
“The new style of the menu is heavily influenced by the onsite kitchen garden. The daily routine of the kitchen staff is to go through the garden and harvest all the vegetables for the day together,” he says.
Gin-lovers are also catered for at the Hurdle Creek Still at Bobinawarrah where Simon Brooke-Taylor makes interesting gin at his small-batch distillery.
While craft beer features at King River Brewing where Nathan and Brianna Munt make a variety of beers with “big tastes” and serve great pizzas.
The King Valley is perfect for hiking and cycling and don’t miss Paradise Falls with its tumbling waters in the Alpine National Park, a 20-minute drive from Cheshunt.
My home for two days is the picturesque Sambar Hills, tucked away at Cheshunt South at the southern end of the King Valley, with stunning vineyard and mountain vistas. There are three stylish cabins with deep baths perfect for soaking up those views.
Nearby there are plenty of activities, including a walk along the King River where you can spot beautiful birdlife or a dip in the popular swimming hole – a local secret.
Lake William Hovell, which is great for fishing and water sports, is a short eight-minute drive. Or just chill out around the fire pit at Sambar Hills and watch out for the resident koala, Carmello.
This is what the King Valley is all about – exceptional hospitality, great food and wine and views that stop you in your tracks.
It really is all about la dolce vita in the King Valley – the good life at its best.
