Yarra Yering, Dry Red Wine No1, 2018

Yarra Yering, Dry Red Wine No1, 2018Although wine was an important industry in the Yarra Valley throughout the 1800s, by the 1920s it had largely halted as farmers favoured the greater returns available from sheep farming. It took the vision of a now legendary plant physiologist and Roseworthy winemaking graduate, Dr Bailey Carrodus, to help re establish the Yarra Valley as one of Australias preeminent wine regions. It was during his years studying at Queens College, Oxford that Dr

Although wine was an important industry in the Yarra Valley throughout

the 1800s, by the 1920s it had largely halted as farmers favoured the

greater returns available from sheep farming. It took the vision of a now

legendary plant physiologist and Roseworthy winemaking graduate,

Dr Bailey Carrodus, to help re-establish the Yarra Valley as one of

Australia’s preeminent wine regions. It was during his years studying at

Queen’s College, Oxford that Dr Carrodus’ wine philosophy was formed.

Here he encountered the renowned wines of the Old World that were

staples of the college cellars and these inspired him to visit the leading

wineries of France, Spain, Italy and Portugal to study their production.

He carried this knowledge with him and after taking up a position

at Melbourne University, he set his mind on finding the ideal site to

produce his own wines in a similar style to those he had grown to love.

After several years of careful research, he settled on the Yarra Valley as

the ideal site and in 1969 he purchased land at the foot of the

Warramate Hills. Here, the gentle slope with its northerly aspect and

deep grey silty loam shot through with bands of gravel fulfilled all of

his requirements: good drainage, all-day exposure to the warm sun,

and enough elevation from the valley floor to avoid the spring frosts.

He named his vineyard Yarra Yering and in 1973 produced the first

vintages of his now iconic Dry Red Wine No. 1 and Dry Red Wine No. 2.

Dr Carrodus continued to make the wines until his death in 2008, when

the winery was purchased by businessmen Ed Peter and Reid Bosward.

As long-term fans of Yarra Yering, they continue to honour the founder’s

quest for elegance and sophistication, ably supported by winemaker

Sarah Crowe, who in 2017 was named Winemaker of the Year by James

Halliday.

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 8% Malbec,

4% Petit Verdot

All hand harvested and processed across a sorting table,

only the very 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 for complexity.

Components kept separate in French oak barrels, only

40% of them new, until being blended just before bottling

after 15 months’ barrel maturation.

Fruit power is the first impression, dark berry fruits and

some sage adding a background herbal lift. Oak spice is

evident but all in balance with the fruit.

The palate shows power and restraint at the same time,

the iron fist in a velvet glove. Beautiful fruit, a bright

acid drive and tannins that form a solid foundation for

the long future. Brooding but not intimidating, this will

be exciting to watch evolve.