• $22.00 per bottle (purchased 2019)
• 13.5% Alc. Vol.

One of the regions hidden treasures, Six Acres is a small winery in Silvan on the southern fringe of the Yarra Valley. Planted in 1999 by the Zuccaro family, it is a low yield, small batch producer offering quality wines at comparatively low prices by Yarra Valley standards.

Their website states “Cellar Door by appointment only” and when I visited in early 2019 as part of a group of around 10 we had made prior arrangements to visit. We were greeted warmly and taken into the tasting room which was a small shed were some of the wine production also takes place. It’s got a real old school, hands-on vibe which I really like.

It’s a small operation, run by family members who take obvious pride and pleasure in what they do. In some ways it is a throwback to the old days of cellar doors, where the person pouring your glass was the same person who prunes the vines and crushes the grapes.

This was probably what I enjoyed most about Six Acres. The wines were great, but the chance to chat with the people who physically tend to the vineyard and make the wines is a rare opportunity these days in many regions. The result is a more personal, knowledgeable tasting experience.

It is refreshing to visit a place like this when so many cellar doors now are big, modern businesses. They often look great but they lack the genuine soul of a place like Six Acres. 

Want proof? The family dog wandered through to say hello while we were tasting, lapping up the pats before meandering off again. Any winery with four-legged staff members gets a tick in my book.

Anyway, the only surviving bottle from my visit (as I have sadly yet to return since) is the 2016 Field Blend, a ripe cocktail of red grapes. The Silvan vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. If memory serves me rightly (and it probably doesn’t because Six Acres was one of the last wineries for the day!) the Field Blend is a mix of all three.

To my palate the Merlot and Pinot Noir characteristics shine through strongest. That smooth fruitiness you expect from the Pinot is there as well as the soft tannins of the Merlot. The result is a velvety mouthfeel, however my first sip was accompanied by an odd side effect similar to popping candy. There’s a subtle underlying acidity but overall the wine is quite smooth.

The Field Blend is a wine that really suits my particular tastes. I love red wine, Pinot Noir is probably my preferred drop recent years and this kind of tastes like a Pinot Noir with a slightly harder edge.

Blends can often taste either bland or confusing (especially the cheaper ones) but the Field Blend is quite well balanced. Easy enough on the palate to be drunk alone but solid enough to stand up alongside a reasonably hearty meal, as I drank this I felt like a pasta or pizza would compliment it well.

The recommendation is for this to be drunk by 2020, so if you’re keen then move quickly. Six Acres may very well have a new vintage available but you’ll need to call them find out as their website did not include a wine list at the time of writing.

If you’re after something a bit different from your Yarra Valley tasting adventure then Six Acres should be on your radar. The wines are regionally typical yet still unique and the no-frills atmosphere is refreshing. Located well away from the main highways, this is one detour you should be willing to take.

VERDICT

Smooth and well-balanced but like many blends it lacks a little character. That being said, I would happily add another bottle of this to my rack without hesitation.