Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1 2022

Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1 2022Product Description: A masterful blend of four varieties, Yarra Yering's Dry Red Wine No. 1 2022 exemplifies the elegance and complexity of the Yarra Valley terroir. A celebrated wine from one of Australias most revered wineries, this wine reflects the vision and craftsmanship that has made Yarra Yering a benchmark in the Australian wine industry. Sourced from the estates oldest vines, including the original 1969 Cabernet Sauvignon plantings, this

Product Description:

A masterful blend of four varieties, Yarra Yering's Dry Red Wine No. 1 2022 exemplifies the elegance and complexity of the Yarra Valley terroir. A celebrated wine from one of Australia’s most revered wineries, this wine reflects the vision and craftsmanship that has made Yarra Yering a benchmark in the Australian wine industry. Sourced from the estate’s oldest vines, including the original 1969 Cabernet Sauvignon plantings, this wine has evolved into an iconic expression of balance, depth, and finesse.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 6% Malbec, and 3% Petit Verdot, the Dry Red Wine No. 1 is fermented in small batches and hand-plunged daily to extract the ideal structure and character. With a maturation period of 15 months in French oak barriques, 35% of which are new, this wine is complex yet approachable, showcasing the seamless integration of fruit, oak, and tannin.

Maker: 

In 1969, Dr Bailey Carrodus re-established winemaking in Yarra Valley in Victoria, picking up from where it left in mid-1800s to the 1920s. He completed degrees in horticulture and winemaking and studied in France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Dr Carrodus found a vineyard site in the Yarra Valley and produced wine in the style he loved. After his passing, the vineyard was sold to two businessmen who carried on his legacy and pathed the way to becoming one of the region’s oldest and most respected wineries. From 2013 the coveted role of winemaker and general manager went to Sarah Crowe who was named James Halliday's 2017 Winemaker of the Year. Sarah makes elegant, acclaimed wines, but humbly credits the vineyard as the true hero. 

Vineyard:

At Yarra Yering, all fruit is hand-picked in the cool of the morning into 10kg picking buckets and delivered directly to the winery. The fruit is then sorted and either destemmed or crushed into traditional tea chest 0.5-tonne open-fermenters. Depending on the variety, stalks may be added back during the fermentation stage in baskets for easy removal when there is just enough stalk tannin present. The 70 acres of vines at Yarra Yering are grown without irrigation on a northerly slope at the foot of the Warramate hills. The vines benefit from good drainage, all-day exposure to the sun, and enough elevation from the valley floor to avoid spring frosts. This produces wines that are inherently balanced, precise, and elegant. The low yield of 1-2 tons per acre results in fruit with great intensity and concentration of flavour, as well as an abundance of natural acidity.

Wine style/cuvee:

Yarra Yering's Block No. 1 was the site of the first plantings, which included Cabernet vines and Malbec in 1969. Merlot vines were also interplanted with the Cabernet, and subsequent plantings of Petit Verdot were made in 1990 on newly acquired neighbouring land. All fruit is hand-harvested and sorted, with only the best berries used in the wine. The Cabernet fruit is individually berry sorted before being crushed to build structure through fermentation. Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot are whole berry ferments for fragrance and palate flesh. All are fermented in half-tonne fermenters and hand plunged twice daily, with one third of the Cabernet spending extended time on skins for complexity and to build the savoury edge. The components are kept separate in French oak barrels, 40% new, until being blended just before bottling after 15 months of barrel maturation. Upon bottling, the wine is shy and requires bottle maturation to unfurl.

Tasting Notes
NOSE – Blueberry, Blackberry, Bay Leaf, Spice
Dark berries mixed in with intricate layers of clove spice and subtle smoky oak add depth and intrigue to the aromatic profile, enticing the senses with each swirl.

PALATE – Fleshy, Fruit-Forward and Structured
A beautiful weight complemented by a fine balance of tannins and refreshing acidity. A firm foundation of Cabernet’s structure supports the rounder, fruit-driven qualities of the Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

FINISH – Elegant, Persistent and Long
Notes of spice and a touch of oak that add to the wine’s overall complexity. The fine tannins and vibrant acidity ensure that this wine will continue to evolve gracefully over time.

Reviews + Accolades:  

A deep crimson purple; almost opaque. Uber classical cabernet aromas with its core of concentrated and pure blackcurrant and cedar. Throw in hints of bay leaf, some gravel and a little sea spray and you have a pretty special Dry Red Wine No. 1. It's richly fruited and elegant with perfectly integrated, supple and persistent tannins. An altogether sumptuous and majestic wine. - Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion, 97 Points.

Sweet ripe berry aromas a touch of smoky reduction, a hint of briar, the palate has good intensity and focus, with a little astringency and bright acidity enlivening the middle and finish. Firm tannins add good structure to the wine. There is elegance and detail. Delicious wine that will reward cellaring. - Huon Hooke, The Real Review, 96 Points.

The 2022 Dry Red No 1 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Merlot (11%), Malbec (6%) and Petit Verdot (3%). The Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec components are from the original estate vineyard planted in 1969. Aromatically, the wine leads with sumac spices and paprika, cassis, mulberry and pink peppercorns, dried bay leaf, tobacco and even a hint of tapenade. The palate is a complex place, structured by firm tannins, fresh and cool in feel and with a mineral-inflected, graphite-like, dried mint finish. Neat as a pin. The wine was matured in French oak barrique (35% new) for 15 months. - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate, 96 Points. 

• 96 Points – Tyson Stelzer, WBM

• Trophy – Best Cabernet Blend, 2023 Yarra Valley Wine Show

• Gold Medal – 2023 Rutherglen Wine Show

• Langtons – 1st Classified

• 3 Merit Wine – The Real Review Wine Classification of Australia

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot
Country - Australia
Region - Yarra Valley, Victoria
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%