Yarra Yering

Yarra Yering was founded in 1969 by Dr Bailey Carrodus, a New Zealand-born botanist who had completed his doctorate in plant physiology at the University of Oxford before relocating to Australia. Inspired by his European travels and convinced that the Yarra Valley's cool climate would suit Bordeaux and Burgundy varieties, Carrodus purchased a 30-acre north-facing hillside above Coldstream in the Lower Yarra Valley and began planting in 1969. His plantings included the full Bordeaux red varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot) plus Shiraz, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and a small experimental planting of Portuguese varieties. The first commercial vintage in 1973 was the first wine produced in the Yarra Valley since 1921, when the region's last commercial vines had been grubbed out during the long collapse that converted the entire valley to dairy farming. Carrodus's 1973 release effectively restarted Victoria's oldest wine region, marking the symbolic start of the modern Yarra Valley alongside Reg Egan's Wantirna Estate (1963) and the Middletons' Mount Mary (1971). Carrodus remained chief winemaker until his death in 2008; his idiosyncratic numerical naming convention for the reds, his commitment to Bordeaux and Rhone tradition, and his refusal to chase fashion all set Yarra Yering's permanent character.

• Dr Bailey Carrodus: Oxford-trained botanist with a doctorate in plant physiology; founded Yarra Yering 1969 on a 30-acre north-facing hillside above Coldstream
• 1973: first commercial vintage; the first Yarra Valley wine produced since 1921; effectively restarted Victoria's oldest wine region
• Plantings: full Bordeaux red varieties, Shiraz, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, plus experimental Portuguese varieties
• Carrodus remained chief winemaker until his death in 2008; established the estate's permanent character around Bordeaux and Rhone tradition

Yarra Yering's vineyard occupies approximately 30 acres on a north-facing hillside above Coldstream in the Lower Yarra Valley, with elevation ranging from approximately 90 to 130 metres on grey-brown sandy loam over red-brown clay subsoils. The site faces north to capture sun exposure essential for ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in the marginal cool climate; the elevation provides moderating cool nights and preserves natural acidity. The estate also includes the separately farmed Underhill Shiraz block, source of the bottled-separately Underhill Shiraz that joined the lineup in later years. Carrodus pioneered bush-vine training and dry-grown viticulture on the property, both unusual choices for the cool Yarra Valley but consistent with his Bordeaux-and-Rhone reference framework. Yields are deliberately restrained, typically below 4 tonnes per hectare across the premium reds. Sarah Crowe and viticulturist Kazimierz 'Kaz' Bekas have continued Carrodus's dry-grown bush-vine tradition while introducing more selective canopy management and organic-leaning vineyard practices in recent vintages.

• 30-acre north-facing hillside vineyard above Coldstream; elevation 90-130m; grey-brown sandy loam over red-brown clay subsoils
• Underhill Shiraz block farmed separately; source of the bottled-separately Underhill Shiraz that complements Dry Red No. 2
• Bush-vine training and dry-grown viticulture established by Carrodus; unusual for cool Yarra Valley but consistent with Bordeaux-Rhone reference
• Yields deliberately restrained (typically below 4 tonnes per hectare on premium reds); concentration prioritised over volume

Yarra Yering's winemaking under Bailey Carrodus was famously idiosyncratic, with whole-cluster fermentations, hand plunging, and refusal to filter most wines before bottling. Since taking over in 2013, Sarah Crowe has preserved the estate's traditional core while introducing carefully chosen modern tools. Concrete egg fermenters now play a role in white wine production, lending texture and aromatic precision to Chardonnay and Viognier; whole-bunch inclusion has been increased in the Shiraz lineup to add aromatic lift and tannin structure to the Northern Rhone-style Dry Red No. 2 and Underhill Shiraz; and selective inoculations and gentler extractions have improved tannin polish across the reds without compromising the estate's recognisable structural depth. Dry Red No. 1 ferments variety-by-variety in small open vessels and is blended at second racking, then aged in French oak barriques (approximately 30-40% new) for 18 months. Dry Red No. 2 employs whole-bunch Shiraz-Viognier co-fermentation in the Cote-Rotie tradition, then ages in French oak. The house style emphasises aromatic precision, structural depth, and fine-grained tannin over immediate fruit impact, and the wines reliably evolve over 20-30 years in bottle.

• Sarah Crowe (chief winemaker since 2013; Halliday Winemaker of the Year 2017) has preserved Carrodus's tradition while introducing selective modernisation
• Concrete egg fermenters used for Chardonnay and Viognier; whole-bunch inclusion increased in Shiraz lineup for aromatic lift and tannin structure
• Dry Red No. 1: variety-by-variety fermentation in small open vessels; blended at second racking; 18 months in French oak barriques (~30-40% new)
• Dry Red No. 2: whole-bunch Shiraz-Viognier co-fermentation in Cote-Rotie tradition; aged in French oak; benchmark Australian cool-climate Shiraz-Viognier

Yarra Yering's portfolio is anchored by the two Bordeaux-numbered red wines that Carrodus established at the founding. Dry Red No. 1 is a five-variety Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, supported by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot) and is the estate's flagship, listed in Langton's Classification of Australian Wine. It is widely regarded as one of Australia's most distinctive and age-worthy Bordeaux-style reds, with structural depth, aromatic lift, and characteristic cool-climate refinement that distinguishes it from warmer South Australian Cabernet expressions. Dry Red No. 2 is a Shiraz-Viognier co-fermentation in the Cote-Rotie tradition, using whole-bunch fermentation to produce one of Australia's most distinctive cool-climate Shiraz wines, with peppery savoury spice, lifted florals, and Northern Rhone-inflected structural elegance. The Underhill Shiraz, bottled separately from a dedicated block, adds depth to the cool-climate Shiraz expression. The portfolio also includes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Viognier, a Carrodus-designed Portuguese-variety dry red called 'Portsorts' (a tribute to the founder's experimental plantings), and small-production Aussie classics. Three more recent additions are the single-block Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Shiraz wines that exemplify Sarah Crowe's site-specific work.

• Dry Red No. 1: five-variety Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon-led); in Langton's Classification; structural, age-worthy, characteristically cool-climate
• Dry Red No. 2: Shiraz-Viognier co-fermentation in Cote-Rotie tradition; whole-bunch fermented; benchmark Australian cool-climate Shiraz-Viognier
• Underhill Shiraz: bottled-separately Shiraz from a dedicated block; complements Dry Red No. 2; cool-climate, peppery, refined
• Portfolio also includes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Viognier, the Portuguese-variety 'Portsorts' blend, and Sarah Crowe's site-specific single-block releases

Yarra Yering occupies a singular position in Australian fine wine. It restarted the Yarra Valley as a modern wine region with its 1973 release; it pioneered the Bordeaux-blend tradition that Mount Mary, Mac Forbes, and others would later develop; it produced one of Australia's first and most distinctive Cote-Rotie-style Shiraz-Viognier wines (well before the broader Australian shift to Northern Rhone-style co-fermentation); and it established the model of single-vineyard, family-scaled, multi-generational continuity that characterises the Yarra Valley's most respected estates. Bailey Carrodus is widely regarded as one of the most influential Australian winemakers of the post-war era, alongside Max Schubert (Penfolds), Cyril Henschke (Hill of Grace), and Dr John Middleton (Mount Mary). The estate's cult status is reflected in mailing list pressure, secondary market activity, and consistent inclusion in Langton's Classification across multiple iterations. Sarah Crowe's leadership since 2013 has carried Yarra Yering into its modern era while maintaining the structural and stylistic integrity that distinguishes the estate. For WSET, CMS, and serious wine students, Yarra Yering is essential reference reading on Australian cool-climate viticulture, the Yarra Valley's modern revival, and the Bordeaux-and-Rhone tradition in Australian fine wine.

• Restarted Yarra Valley winemaking with 1973 release; pioneered Yarra Valley Bordeaux-blend tradition and Australia's Cote-Rotie-style Shiraz-Viognier
• Bailey Carrodus regarded as one of post-war Australia's most influential winemakers alongside Max Schubert, Cyril Henschke, and Dr John Middleton
• Cult status reflected in mailing list pressure, secondary market premiums, and consistent Langton's Classification inclusion
• Essential reference for WSET and CMS students on cool-climate Australian viticulture, Yarra Valley revival, and Bordeaux-Rhone tradition in Australia