Tasting Appointments: Oakridge’s Henk Vineyard
Lesson learned. When you’re driving in the backwoods of the King Valley in the far reaches of Australia’s Central Victoria, cell service is not guaranteed—which is how I found myself last June barrelling down the M31, white knuckled, racing to make my last tasting appointment in Australia. With my GPS out of service, working my way across the backroads of the High Country seemed next to impossible. My only chance at making this appointment was to head in the opposite direction, circling back across the Strathbogie ranges and cutting through Melbourne to reach the Yarra Valley—adding nearly three hours to the journey. But this was an appointment at Oakridge, and I wouldn’t miss this for anything.
The wines of Oakridge have been K&L staples for over a decade now. From their fantastic 2022 Oakridge "Over the Shoulder" Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Victoria $14.99, to their Local Vineyard Series wines, these are best in their class at quality to value. Just this year, Oakridge was named both best Australian winery of the year by Australia’s The Real Review and best-value winery by James Halliday’s Wine Companion, Australia’s two leading wine publications. It's clear that Oakridge isn’t slowing down in their relentless pursuit of quality. And for me, there’s no better example of this than the 2021 Oakridge "Henk Vineyard" Chardonnay Yarra Valley Victoria $24.99 96JH 96JS 95BC 94WA and 2021 Oakridge "Henk Vineyard" Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Victoria $24.99 96BC 96JH 94WA, outstanding wines that both capture the unique terroir of the Upper Yarra, and can easily outperform wines at twice their price.
Four hours and a couple of speeding tickets later I reached Oakridge’s beautiful tasting room in the heart of the Yarra Valley. I hopped into an old Nissan pickup with assistant winemaker Victoria Schwarz, Henk vineyard manager Georgina Jacobs, and her mud-covered Heeler mix. Together we pulled out of the parking lot and started heading up the hills of the Upper Yarra to Woori Yallock. Now there’s nothing wrong with wines from the Lower Yarra. They tend to be soft, more generously fruited styles of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that are big on fruit, but light on complexity. But the differences between the Upper and Lower Yarra are dramatic.
The Lower Yarra is characterized by warmer daily temperatures, broad landscapes with gentle hills and gray-brown sandy loam soils. As you follow the Yarra River into the Upper Yarra, everything changes. The terrain becomes steeply sloped, the temperature drops radically, and the soils turn to a rich ochre red from the volcano that rises on the eastern side of the valley. With temperatures ranging up to 10 C lower in the Upper Yarra, this region becomes a classic marginal climate that produces tension and spectacular elegance—necessary elements in profound Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
I’ve spent years writing about the Henk Vineyard wines, so it was difficult not to get a little caught up when Georgina’s truck pulled onto the steep ridgeline that separates the north-facing Pinot and Chardonnay blocks. Henk vineyard is named for the former vineyard manager and property owner who leased the vineyard to Oakridge almost six years ago. As part of their local vineyard series, Oakridge has found a handful of sites throughout the Upper Yarra that produce fruit of exceptional quality–and Henk is my absolute favorite.
We hopped out of the truck and walked along the aqueduct block where Georgina explained their approach to biological farming. Oakridge is defined by its holistic vineyard management philosophy, aimed at nurturing a healthy soil biome. They employ compost teas, cover cropping, and natural pest control to foster soil health, teeming with microbial and insect life, in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem. The message that I heard again and again from Georgina and Victoria was that their wines are made in the vineyard. Without the utmost care and attention to your vineyard, environment, and vines, production at this level of quality is impossible.
This vineyard is Georgina’s baby. She was given full management over the vineyard a year ago, and she lamented that it occupies the lionshare of her attention and efforts. In my opinion, it’s in good hands. Georgina had previously worked for Helen Masters at Ata Rangi (another of my favorite wines), who shares an equally incredible focus on crafting wines from the vine up. After a half hour of walking the vines and sharing stories, Georgina reached into a box in the truck bed, and pulled a bottle of each of the new releases from Henk Vineyard so we could share a glass.
In my 15 years in the wine industry, few experiences have filled me with as much gratitude as sitting on the back of Georgina's truck, savoring two of my favorite wines amidst the stunning landscape where they were cultivated. The Chardonnay was exquisite - taut, focused, and framed by subtle oak nuances with a gorgeous fruit expression and a beautiful finish. The Pinot was intensely aromatic and floral, bursting with red fruit flavors, florals, and minerality in an interplay of profound depth and flavor.
Last week, our most recent direct-import shipment from Australia arrived, and the 2021 Oakridge Henk Chardonnay was the first bottle I grabbed. With a mix of anticipation and nerves, I unscrewed the cap, poured myself a glass, and took a sip. It was every bit as good as I remembered.