Despite a challenging growing season, the 2024 Yarra Yering releases highlight exceptional standards of viticulture and winemaking. Sarah Crowe and her team have produced a swag of resplendent wines. Of note are the expressive and creamy Yarra Yering Carrodus Chardonnay, the archetypal and evocative Dry Red No 1 and the very appealing large oak matured Underhill Shiraz.
These are all authentic styles that continue the work of Bailey Carrodus, whose visions captured the imagination of my generation. When tasting the Dry Red No. 1, it took me back to another time. Its highly individualistic, distinctly cabernet and promises to evolve into a classic Yarra Valley Claret. I like Sara Crowe’s description of ‘length and rhythm’ as all of these wines have fruit persistency and flow.
Sarah Crowe and her team have produced a swag of resplendent wines.
2024 Yarra Yering Carrodus Chardonnay, Yarra Valley – Victoria
Pale colour. Attractive nectarine, yellow peach, lemon curd, tonic water aromas with hints of marzipan/ vanilla. Well concentrated nectarine, apricot, yellow peach flavours, creamy volume, some lacy, al dente textures, filigreed acidity and underlying grilled nut/ savoury notes. Some saline/ vanilla notes at the finish. A minerally style with lovely density, complexity and flow. Wonderful drinking. Drink now – 2032 13.5% alc 96 points
2025 Yarra Yering Light Dry Red Pinot Shiraz, Yarra Valley – Victoria
Medium deep colour. Fresh blackberry, dark cherry, strawberry aromas with some dark chocolate notes. Supple, buoyant and fine grained with ample juicy red and dark berry fruits, attractive mid palate viscosity and well-integrated acidity. Finishes crispy with a lick of tannins. Medium bodied rather than light but slurpy and fruity throughout. 50% pinot noir 50% shiraz. Drink now – keep for a while 13% alc 92 points
2024 Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1, Yarra Valley – Victoria
Medium deep crimson. Intense cassis, roasted almond bush, garrigue aromas with some briary complexity. Generous and inky deep with ample blackcurrant pastille, dark plum fruits, some roasted chestnut, grilled almond notes, loose knit grainy tannins and fresh long acidity. Builds up firm and crunchy with attractive pure cassis fruits. This is Yarra Yering at its near-best showing pure varietal definition, character and memory of place. This will evolve into something special. 70% cabernet sauvignon, 16% merlot, 11% malbec 3% petit Verdot, Drink 2028 – 2040+ 13.5% alc 97 points
2024 Yarra Yering Agincourt Cabernet Malbec, Yarra Valley – Victoria
Medium deep crimson. Fresh blackcurrant, mocha, graphite aromas with leafy, bush garrigue notes. Inky deep with attractive cassis, black cherry, espresso flavours, firm grippy tannins and underlying dark chocolate notes. Builds up brambly firm and tight at the finish. The tannins are quite dominant but should settle down. Unmistakably cabernet with claret-like structure. 75% cabernet Sauvignon, 25% merlot 13.5% alc 93 points
2024 Yarra Yering Dry Red No.2, Yarra Valley – Victoria
Medium deep crimson. Fresh raspberry, pepper, hint black olive aromas with underlying roasted chestnut notes. Generous raspberry, black cherry, black pepper flavours, fine sinewy textures very good mid-palate volume and underlying roasted chestnut, mocha notes. Finishes chalky dry and minerally with ample pure raspberry, hint musky/ aniseed notes. Decant before serving. 99% shiraz 1% viognier 14% alc 94 points
2024 Yarra Yering Dry Red No.2, Yarra Valley – Victoria
Medium deep crimson. Lifted raspberry, dark plum, touch crème de cassis aromas with some praline notes. Smooth and velvety with ample raspberry, dark plum, pure blackcurrant, hint elderberry fruits, fine loose knit chalky/ graphite textures, lovely inky volume and underlying roasted walnut notes. Builds grippy/ slinky at the finish with the lovely persistency of fruit. Delicious drinking but should further develop. 13.5% alc 96 points
