Description
Yarra Yering is one of the oldest and most beautiful vineyards in the Yarra Valley of Victoria, consisting of 28 hectares of vines located at the foot of the Warramate Hills in the Gruyere district. Dr Bailey Carrodus established the winery in 1969 and is credited as one of the driving forces in reviving winemaking in this region. The 1973 vintage saw the production of the first vintage of Dry Red Wines – No’s 1 & 2, two of this country’s greatest wines, both featuring in Langton’s classification of Australian wines. Yarra Yering quickly gained an international reputation for quality and individuality and for the next 35 years Dr Carrodus made his wines to great critical and commercial success. The unirrigated vines produce elegant, complex and powerful wines. Approachable in their youth they have the ability to develop in the bottle for many years.
Within only three years of taking the helm at Yarra Yering, winemaker Sarah Crowe received one of the wine industry’s highest honours, named “Winemaker of the Year” for 2017 by Australia’s most respected wine writer and critic, James Halliday – “She has done a fabulous job with what was her first full vintage. Just an amazing, amazing job.” Sarah is the first woman to receive this award with two Yarra Yering vintage red wines receiving 99 points and four vintage red wines received 98 out of a possible 100 points.
About the 2019 vintage: A compact year, all fruit ripened relatively quickly and with good yields. The wines are regionally elegant but with a ripe, black fruit spectrum and ample structure. There are no shrinking violets!
About this wine: Yarra Yering released possibly the most famous Australian Merlot with the 1990 vintage. At $100 upon release it created quite a stir. Outrageously priced at the time but it sold out quickly.
Merlot has been part of the Yarra Yering vineyard since the first vines were planted in 1969. The first Merlot vines were interplanted with the No. 1 Cabernet (West End) and in the neighbouring block (Middle East) in 1969 with subsequent plantings madein 1990 (Far East) on the newly acquired neighbouring land.
All hand harvested then the bunches were sent across a sorting table, only the very best berries go into this wine. Merlot with whole berry ferments for fragrance and palate flesh. All fermented in half-tonne fermenters and hand plunged twice daily for gentle tannin extraction. French oak maturation in the underground cellar with 30% new barrels for 14 months.
A key component in our flagship blend; Dry Red Wine No. 1, it is difficult in most years to have a single varietal bottling. 2019 sent us good yields and great flavour and so we are able to bottle a small run. Berry compote and cigar box, the softness of Merlot bringing an enticing full fruit palate. Lovely subtle warm woodsy spices like clove and cardamom adding some complexity and structure. Our cool climate ensuring a lovely acid energy and line.
Accolades: 96 Points – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
93 Points – 2022 Halliday Wine Companion
“Seductive, deeply delicious red wine, with all the plums in abundance: crunchy blood plums, plum sauce, black as night juicy plums. Plummy but not plump: perfectly balanced and cellar worthy – Yes it may be $105 per bottle but in the context of the other top Yarra Yering wines and compared to the prices charged for top merlots from Bordeaux & California it’s a bargain.” – Max Allen, Financial Review
RRP $105 Our Special Price $98.99 – very limited!
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