Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 2 needs no introduction. The illustrious label's Rhone blend (Shiraz 95%, Mataro 3%, Viognier 1%, Marsanne 1%) sits comfortably among this country's most iconic bottlings. The first vines were put in the ground at the Yarra Yering site by Doctor Bailey Carrodus in 1969 at the base of the Warramate Hills after a thorough search to find the perfect place for growing 'noble' French varieties. Fifty years later, the wines are renowned at home and Internationally. Sarah Crowe, 2017 James Halliday Winemaker of the Year, is now in charge of winemaking and keeps the vineyard's early traditions alive with vintage after vintage of intensely flavoured, harmonious, and age-worthy wines.
This fragrant style is approachable as a young wine but with some bottle maturation will evolve into a beautifully complex wine. This blend has a track record thus it will continue to evolve for a further 20+ years under suitable cellaring conditions should you want to cellar it for an extended period. Original 1969 plantings of Shiraz with additional Shiraz planted across the 1990s, Mataro & Viognier drawn from vines planted from 1984 to 1995.
A complex and layered wine; sweet and savoury all at once. The fragrance is a melting pot of violets, plums, savoury spices and a whiff of bramble and five spices. Moderate in weight; the summer pudding fruits come in all colours dialling up the flavour interest. There is a cigar box and cardamom spice lending intrigue. Firm yet fine tannins ably support the fruit and texture drive the palate. This one is hard to put in a box, there is so much to love.
Langton’s Classified “Excellent”.
“It’s easy to be bowled over by this wine’s beauty, from its bright colour to its heady fragrance of violets, Middle Eastern spices, fresh currants, and blue fruits. Then the magic happens. It is superfine, graced with perfectly formed silky tannins. The oak is seamlessly integrated, and then flavours build across the barely medium-bodied palate. While there’s a lightness of touch, it’s layered and complex. A complete wine full of style, elegance, and substance.”