Three grape varieties, 26 vintages and over 185 years in the making – that’s the history behind Yering Station’s latest Reserve release, a trio of flagship wines unveiled in August.
With vines planted in 1838, the first in the Yarra Valley, cool-climate winery Yering Station holds a unique place in Australian wine history. Today, Yering Station is led by chief winemaker Brendan Hawker, chief viticulturist Rod Harrison and winemaker Amanda Flynn, who, along with an exceptional team, are taking that legacy and evolving it, crafting fine wines that reflect classic regional character and elegance.
“Our enduring Reserve philosophy is simply to showcase the best we can achieve with a variety in a given year,” Brendan explains. “It means narrowing our focus and selecting only the finest barrels from our best Yarra Valley parcels.”
This year, which marks Yering Station’s 26th Reserve release, that philosophy has resulted in a 2023 Reserve Chardonnay, a Reserve Pinot Noir and a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, each rated 97 points by Halliday Wine Companion. “The palate is both super elegant yet with good depth and persistence,” Tasting Team member Philip Rich says of the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon. “This will age gracefully over at least the next 10 years, if not longer.”
The 2023 vintage was not without challenges, however. An unseasonably wet spring, including the estate’s wettest October on record, tested vineyard access and operations. “Our vineyard team needed to rely on plenty of guile, wit and advanced planning, ensuring standby tractors were always on hand to rescue the inevitably bogged tractor and spray cart,” Brendan recalls.
In a testament to the team’s commitment to quality, there is no Reserve Shiraz Viognier from the 2023 vintage, the shiraz parcels having been impacted by the wet March and cooler April temperatures.
“While they displayed beautiful aromatics, they lacked the depth and structure expected of a Reserve wine,” Brendan says. “We are uncompromising in releasing wines in our Reserve range only when we feel they are up to scratch, maintaining this collection’s legacy in our portfolio.”
Brendan credits the success of the range to a collaborative culture with chief viticulturist Rod Harrison, winemaker Amanda Flynn and the broader team. “We have a pretty special team here,” Brendan says. “It’s a great working environment when you know your team have each other’s backs and that when things are tough, you’re all pulling together but still having fun making great wine.”
The 2023 Reserve wines are available now in select fine wine retailers, Yering Station’s cellar door and via yering.com.
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