Our winery is bustling with V21 action. Meet just some of the faces of our passionate winery team.
It’s been a busy few weeks. Our winery is slowing filling up with Chardonnay and Pinot fruit, and now Shiraz fruit too. More to come from Vintage 2021 – the end is not yet in sight!
Arguably, one of our most magical sites to pick – Y07. This site produces the pinnacle of our Pinot Noir, responsible for all previous flagship Pinot Noir releases under the Scarlett label.
We consider our Y07 block as holding the deepest and most consistent of soils across all our sites. This allows our Pinot to beautifully handle seasonal stress and develop fruit complexity naturally. As the seasons pass, we’ve understood through the mediums of science and taste, that the flavours on this relatively small block will usually develop differently from top to bottom. This level of understanding, through technology such as EM38 mapping, has informed our picking and fermenting approach – the team harvesting and fermenting top versus bottom separately to capture and isolate those delicate nuances.
True to our process, the block was picked in two instalments – bottom rows first and top rows a week later. All rows were carefully harvested by hand, ensuring systematic sorting as the team went through. Quality is looking excellent as an early first read. The important next steps in the winery, however, will determine whether the fruit from this block will earn its place under the esteemed Scarlett label this vintage.
Our last Scarlett release, from 2017, was met with a stellar reception – receiving a rare 99-point score from James Halliday himself. Watch this space!
Early morning in the Valley, the top of our estate vineyard peeking through the trunks of our centuries-old Elms.
Our team were out early, picking Pinot in our Y21 block while the air was crisp and the grapes cold. The MV6 Pinot grapes you see here will make their way into our adored Village collection. This site was cropping at around 3.5 tonnes to the acre, and our entire team are extremely pleased with the level of quality coming through.
Next up is Pinot from our Springlane vineyard and next week, our beloved Y07 block – home to our Scarlett. Stay tuned Pinot lovers.
Images taken by Darren Rathbone, CEO & Winemaker.
It’s all smiles and flying pick buckets over here. Meet the team at the heart and soul of all the work we carry out in the vineyards — where our quest for great wine begins every year.
Meet Blake, Burnsy, Jimmy, Bucky & Rod – who are all key members of our Vineyard & Viticulture team. We also work with local pickers with years of experience under their belts, who patiently and carefully help us harvest row by row.
Chardonnay galore, about to be whole bunch pressed. Our first hand pick of the season!
Earlier this week, our team took on the revered Y28 Block which produces our Reserve level Chardonnay. A large block, it stands at around 2.5 hectares with a slight fall from top to bottom, encouraging beautiful and progressive flavour development across the site. Its harvest typically spreads over several days, so our many patient hands will be back at work here before the week is through.
Harvest has officially begun here at Yering Station – one of our favourite times of the year. At 4am this morning our team embarked on their first pick, starting with Chardonnay in our namesake vineyard. Using machine harvesters, the fruit from this block is destined for the Chardonnay you know and love under our self-titled collection. Rod (Viticulturist) and Brendan (Winemaker) are thrilled with the fruit quality from this morning’s harvest, which is looking to be super clean and pristine.
Stay tuned as we continue to lift the veil on all the behind the scenes action throughout Vintage 2021.
Meet the team:
Thomas ‘Bucky’ Mullen | Vineyard Manager
Frank, Blake & Burnsy | Vineyard Team operating our machine harvesters
Drew | Cellar Door
Get to know our new Senior Winemaker, his journey and wine philosophy.
Q: How did you first uncover your passion and get your start in wine?
A: I don’t come from a wine or agricultural family, but it was always revered at our table. I’d tag along to cellar door visits when we’d have family or friends visiting from overseas and can clearly remember how the weatherman on CH9 news would always announce the start of vintage in the Adelaide Hills. My beginnings on this path were somewhat unorthodox. I originally wanted to get into medicine or dentistry but didn’t make it on my first attempt. Rather than pick up a generic science or arts degree, I took a year off and started working odd jobs. During this year I met with a career counsellor and the outcome of that process was to either go back to school or enroll in winemaking. The decision was entirely based on how interesting and diverse I believed this exciting industry to be. And it was certainly the right choice; I hit the ground running with enthusiasm and have never looked back.
“I hit the ground running with enthusiasm…”
Q: Full circle, you’re back at Yering Station! You’ve been with the team for a total of 8 non-consecutive years so far in your career. What drew you to re-join the Yering Station team?
A: Having worked at Yering Station for 8 out of the last 12 years, from a Cellar Hand up to Winemaker, I looked back on the years. They were full of wonderful memories and experiences. During that time, I had developed a deep understanding of our vineyards and a knowledge of how truly special they are. When the opportunity arose to return and lead the winery team, it was something too good to refuse.
Q: With the gift of perspective up your sleeve, how have you seen Yering Station and its wines evolve over the years? And the Yarra Valley region?
A: The most dramatic changes have occurred in the vineyard through both precision viticulture mapping and the threat of Phylloxera. The precision viticulture developed by Nathan Scarlett has enabled us to really hunt out and define particular areas within larger blocks that are simply better than the rest. We then harvest these parcels separately, which brings us wines that show greater depth in complexity, purity and power.
Due to the threat of Phylloxera in the Yarra Valley, we have been gradually replanting both vacant and established blocks with varieties on Phylloxera resistant rootstocks. This has provided the opportunity to recalibrate our varietal composition, and ensure the appropriate varieties are planted on well suited sites. There are new varieties now too, with Grenache and Mourvèdre cropping since 2019 and Marsanne and Roussanne coming on in 2021.
There has also been a lot of work revitalising vineyard soils, through cover crops, spreading of compost and mulch. This has introduced much needed organic matter back into the soil, increasing water and nutrient holding capacity. Some blocks are almost like different vineyards now, with less stress, healthy cropping levels and balanced vigour, all of which has raised the quality of the wine coming out the other end.
“The Yarra is also a model in cooperation…”
The region as whole has only gone from strength to strength, further cementing itself as a leader in premium Australian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, not to mention cool-climate Shiraz and Cabernet blends. The Yarra is also a model in cooperation, not just in how it markets itself to the world, but internally in how it shares technical information and experience, with all producers striving to raise the bar each year.
Q: In your role of Senior Winemaker, how will you strive to shape the future trajectory of Yering Station’s winemaking style?
A: There is a legacy of quality here at Yering Station, specifically at top end of our range, which I intend to respect and maintain. That being said, my style of winemaking is focused on elegance and purity of fruit, so I’ll be doing my best to not get in the way of the how the vineyards express themselves, and also to find the complementary parcels needed to piece together our blends. I’ll also be working closely with Rod (Rod Harrison, Viticulturist) in the vineyard to make sure we’re on top of picking decisions that will deliver bright wines with a varietal freshness of fruit.
“There is a legacy of quality here at Yering Station… which I intend to respect and maintain.”
Q: Looking toward your first vintage at the helm of the winemaking team, what are you most excited about for V21?
A: Working with some of my favourite blocks again – namely Y28 Chardonnay, Y07 Pinot and Carr Vineyard Shiraz. I’m also looking forward to seeing some of the new plantings and clonal material that came on in 2019 & 2020.
We can’t wait to bring you more words from our winemakers as we head into Vintage 2021.
We’re delighted to announce that Brendan Hawker has joined our long-serving winemaking team!
No stranger, Brendan has spent a great deal of time at Yering Station at different points throughout his career – totaling 8 years all up. Brendan first started with us as bright-eyed Cellar Hand and soon worked his way up to the position of Winemaker. Now, Brendan returns at the helm and ready to lead us through Vintage 2021.
We’re thrilled to have his passion, integrity-driven approach leading our team and vision. Learn more about Brendan and his journey here.
The Yering Station winemaking & viticulture team. L – R: James Oliver (Winemaker), Brendan Hawker (Senior Winemaker), Rod Harrison (Viticulturist), Garry Shotter (Assistant Winemaker & Cellar Manager), Thomas “Bucky” Mullen (Vineyard Manager). Not pictured: Darren Rathbone (CEO & Winemaker across the Rathbone Wine Group).
We’re delighted to announce that our doors are now open. Our gardens, cellar door and restaurant have missed you all!
Gardens
Wander through our beautifully manicured Michael McCoy gardens. Take in the spring sunshine, while enjoying the sights and sounds of the Yarra Valley.
Cellar Door
Visit our heritage Cellar Door for wine tastings as guided by our expert staff. Purchase our full collection of wines, as well as artisanal local produce at our Cellar Store. Walk ins are welcome. Seated tastings only.
Restaurant
Dine in our signature restaurant overlooking the Yarra Ranges. Choose 2 or 3 courses from our new seasonal menu by Ben Smith. Indoor and outdoor dining available. Reservations prior to visiting are essential. Place your reservation here.
Open 7 days | 10am – 5pm weekdays | 10am – 6pm weekends
For more information, please call us on 03 9730 0100 or fill in our contact form.
We were thrilled to be featured in The Real Review and Good Food’s annual Top Wineries list as the #1 Yarra Valley winery.
Coming in at #10 across the nation, we are proud to represent our beautiful region and it’s magnificent cool climate wines.
Commended for our Pinot Noir and Shiraz Viognier, Huon Hooke was impressed with the caliber of our flagship wines from the 2017 vintage.
“The Reserve Shiraz Viognier and Scarlett Pinot Noir of this year share top honours.” – Huon Hooke, The Real Review.
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