Description
It was 1983 when Ian and June Marks found their vineyard site after a long search for the perfect pocket of land throughout almost every wine region in Victoria. With views of Mt Donna Buang, a backdrop of the Warburton ranges, red soil and a coveted north-easterly aspect, it is the perfect spot for cool climate winemaking. Gembrook Hill led the way as part of the ‘second wave’ of Yarra Valley vignerons, and today is one of the oldest vineyards in the Upper Yarra sub-region.
Gembrook’s wines are regarded as some of the most outstanding examples of their variety in Australia and are crafted with an old-world winemaking mindset. Most vine age now over twenty years. Gembrook Hill was one of the pacesetters in the Yarra Valley with its restrained yet complex style of chardonnay. The sauvignon blanc possesses characteristics found in Sancerre, and is more austere than the typical Australian and New Zealand examples. And the pinot noir has the elegance of old world Burgundy. The most recent addition to the range, the vintage Blanc de Blancs, has been acclaimed as one of the finest of its type, French or otherwise.
About this wine from the winemaker: “2025 was a warm generous year at Gembrook, bucking the trend of the last few seasons. The pinot reflects this generosity with velvety richness and complexity while still displaying the perfume, poise and balance from our inherently cool site.
100% destemmed. The grapes come from older vines planted in 1985. Three weeks on skins including a cold soak. All wild yeast. Elevage in 20% new french hogsheads the balance in old french hogsheads. Neither fined nor filtered. Estate bottled. The wine has a classic feminine character with notes of rose petals, bright cherry, and raspberry fruit. It finishes with fine tannins.”
97+points, Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion “An extremely perfumed and pure-fruited wine, redolent of freshly poached strawberry, rose petal and baking spices. Even better on the palate; richly flavoured yet light on its feet, with a medium-bodied frame and wonderfully silky and persistent tannins. Finishes long. One of those wines that is delicious straight from the gate but will age beautifully, too.”
96 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front” I’m still not quite sure what to make of the 2025 vintage in south-eastern Australia. Very good to excellent, but spasmodic, is my general impression. But in this case, it delivers the most positive endorsement possible.
“This is a terrific release. In fact this is a no-brainer. It has more fruit than usual, more depth through the mid palate, but it still features its trademark structured, insistent length and overall complexity is not in question. Black cherries – yes black – and blueberries meet strawberries, red cherries, undergrowth, sweet spice and cedar. There’s a smoked tobacco-like note here too, slightly rusty, slightly ferrous-like. This wine is fresh, racy and deep at once. It’s super young, of course, but you’re not waisting your money by hooking into it now; it already has a completeness.”
RRP $77 Our Special Price $63.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine
