Yarra Yering

Written By Angus Hughson

2026 Yarra Yering Release

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.

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

2024 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 Underhill Shiraz, 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

2025 Yarra Yering Spring Release

2024 Yarra Yering Dry White No.2, Yarra Valley – Victoria

Pale colour. Intense kaleidoscopic tropical fruit, lemon curd aromas with hints of star anise. Ample pineapple, mango, lemon curd, nectarine, apricot flavours, chalky touch al-dente textures and fresh persistent indelible/ lively acidity. Finishes drying and minerally with a lick of aniseed. A blend of marsanne, rousanne, grenache blanc and viognier. Punchy and elemental but will settle down after a while. Drink now – 2030 13.5% alc 91 points

2024 Yarra Yering Crécy Chardonnay, Yarra Valley – Victoria

Pale colour. Fresh lime, grapefruit hint cashew nut aromas with tonic water notes. Minerally and supple with ample lime grapefruit, bitter lemon flavours, fine slinky textures, attractive mid-palate creaminess and long indelible acidity. Still youthful, mouthwatering and exuberant with saline notes at the finish. Drink now – 2030 93+ points

2024 Yarra Yering Chardonnay, Yarra Valley – Victoria

Pale colour. Lifted verbena, lime, grapefruit aromas with flinty, tonic water notes. Generously concentrated with lime grapefruit, hint marzipan flavours, loose knit lacy textures and fresh long quartz acidity. Very good mid-palate volume and mineral length with underlying bitter lemon notes at the finish. Should develop well with some extra bottle age. Drink now – 2032 13.5% alc 95 points

2024 Yarra Yering Waterloo Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley - Victoria

Light/ medium crimson. Fresh light camomile, strawberry, chinotto aromas with star anise notes. Attractive strawberry chinotto aniseed flavours, generous mid palate volume/ viscosity, loose knit lacy textures and underlying savoury notes. Some vanilla/ fennel notes at the finish. Predominantly MV6 clone. Drink now – 2030 13% alc 92 points

2024 Yarra Yering Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley – Victoria

Light/ medium crimson. Fresh strawberry, red cherry, dried roses aromas with hints of crème brulée/ marzipan. Supple , buoyant and silky with generous strawberry red cherry pastille marzipan, vanilla flavours, fine chalky textures and well-integrated mineral acidity. Chinotto/ Campari notes at the finish. Should continue to fold and evolve. Drink now – 2032 13.5% 94 points

2024 Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No 3, Yarra Valey – Victoria

Medium deep colour. Brambly red plum, dark cherry aromas with hints of liquorice. Generously concentrated with abundant red plum, dark cherry pastille fruits, firm chocolaty dry/ sinewy tannins and fresh tangy/ juicy acidity. Finishes gravelly dry with sweet fruit notes. A blend of touriga naçional, tinta cão, tinta amarela, tinta roriz, alvarelhão and souzão. Drink now – 2032 13% alc 93 points

2024 Yarra Yering New Territories, Yarra Valley – Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Intense blackberry, juicy fruit, cola aromas and flavours with brambly notes, plentiful fine chalky tannins, lovely volume/ buoyancy and fresh long juicy acidity, Finishes drying / hint sappy with seductive sweet fruit/ hint liquorice notes. A blend of tinta cão and touriga naçional, Drink now – 2030 13.5% alc 92 points

2024 Yarra Yering Amphora, Yarra Valley – Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Fragrant red plum, red cherry, pure blackcurrant aromas with brambly graphite notes. Supple and inky deep with ample cassis, red plum, red cherry, hint dark chocolate flavours, fine slinky. Chalky textures and well-integrated minerally acidity. Some al dente, bittersweet notes at the finish. A standout wine with pure fruit definition, very good volume and underlying vigorous structure. Aged in clay amphora. Should develop very well. Drink now – 2035 13.5% alc 95+ points

2025 Yarra Yering Release

2023 Yarra Yering Carrodus Viognier, Yarra Valley - Victoria

Pale colour. Peaches and cream aromas with fine herbal camomile notes. Voluminous stone fruit, touch marzipan, vanilla flavours, fine slinky al dente textures, lovely mid-palate richness and fresh long acidity. Delicious wine. Drink now – soon to enjoy the primary fruit or keep for a while. 14% alc 95 points

2023 Yarra Yering Underhill Shiraz, Yarra Valley - Victoria

Medium crimson. Intense pure blackberry aromas with brambly, chinotto, peppery nuances. Medium powered with fresh dark berry, brambly, touch flinty flavours, fine bittersweet touch chewy tannins and underlying savoury notes. Finishes minerally and long. From 1973 plantings. Ready to drink – keep for a while. 13% alc 92 points

2023 Yarra Yering Agincourt Cabernet Malbec Yarra Valley - Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Fresh blackcurrant, dark cherry, herb garden, dark chocolate aromas. Cassis, herb, dark chocolate flavours, sinewy tannins and integrated acidity. Bittersweet cola notes at the finish. A cool expression but pure and minerally with very good torque and length. Drink now – 2032. 13% alc 93 points

2023 Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No 1 Yarra Valley - Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Juicy and crunchy wine with plenty of energy and zest. Attractive cassis, herb garden aromas with leafy notes and underlying savoury notes. Well concentrated blackcurrant, touch dark chocolate flavours, fine grainy/ al-dente hint leafy tannins and some chinotto notes. Finishes claret-firm. Should settle down and evolve as a classical cool climate Cabernet style. Drink 2027 – 2036. 13.2% alc 95 points

2023 Yarra Yering Dry Red No 2 Yarra Valley - Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Blackberry, bracken, dark chocolate/ pepper. chinotto aromas. Blackberry, earthy flinty flavours, with bittersweet touch herbal notes and long brambly/ sinewy textures. Finishes grippy firm with espresso/ roasted coffee notes and crisp juicy acidity. Very expressive but elemental. Needs a while to settle down. Drink 2027 – 2035. 13% alc 94 points

Angus Hughson
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