Yering Station

Yering Station occupies the original site of Victoria's first vineyard. In 1838, Scottish-born brothers William, James, and Donald Ryrie acquired a 43,000-acre pastoral run east of Melbourne and planted vines including Black Cluster and Sweetwater on what they named the Yering estate. The Yering name was drawn from the Woiwurrung term for the region used by the Wurundjeri people, the traditional owners of the land. Swiss-French immigrant Paul de Castella acquired the property in 1850, dramatically expanded the vineyard, imported cuttings from leading European estates including Chateau Lafite, and built the historic Old Winery in 1859, a stone building that still houses the cellar door today. Under de Castella's stewardship, Yering Station reached the apex of Australian wine: it won the Argus Gold Cup for best Victorian vineyard in 1861 and took the Grand Prix at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris, the only Southern Hemisphere wine producer ever to achieve this distinction. The Paris Grand Prix was the highest possible international wine award of the era and announced the Yarra Valley to the world.

• 1838: Ryrie brothers (William, James, Donald) plant the first vines on Victoria's first vineyard site; name 'Yering' drawn from Wurundjeri language
• 1850: Swiss-French immigrant Paul de Castella acquires the property; expands the vineyard with cuttings from leading European estates including Chateau Lafite
• 1859: Paul de Castella builds the Old Winery (still operating today as the cellar door); one of the oldest working winery structures in Australia
• 1889: Yering Station wins Grand Prix at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, the only Southern Hemisphere wine producer ever to achieve this distinction

Yering Station's nineteenth-century glory did not survive the early twentieth century. The Australian wine market shifted decisively toward fortified wine in the late 1800s and early 1900s, leaving cool-climate table wine regions like the Yarra Valley with no commercial market for their fragile, lower-alcohol styles. Economic depression in the 1890s and 1930s, the threat (though never realised) of phylloxera, and changing agricultural economics drove the region's collapse. By 1937, the entire Yarra Valley had been converted to dairy farming and Yering Station's vineyards had been grubbed out. The land remained agricultural for the next six decades. Replanting at the historic Yering site began in 1988 as part of the broader Yarra Valley revival, and commercial production resumed in 1991. The transformational moment came in 1996, when the Rathbone Family Wine Group acquired the property. Doug and Daryl Rathbone, with subsequent leadership from Darren Rathbone (CEO and Winemaker), have led the estate's modern revival across the past three decades, restoring the Old Winery, expanding the vineyard, building the contemporary cellar door and restaurant, and establishing Yering Station as one of the Yarra Valley's most significant heritage and tourism anchors.

• Early twentieth century: market shift toward fortified wine and economic depression collapse Yering Station's commercial viability
• By 1937: entire Yarra Valley converted to dairy farming; Yering Station's vineyards grubbed out; land remains agricultural for six decades
• 1988: replanting begins as part of broader Yarra Valley revival; 1991: commercial production resumes
• 1996: Rathbone Family Wine Group acquires the estate; Darren Rathbone (CEO and Winemaker) leads modern revival including Old Winery restoration and cellar door development

Yering Station now farms 112 hectares across five vineyard sites in Yarra Glen and Coldstream, encompassing both Lower Yarra and Upper Yarra character. The Lower Yarra sites at the original 1838 estate location sit at 50-80 metres elevation on grey-brown sandy loam over red-brown clay subsoils typical of the northern Yarra Valley, with warmer growing conditions suited to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Viognier. The Upper Yarra sites at higher elevations (with some elevation reaching the higher slopes of the Yarra Ranges) provide cooler conditions suited to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and methode traditionnelle base. Soils across the broader estate include volcanic loam on hillside slopes, deeper clay-loam in valley sections, and well-drained gravels. The cool maritime climate delivers warm days and cool nights, 750-950mm annual rainfall (concentrated in winter and spring), and a seven-month growing season that supports the estate's medium-bodied, structurally elegant house style. Yering Station has been an early adopter of precision viticulture and sustainable farming in Australia, with membership in Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, drip irrigation, composting, and a 250kW solar power installation supporting the estate's environmental commitments.

• 112 hectares across five vineyard sites in Yarra Glen and Coldstream; encompasses Lower Yarra and Upper Yarra character
• Lower Yarra sites: 50-80m elevation, grey-brown sandy loam over red-brown clay; warmer conditions suited to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier
• Upper Yarra sites: higher elevations, cooler conditions, suited to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and methode traditionnelle sparkling base
• Member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; 250kW solar power installation; drip irrigation and composting support environmental commitments

Yering Station's portfolio is structured around three principal tiers. The Village range is the entry-level introduction to the house style, offering Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz, and Sauvignon Blanc at accessible price points. The Estate range provides more selective fruit and longer ageing, with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz, and Viognier showing the estate's structural elegance. The Reserve range, including the flagship Reserve Pinot Noir and Reserve Chardonnay, draws from the best individual blocks each vintage. The Scarlett Pinot Noir is a premium single-block release. The estate's sparkling wine program is anchored by Yarrabank, a methode traditionnelle joint venture established between Yering Station and Champagne Devaux of France. Yarrabank is one of Australia's longest-running Champagne-method joint ventures, producing a Cuvee NV, a Crème de Cuvée, and a vintage-dated Yarrabank Champagne-style sparkling wine. Winemaking is led by Chief Winemaker Brendan Hawker, working alongside CEO and Winemaker Darren Rathbone. The Yering Station portfolio collectively occupies the heritage and modern positioning at one of Victoria's most significant wine sites.

• Three principal tiers: Village (entry-level), Estate (selective fruit, longer ageing), Reserve (best blocks each vintage); Scarlett Pinot Noir premium single-block release
• Yarrabank methode traditionnelle range: joint venture with Champagne Devaux of France; one of Australia's longest-running Champagne-method JVs
• Yarrabank lineup: Cuvee NV, Creme de Cuvee, vintage-dated Yarrabank Champagne-style sparkling
• Winemaking: Chief Winemaker Brendan Hawker and CEO/Winemaker Darren Rathbone; house style emphasises medium body, structural elegance, and cool-climate refinement

Yering Station's historic significance extends well beyond its current production. The 1859 Old Winery building is one of the oldest working winery structures in Australia and now houses the estate's cellar door, allowing visitors to experience nineteenth-century Australian wine architecture alongside contemporary tasting. The contemporary architect-designed restaurant adjacent to the Old Winery has been a Yarra Valley dining anchor for over two decades and has earned chef's hat ratings in successive Australian Good Food guides. Yering Station was inducted into the Australian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame in 2006, recognising the depth and consistency of its visitor experience. The estate's combination of historic site, restored 1859 building, contemporary cellar door and restaurant, and active production has made it one of the Yarra Valley's most significant wine tourism destinations and a key reason the region attracts over three million visitors annually. Yering Station also serves an important regional role as a heritage anchor: it embodies the full arc of Australian wine history, from 1838 founding through 1889 Grand Prix to twentieth-century collapse and twenty-first-century revival, in a single working estate.

• 1859 Old Winery building: one of the oldest working winery structures in Australia; houses the cellar door
• Contemporary architect-designed restaurant adjacent to Old Winery: chef's hat ratings in successive Australian Good Food guides over two decades
• Inducted into Australian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame in 2006; one of the Yarra Valley's most significant wine tourism destinations
• Heritage anchor: embodies full arc of Australian wine history from 1838 founding through 1889 Grand Prix to modern revival in a single working estate