Yarrabank, a joint venture between Yering Station and Champagne Devaux, has been making sparkling wine from vineyards in the Yarra Valley since 1996. Its vineyard resources are concentrated in the prized Upper Yarra Valley sub-region, its sparkling wines are made using méthode traditionelle techniques, and its vintages are always matured and held back from release until significant complexity has been acquired.
This Brut Rosé 2013 was made using 56% Chardonnay, 44% Pinot Noir. It was matured for five years on lees without malolactic fermentation. It features fine bubbles, tight acidity, sumptuous texture and a crisp, dry finish.
44% pinot noir, 1% pinot noir as a red wine, 55% chardonnay, traditional bottle fermentation. Red fruits to the fore, the length and balance are very good, and the wine is very fresh. Exceptional value.
95 points, Wine Companion (September 2019)
A pale blush of salmon pink in the glass with notes of roses, red currants, raspberries, a hint of cocoa powder and bright briney characters on the nose. Soft, smooth and creamy in the mouth with a soft and delicate mousse. Cranberries, redcurrants, raspberries, roses, fresh strawberries and cream cheesecake on the palate with a biscuity finish.
Much like the 2013 Cuvée, delicacy is the order of the day here. I feel mildly cheated that I’m not sat in a classical English garden enjoying a glass or two of this with a selection of fine amuse bouches, the sound of Aston Martin wheels crunching on gravel, birds twittering away in the distance. One to lose yourself in. Don’t serve it too chilled as there is a sumptuousness to it that opens up with a little warmth.
93 points, The Wine Front (August 2020)
Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley was first planted by the Ryrie brothers who explored a way through the Snowy Mountains to the Yarra Valley, planting grapes in 1838 just three years after the foundation of Melbourne. A wine industry (developed by Swiss Settlers particularly Hubert de Castella and Baron Guillaume de Pury in the 1850s) thrived during the gold rush era and heyday of the 19th century. However, the end of the gold rush brought the wine industry into decline and it was not until the 1970’s that the modern wine industry started up again. The region is probably Australia’s best-known cool-climate area, yet it is really a patchwork of meso-climates. This varied topography creates an incredible set of variables. Vineyards are planted on elevations of 50 to 400m on varying aspects and management programmes. The more exposed sites are subject to severe spring frosts and winds. Overall, the area experiences a relatively high rainfall pattern and is known for its temperature extremes during ripening. Site selection is crucial, with the best vineyards often located where the original vines were once planted, generally on sandy clay loams and gravels. The Yarra Valley is well known for high quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Blends with Shiraz increasingly garnering attention. Sparkling wine production is also extremely important, with many of Australia’s finest examples produced in the region.
