Founded in 1969 by the visionary Dr. Bailey Carrodus, Yarra Yering is one of Australia’s most revered wine estates and a cornerstone of the Yarra Valley’s modern identity. Known for precision, restraint, and extraordinary longevity, Yarra Yering’s Dry Red series remains among the most collectible wines in Australia.
Wine Overview
Dry Red No. 1 is Yarra Yering’s classic Bordeaux-style blend, typically composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. It represents the estate’s most intellectual and age-worthy red — elegant, savoury, and perfectly proportioned, designed for decades of graceful evolution.
Vineyard
The original Yarra Yering vineyard, planted in 1969, lies on north-facing slopes of Coldstream in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Its free-draining, gravelly soils and cool climate produce fruit of precision and perfume — a site that defined modern cool-climate Australian Cabernet.
Winemaking
Traditional small-batch fermentation with hand plunging, followed by maturation in French oak barriques (around 40% new) for 18 months. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered, allowing its natural structure and complexity to express themselves over time.
Vintage
The 2003 vintage was warm and dry across the Yarra Valley, resulting in small crops and deeply concentrated fruit. Despite the intensity of the season, Yarra Yering’s hallmark balance and freshness remain intact — a vintage of richness framed by savoury definition.
Tasting Notes
The 2003 Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 1 reveals aromas of blackcurrant, plum, and bay leaf layered with cedar, graphite, and tobacco. The palate is composed and savoury — cassis and dark cherry framed by fine, chalky tannins and integrated oak. Now beautifully mature, it shows tertiary notes of leather and spice with a persistent, graceful finish.
Technical Information
Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria
Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot
Vintage: 2003
Alcohol: ~13.5%
Maturation: 18 months in French oak (approx. 40% new)
Closure: Cork
Drinking Window: Now – 2030+
An Australian Classic
The 2003 Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 1 stands as a testament to the estate’s philosophy of balance and longevity. A rare, perfectly evolved example from one of Australia’s most respected vineyards — refined, complex, and quietly powerful.
