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Yarra valley
Part of the Port Philip zone which surrounds Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is located an hour outside Melbourne and is one of the most important fine wine growing regions in Australia. The Yarra Valley’s viticultural history extends back to 1838 when the Ryrie Brothers planted the first vineyards at what is now Yering Station, with the first vintage produced in 1845 by the legendary James Dardel. In 1863 Hubert de Castella established St Huberts Vineyards and Guillaume de Pury established Yeringberg, bringing the total area under vine to 430 acres. This trend continued with the establishment of Yeringa with David Mitchell planting vineyards at Stringybark Creek increasing the area under vine to 1000 acres. This period of growth was followed by a series of poor vintages and tough economic conditions which saw vineyard production completely cease by 1937.
The Yarra Valley’s modern renaissance began when Reg Egan planted Wantirna Estate in 1963 and was followed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by Mount Mary, Yeringberg, Yarra Yering, St Huberts, Seville Estate, Yarra Burn, Chateaux Yeringa (now de Bortoli) and others, From the this period through to the late 1990’s investment and expansion continued, with the majority of wineries small, quality conscious, boutique producers of top quality wine which fetched appropriate prices. The latter period of the 1990’s saw large scale corporate investment, with Moet & Chandon establishing Domaine Chandon alongside acquisitions by Mildara Blass, McWilliams, Hardys and others.
The Yarra Valley is a diverse and cool climate region with a lower average growing temperature than both Bordeaux and Burgundy, the principle white variety is Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, while the red varieties that the region is renowned for are Cabernet Sauvignon (with associated Bordeaux varieties of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc) which helped put the Yarra Valley on the map followed by Pinot Noir which arrived en masse in the 1980s and followed more recently by Shiraz (which is sometimes blended with Viognier). Both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are also cultivated as sparkling base. Interestingly, vineyards planted in the cool, upper Yarra Valley for the production of sparkling wine are now being used for table wines. Whether it’s global warming or just that recent vintages have been warmer, there is little doubt that the Upper Yarra including places such as Hoddles Creek and other sub-districts such as Woori Yallock have really come into their own over the last 5-10 years.
Chardonnay styles vary across winemakers and site, with a distinctive aromatic profile of melon and fig in warmer sites and white peach and grapefruit from cooler vineyards. Both styles are characterised by good acidity. Outstanding producers include Oakridge, Toolangi, Coldstream Hills, de Bortoli, Giant Steps, Mac Forbes and Hoddles Creek. The Yarra Valley is one of the first Australian regions to establish Pinot Noir of high regard, with notes of plum, cherry and strawberry and a characteristic underlying sappy acidity and fine soft tannins. Outstanding producers include de Bortoli, Coldstream Hills, Giant Steps and Mount Mary and Wedgetail. Yarra Valley Cabernet is almost always blended with traditional Bordeaux varieties and is characterised as a medium bodied wine, elegant, with notes of cassis, hay, tobacco leaf, fine silky tannins and remarkable longevity. Outstanding producers include Mount Mary, Yarra Yarra, Yeringberg, Wantirna Estate. Shiraz is less prevalent in the Yarra Valley and highly dependent on vineyard location favouring warmer growing conditions. Increasingly producers are following the Northern Rhone Cote Rotie blend by adding small quantities of Viognier for added colour and aromatic lift. Classic Yarra Valley Shiraz is almost always of a cool climate style with notes of pepper, black cherry and spice with fine silky tannins. Outstanding producers include Yering Station, de Bortoli, Jamsheed, Yarra Yarra and recently Serrat.
Sources:
The Oxford Companion to Wine, (ed) Jancis Robinson
James Hallidays Wine Atlas of Australian, James Halliday
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Yeringberg Cabernets 2021STAFF PICKS 2024 - MICHAEL MCNAMARA
This is Yeringberg at its best - medium weighted but with fruit and touches of oak seasoning persistent and pulsing through the body of the wine. Nothing is overstated but you never feel like anything is missing either, such wonderful balance. An Aussie icon that shows where less intervention and artiface delivers so much more. MICHAEL MCNAMARA
A blend of 58/14/14/9/5% cabernet sauvignon/cabernet franc/merlot/petit verdot/malbec. Matured 20 months in French barriques (35% new). Bright crimson purple. From a great year, this is a beautifully fragrant and seductive Yeringberg with its aromas of blackcurrants, blueberries, cherry blossom, violets and just the right amount of oak-derived cedar and pencil-shaving scents. The epitome of medium bodied, it's elegant, discreet and persistent on the palate, even at this early juncture. Equally important, the fruit is perfectly framed by the wine's fine-grained and silky tannins and, as has been demonstrated on many occasions, this will mature slowly and gracefully. 98 PHILIP RICH, wine companion2021Cabernet SauvignonAustralia506$110.00 As low as $99.00 -
De Bortoli Melba Cabernet Sauvignon 2021Deep red with purple in the rim; a complex bouquet of cedar, cigarbox, cassis and flake tobacco, the palate full bodied and elegant, stately and savoury, with abundant fine-grained and insistent tannins and driving length. A very elegant, suave kind of cabernet, and true to its Yarra origins. It's delicious now but has an assured future if cellared. HUON HOOKE, The Real Review
Bold colour. Blackcurrant, blackberry, hazelnut, that terracotta-like earthiness you get in many anfora wines, dried flowers and sweet herbs. It’s medium-bodied, intense and deep in black and red fruit, a little tobacco, loads of chewy earthy tannin, and a lively perfumed (and tannic) finish of excellent length. So much energy. Love this. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front2021Cabernet SauvignonAustralia506$75.00 As low as $67.50 -
Oakridge 864 Cabernet Sauvignon 2021Fruit from a 1996-planted vineyard. Four weeks post-fermentation maceration, matured in French barriques (35% new) for 15 months. Virtually identical winemaking to the Original Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon but, as always, this is the denser, more powerful and structured wine. On the nose there's a core of perfectly ripened black fruits, crushed violets, dark chocolate and graphite. The medium bodied, firmly structured and persistent palate is equally good, and anyone fortunate enough to still have a bottle 10–15 years (if not longer) from now will be well rewarded. 97 PHILIP RICH, wine companion2021Cabernet SauvignonAustralia506$110.00 As low as $99.00 -
Oakridge LVS Barkala Cabernet Sauvignon 2021From one of the few cabernet vineyards in the Upper Yarra; planted at 240m elevation in Wandin East. Matured in French barriques (30% new) for 15 months. A medium crimson purple. Perfectly ripened cabernet fruit exhibiting aromas of dark cherry, violets, a little bramble and some complexing bell pepper. Medium bodied and compact, the fruit has swallowed up the oak and while it's a touch firm once it fleshes out a little (and it will) this should provide considerable pleasure for a decade or so. 95 PHILIP RICH, wine companion
2021Cabernet SauvignonAustralia506$45.00 As low as $40.50 -
Yeringberg Cabernets 2022A blend of 63/16/10/7/4% cabernet sauvignon/merlot/petit verdot/malbec/cabernet franc. That’s two great back-to-back vintages for this Yarra Valley and Australian classic. Bright crimson purple. A wonderful bouquet of perfectly ripened black cherries, blackcurrants, cedar (from the already integrated oak) and lavender. With its core of dark fruits and impeccably balanced, fully ripe yet silky tannins, this complex and harmonious wine is destined to join the ranks of the very best Yeringbergs. (98) PHILIP RICH, www.winecompanion.com2022Cabernet SauvignonAustralia506$120.00 As low as $108.00