Yering Station Reserve Chardonnay 2021

Yering Station was founded in 1838, just three years after Melbourne was first settled by Europeans, produced the first Yarra Valley wine and became Victoria's first commercial vineyard. In 1996, the Rathbone family purchased Yering Station, revitalised the vineyards and transformed the historic property into a renowned winery and tourism destination. Tom Carson was appointed winemaker, and during his 12-year tenure, he helped put the winery on the map and the Rathbone family realise their vision. 

"Wonderful season in the Yarra Valley, so little surprise that a wine of this class emerges. It’s sourced from two vineyards – at Yering Station and Coldstream and naturally fermented in 500L French oak puncheons. The power of the Mendoza clone is immediately evident on the nose and reinforced on the palate with beautiful floral notes and a savoury element bringing complexity. The palate combines elegance and refinement with the power of that Mendoza clone, delivering to a super long palate. Exceptional wine."  Ray Jordan

Expert reviews

"Wonderful season in the Yarra Valley, so little surprise that a wine of this class emerges. It’s sourced from two vineyards – at Yering Station and Coldstream and naturally fermented in 500L French oak puncheons. The power of the Mendoza clone is immediately evident on the nose and reinforced on the palate with beautiful floral notes and a savoury element bringing complexity. The palate combines elegance and refinement with the power of that Mendoza clone, delivering to a super long palate. Exceptional wine. Drink 2023-2035."  Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot - 97 points

"Complex and lifted aromas of grapefruit pith, nougat, just-ripe white stone fruit, grilled nuts, white flowers and wet stone. There’s plenty going on here. Opulently flavoured, rich and multi-faceted. There’s a pure drive of citrus and stone fruit along with mealy, nutty oak and punchy, shapely acidity. Lovely weight, texture and length. A very complete chardonnay. Drink: 2023-2032."  Aaron Brasher, The Real Review - 96 points

"An average vine age of 20 years. Barrel fermented in 500L barrels (20% new) with 10 months in barrel and another five months in tank with lees. A bright green gold. With its aromas of white peach, tangerine oil, some toasted hazelnuts and a little vanilla bean, this has immediate appeal. Equally engaging on the gently fleshy, impeccably balanced and very long palate. A wine to drink and enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. Drink by 2028." Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion - 96 points

"A top wine from a top Yarra Valley vintage. Aromas of cool climate, pristine fruit on show, all bright and lemony, white spring flowers flowing with quince and almond bread. A mere youngster but a precocious one of surprising depth. You can imagine some smart, future bottle development lies ahead. Stony, slatey acidity is a driver, brisk and clean. Tight coils of lemon, grapefruit, green apple, lemon drop and almond appear in unison with a developing textural mouthfeel. Lemon verbena with a whisper of wild savoury notes kicking in, enliven the finish. Clean cut, precise and classic in style. Drink: 2023-2030."  Jeni Port, Wine pilot - 95 points

"Pristine and elegant wine, with a high toned nose showing scents of green melon, yellow and green fruits and floral undertones. Precise and textural, long."  Decanter World Wine Awards 2023 - 95 points and Gold Medal

Awards

Gold Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards 2023

About the winery

Yering Station was founded in 1838, just three years after Melbourne was first settled by Europeans. The pioneering Ryrie brothers acquired 43,000 acres of land in the Yarra Valley and named the property 'Yering', its Aboriginal name. They planted a small vineyard with two grape varieties, establishing the Yarra Valley wine region and becoming Victoria's first commercial vineyard. They made the first Yarra Valley wine seven years later, in 1845.

The property remained primarily a cattle station until Swiss-French immigrant Paul de Castella took ownership in 1850. He planted 20,000 grape-vine cuttings imported from around the globe, including some from Chateau Lafite, and by 1859, 51 acres were under vine. The same year, construction of the original winery began to house the winemaking equipment. Today, this historic building houses the cellar door.

By the 1860s, other vineyards had been established in the Yarra Valley. A second de Castella brother, Hubert, planted St Huberts in 1863 and Guillaume de Pury established Yeringburg in 1864. Plantings in the Valley reached nearly 1000 acres by the turn of the century. 

Following the bank crash of the 1890s, Paul de Castella sold Yering in 1896 to his creditors and winemaking stopped. The property was converted to a dairy farm in 1901 and to stables in the 1920s. The onset of the Great Depression and the increasing popularity of fortified wine saw all the vines in the Yarra Valley uprooted in the 1920s and the lands returned to pasture.

The rejuvenation of the Valley as one of Australia’s great cool climate regions began in the 1960s, with many new vineyards planted, including the re-establishment of Yeringburg and St Huberts. However, it wasn’t until 1988 that Yering Station was replanted, and the first wines of the new era were made by contract in 1991.

In 1996, the Rathbone family purchased Yering Station, revitalised the vineyards and transformed the historic property into a renowned winery and tourism destination. Tom Carson was appointed winemaker, and during his 12-year tenure, he helped put the winery on the map and the Rathbone family realise their vision. He produced many outstanding wines from a number of grape varieties, but perhaps his greatest success was the creation of the Reserve Shiraz Viognier, which swept all before it in wine competitions in the early 2000s. Carson was also named 'International Winemaker of the Year' at the 2004 International Wine and Spirit Competition in London.