Yarra Yering Dry Red #2 2022

This 2022 vintage has earned exceptional recognition with 99 points from Halliday Wine Companion and 96 points from The Real Review, placing it among Australia's most awarded reds. The wine demonstrates Yarra Valley's unique ability to produce shiraz that balances power with elegance, showcasing the region's cooler climate influence that allows for extended ripening and complex flavour development. Its Langton's Classification status further confirms its position as a benchmark Australian shiraz with proven cellaring potential.

The Yarra Valley's cool climate and diverse soils create ideal conditions for producing refined, aromatic shiraz that differs markedly from warmer Australian regions. This terroir allows the grapes to retain natural acidity while developing complex aromatics like violets and five spice, rather than the jammy characteristics often found in hotter climates. The result is a wine that expresses both power and finesse, with the structured tannins and perfumed qualities that have made Yarra Valley shiraz internationally renowned.

The wine's complex flavour profile of summer pudding fruits, cigar box, and cardamom makes it versatile with rich, savoury dishes. Classic pairings include grilled lamb with herbs, aged beef steaks, or game meats that complement the wine's structured tannins and spice notes. The cedar and bramble characteristics also work beautifully with mushroom-based dishes, mature cheeses, or even dark chocolate desserts that echo the wine's sophisticated complexity.

While this wine is already drinking beautifully and 'singing' according to the tasting notes, its structured tannins and complexity suggest excellent cellaring potential of 10-15 years or more. Yarra Yering's track record and the wine's Langton's Classification indicate it will develop additional layers of tertiary flavours over time. The 2022 vintage benefits from the producer's old vine fruit sources, which typically provide the concentration and balance necessary for extended ageing in proper cellar conditions.

Old vine fruit typically comes from vines that are 30+ years old, producing smaller yields of more concentrated, complex grapes with deeper root systems that access diverse soil layers. These mature vines naturally regulate their own vigour, leading to more consistent fruit quality and enhanced flavour intensity. For this Yarra Yering shiraz, the old vine designation helps explain the wine's remarkable depth, the intricate spice and floral aromatics, and its ability to achieve such high critical scores while maintaining elegant structure.