The much anticipated Yarra Yering release is here! Having worked at Yarra Yering with Doc, over 4 years, and devoured pretty much every wine made at YY, I’ve got a soft spot for the place.
You can read about my time at Yarra Yering in the Wine Bites Mag!
Talk about a radical shift in thinking, pushing boundaries and certainly, making wine, with a single-minded goal of achieving excellence.
It’s incredibly hard to express, how, my 1st vintage at YY impacted my winemaking. I hope I can do it justice. There are moments in your life when you’re exposed to something that completely contradicts your thinking at that time. Disruptive influences that make you sit back and question your approach. Yarra Yering and Doc represented such a moment, a pivotal point in my wine career. Doc was an incredibly generous, gentleman. The first wine Doc gave me was a 1983 Auguste Clape Cornas, he’d paid $13 a bottle for a case of this incredible Shiraz, today it retails for closer to $200.
It wasn’t that I hadn’t tried a veritable bounty of European wine before from Bordeaux to Beaujolais, it was that I was drinking the wine and seeing qualities that could be replicated in Australia. I’m not suggesting making boring copies of European wines, but, that the Great European wines have a balance, textures, freshness of flavours, complexity, all packaged in a complete refined elegant package that was possible to achieve in our own backyard. It is these qualities, along with the careful ageing of the wine pre-bottling that are the hallmarks of Yarra Yering.
Where in the World is Yarra Yering?
Mac Forbes map is a first cut at defining Sub-Regions for the Yarra Valley. Yarra Yering is North fo the G in Gruyere just on before the crossroad. You can see the contours of the Warramate ranges South of the road.
We’re offering the wines that made Yarra Yering’s name + the new comer Agincourt (heading towards its 20th year).
The Dry Red No. 1 Cabernet Blend, Dry Red No.2 Shiraz Blend, Underhill Shiraz & Agincourt Cabernet Malbec.
Wines will be available for delivery in February.
We have access to the Carrodus range too. If you’re interested in these call us on 1300 811 066.
Your tongue will thank you!
About the Wines
2016 Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No.1 Bordeaux Blend
I loved benchmarking this wine with Doc, he’d pull out verticals of Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild, Lafitte, Haut-Brion, after a serious look at the wines, we’d sit at his dining table jazz blaring in the background, the Yarra Valley sprawled in front of us, share a plate and what remained of the wines, just enjoy. Dry Red No.1 is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
It wasn’t just the great Bordeaux’s that fascinated us, the old Coonawarra Cabernets from the 1960’s and 1970’s were often in the mix. Back then the vineyards hadn’t seen machine pruning are harvesting, the wines, little new oak, as a result grapes were riper earlier, the wines freshers, more restrained and elegant with a beautiful core of fruit.
I had the great pleasure of working with Doc for just over 4 years. I had been in search of a winery that was pushing the boundaries of excellence and was fortunate enough to be introduced to Yarra Yering. Tasting the wines reminded me of some of the great old Australian and European wines Dad had cracked over time. Working with the man was a mind explosion.
The detail, thoughtful consideration of finer elements of the wine was evident from the first day we met. He was always ahead of his time, always in the pursuit of extra yumminess. In 1996 texture was a major focus, 10 years later the better producers in the industry were thinking texture.
Trophy winner, Best Cabernet Varieties & Their Blends – Yarra Valley Wine Show 2018
From the Winery:
Varietals: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot.
Vines: The first plantings at Yarra Yering into block No.1 were these Cabernet vines and the name was born. The Malbec was also part of the original 1969 plantings. Some Merlot vines are interplanted with the Cabernet with subsequent plantings made in 1990 on the newly acquired neighbouring land. Petit Verdot is now only grown on the hillside of the new territories.
Making: All hand harvested as well as processing across a sorting table, only the best berries go into this wine. The Cabernet fruit is crushed to build structure through fermentation. Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot are whole berry ferments for fragrance and palate flesh. All fermented in half-tonne fermenters and hand plunged twice daily, some of the Cabernet spending extended time on skins. Components kept separate in French oak barrels, only 40% of them new until being blended just before bottling after 15 months barrel maturation.
Profoundly juicy and rich, yet kept under tight control by the web of ripe tannins, oak part of the structure and texture but not flavour per se. It is a wine that you can sit with for a prolonged examination and discussion, and still not cover all its characteristics or ask all the questions.
A very reserved, elegant and regal nose, showing subtle yet confident aromas of freshly picked blackcurrants, lead pencil, cassis, dried herbs, cedar, iodine and crushed stones. The palate is very polished and seamless with velvety tannins, a beautiful line of acidity that’s wonderfully integrated and a very long finish. Hard to resist now, but better in 2025. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and petit verdot.
#66 in James Sucklings 2018 Top 100 in a list that includes the 2015's from Auson, Vieux Château Certan, Pavie, Trotanoy and more!
2016 Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No.2 Shiraz Viognier
The original Shiraz Viognier blend .. with an edge of Marsanne & Mataro!
The No.2 is Seduction in a bottle. It’s not your average Shiraz Viognier, beyond the Marsanne and Mataro it’s got a few secret ingredients in it that add that extra bit of intrigue! The incredibly supple texture is matched by lucious fruit, spice and perfume that is, simply stated, intoxicating.
From the Winery:
Varietals: 95% Shiraz, 2% Viognier, 2% Mataro, 1% Marsanne
Vines: Original 1969 plantings of Shiraz and Marsanne with additional Shiraz, Mataro & Viognier drawn from vines planted from 1984 to 1995.
Making: Fruit was hand-picked, bunch sorted and destemmed directly to the Yarra Yering half-tonne open-fermenters. As much whole berry as possible is retained to encourage perfume. Some stalks were added back to some of the fermenters in order to contribute structure and aroma. Some fermenters added frozen Viognier skins to the bottom, some with Marsanne skins. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barriques, 30% new before blending and bottling.
Fragrance and headiness, this wine exudes intense perfume, mixed berry fruits, floral notes and spice. The addition of Mataro and co-fermentation with white grapes Viognier and Marsanne intensify the Shiraz character while providing complexity, richness and generosity.
The deliciously fresh brambles, blackberries and dried violets are what you’d first pick up on first here. You’ll later find more meaty elements, clay and dried herbs. Full body, succulent tannins, layers of blue and black fruit and a juicy, very spicy finish. Drink in 2021. A blend of shiraz, viognier and marsanne.
2016 Yarra Yering Underhill Shiraz
The West most vineyard site, Underhill expresses a more savoury set of flavours. Incredibly drinkable, yet, long lived.
The vines grow like triffids, pulling into balance over the growing season to produce a wine that you can hook from day 1. Be patient though it’ll age incredibly well too. Great to compare with the No.2 to see how just 100m can produce such different wines. I’ve just dropped the last of my 2001 Underhill. From a more forward year it was just divine. M’s house red! Then we shifted to 2001 No.1 as it hit the drinking window!
New world cool climate Shiraz starts here. Heady black plum fruits and pretty violet aromatics interlaced with liquorice spice and nettle undergrowth. The heavier clay based soils produces wine dark fruits and spice, chewy tannins creating the framework to support the fruit and savoury undertones.
This manages to be fresh and aromatic and somewhat decadent at the same time on the nose. There are notes of crushed violets, blackberry compote, graphite and a touch of black peppers and herbs. Medium to full body, caressing and structured tannins, delicious acid drive and a tangy yet spicy finish that’s long and enticing. Drink in 2022.
2016 Yarra Yering Agincourt Cabernet Malbec
This was one of the new blocks that was still finding its feet when I left YY. Undoubtedly the new Cabernet Block with the most potential. Now about 20 years old it’s hitting its straps!
From the Winery:
Varietals: 75% Cabernet, 25% Malbec.
Vines: Fruit was sourced from the Agincourt block of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1995 and Malbec planted in 1990. The Agincourt block is located at the eastern end of the vineyard and is one of the more sheltered sites. This Cabernet clone is distinctly different to the No1 clone being more aromatic and lifted.
Making: Hand harvested, crushed and destemmed into the half-tonne open fermenters. Hand plunged twice daily with some extended time on skins to soften the Cabernet tannins. Basket pressing and malolactic fermentation in French Bordeaux all 2-year-old shaped barrels for 18 months.
Agincourt Cabernet consistently exhibits classic cabernet characters of cassis and dark berry fruits, along with a unique leafy herbaceousness. The Malbec plays its part with inky robust plum and black cherry and ample tannins to provide beautifully balanced structure.
The purity of fruit really takes your breath away with notes of sheer currants. They’re quickly joined by darker plums, creme de cassis, quartz, baking spices, blueberries, bark, pine needles, cinnamon, leather, tobacco and underbrush. The palate sports a very impressive balance of bright blue fruits and darker plummy flavors. There is also a seriously structured, firm tannin backbone that intertwines with the seemingly ever-present acidity. A long, persistent finish. Drink in 2023.
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