Zonzo Estate is now known as one of the best known wineries to visit in Victoria’s Yarra Valley Wine Region. Whilst well known for their Pinot Noir & Fiano, they also have a range of clean beers produced by Wolf of the Willows. They’ve developed a reputation as a destination for weddings due to their spectacular location & restaurant, boasting multiple awards to prove it.
The story of Zonzo began more recently than many would appreciate. In early 2005 the soon to be director of Zonzo, Rod Micallef, was still working in his own restaurant in Abbotsford but was looking for a tree change. He stumbled across an old milking shed on farmland in the Yarra Valley with some of the best views money could buy & thought that it would make the perfect spot to start his new business.
Brewery Type
Gypsy
Brewed at: Wolf of the Willows
Region
Yarra Valley &
Dandenong Ranges
Tasting Room
957 Healesville-Yarra Glen Rd,
Yarra Glen
Zonzo Restaurant opened to the public in 2007 and quickly became a hot wedding destination & must-visit restaurant. Their Italian food is authentic and equally highly regarded, whilst their shared dining philosophy, something that seems quite normal now (or at least pre-COVID…), was revolutionary almost 15 years ago. In 2015 the land surrounding the restaurant became available and was snapped up by Micallef. That additional 300 acres came complete with established vineyard and the name Zonzo Estate was adopted.
The following April saw the release of their first estate wines with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then they’ve planted an array of Italian varietals, such as Fiano & Sagrantino, which are just starting to show the fruits of their labour. “Hey, I thought I came here for beer information not wine?” That’s right you did; trust me we’re getting there!
Micallef wanted to move towards having everything served at Zonzo made internally, which saw the addition of Zonzo Spirits & Birra Zonzo. The Birra Zonzo range launched in 2017 & currently consists of just 2 offerings; Birra Lager & Birra Pale Ale. Both are currently brewed under contract at Wolf of the Willows, so you know there is no question on the quality side of things. They’ve just recently made the transition from bottles to cans, like seemingly all of the industry, as they are constantly looking for ways to lessen their environmental impact.
By now I’m sure the majority of you could pick which beer I was going to review; it is of course Birra Lager. This is despite the somewhat ominous copy; “This is a … Australian interpretation of a great Italian lager. Think Peroni or Birra Moretti.” They’re quite different beers… Although I’m sure I’m not the target of the copy. In any case, this is a pretty solid offering; Birra Lager has a nice clean cereal base with some floral hops providing adequate bitterness. It strikes that nice balance of being approachable enough for non-craft drinkers, whilst offering enough interest for connoisseurs.
Remember it’s always Beer O’Clock somewhere in the world!
