il Vigneto Pizzeria Yarra Valley

Overview

400 Gradi founder Johnny Di Francesco is doing very well for himself. Apart from claiming the title of best pizza in Oceania in July 2018, he's also expanded his Neapolitan-style restaurant to a whopping six locations (and one gelateria) that span Melbourne, Adelaide and, most recently, the Yarra Valley.

The wine country digs opened in partnership with (and within) the Rochford Wines Yarra Valley estate, having first fired up its ovens on in October 2018. Di Francesco joins the winery's owner Helmut Konecsny to bring guests a most exquisite pairing of Red 5 Star wines with fine Italian cuisine and wood-fired pizza that is considered the best in the region.

The award-winning margherita verace ($22) is a showcase on the Yarra Valley menu — it's a holy combination of San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte mozzarella cheese, basil and extra virgin olive oil. The rest of the menu has been specially curated by Di Francesco and includes more signature pizzas, along with antipasto, pasta, sides and desserts.

To complement the food, Rochford Wine sommeliers have carefully paired its premium drops with each dish — and the acclaimed 2017 Single Vineyard Isabella's Chardonnay and much loved 2018 Estate Rosé are both on the list. Though 400 Gradi is located within the Rochford estate, it operates separately from the vineyard's Isabella restaurant, which offers its own seasonal menu focusing on local produce.