I really do love Australian wine. The more I dig into it, the more I discover exciting, niche estates dotted around the country that are a million miles away from the jammy, off-dry wines my parents used to buy from supermarkets; the so-called ‘Sunshine in a bottle’. If you read my blog, you may recall that one of the very best wines I’ve had the pleasure of trying this year was a superb Australian Syrah; Castagna Genesis Syrah 2006. Whilst the 90’s and early 2000’s were responsible for huge, unwieldy wines with no hope of ageing, there were plenty of wine-makers ignoring the short term hype and producing wines under the own philosophies, with a little more restraint and longevity in mind. One such was Yarra Yarra Vineyards, founded in the Yarra Valley in 1977 and focused on cool climate expressions of French varieties.

Despite being a very small producer, I’d heard of Yarra Yarra Vineyards before, but under very sad circumstances. 2009 saw the worst bush-fires that Australia has ever seen, with over 400 individual fires sweeping across the state of Victoria with staggering speed. Over 173 people died in the fires, and well over 400 were badly injured as they sought to escape. Anything in the path of the fires was burnt to the ground, including vineyards and wineries. I think you know where I’m going with this. Yarra Yarra Vineyards perished, including their entire museum stock back to 1983, as well as everything currently in tank or ageing in barrel. The owners and most of the staff weren’t there on the day, fortuitously, and after several long years, they finished rebuilding their new winery in 2010, ready to start afresh.

2003 was the penultimate vintage of The Yarra Yarra, as vintages post 2005 were resting in the winery when the fires started. With the Californian and Portugese fires of 2017 still fresh in my memory, and the certainty that the wine industry will have to start expecting more threats from fire in the warmer areas of the world, there was an contrasting element of melancholy as I enjoyed this little bite of Australian history.

Yarra Yarra Vineyards ‘The Yarra Yarra’ 2003
Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blend, supported by small, undefined quantities of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, all estate fruit from their 9.5ha in Yarra Valley. Some whole-bunch fermentation, gentle punch-downs before 2 years of ageing in French oak of different sizes and ages. 13.5% ABV

Deep garnet in colour and at 15 years of age, this is singing. Dried blackberries, plums and cassis notes combine with some oak sweetness, leather, graphite, forest floor, eucalyptus and dried green bell pepper. Certainly more aromatic and medicinal than most Bordeaux but a big step back from the pungency of most Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. Soft and integrated on the palate but still full of life; this could go another 5 years, quite happily. Lovely mature flavours with a long, leather and tobacco inflected finish. I would love to try some of their newer wines but what a treat this was. 94Pts

Purchased from Monvinic Store for €59 (on sale)