Yarra Yarra Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarra Valley 1998

Yarra Yarra Wineries wines are abosiltely fantastic...  it was unfortunate that their winery was destroyed in the Black Saturday fires, however they have pursued and keep and eye on their future wines

It all started in 1974 when Ian attended a wine tasting led by Michael Broadbent Master of Wine (MW), who recently retired after 30 years as Head of Christie’s Wine Department.

Ian tasted some of the great Bordeaux first growths and his palate and wine passion were expanded exponentially. There was no going back and in 1977, after a two year search, a 17-hectare site containing three well-drained northerly slopes perfect for vines was purchased at Steels Creek, the northern end of the Yarra Valley, about one hour’s drive north east of Melbourne.

In 1979, the first hectare of vines was planted followed by a further hectare in 1980. The classic Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon were planted. There were further plantings totalling five and a half hectares on the other two northerly slopes in 1996 and 1997, again with the classic Bordeaux red and white varieties, except for one hectare of Syrah. These three hills are named after our daughters, Sarah, Phoebe and Charlotte and each has its own personality!!! Finally two hectares, mostly Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier with a small area of Syrah were planted in 2002 on a gentle westerly slope, called “the no-name hill”.

Our winemaking philosophy is “let the grapes talk and treat them gently and with respect” and only estate grown grapes are used to make the wines. Many have said Ian Maclean produces sophisticated wines, bringing an Old World reserve and elegance to New World fruit. Wines from Yarra Yarra they are often mistaken as European wines and are pure, natural wines made to be enjoyed with food.

The vineyard philosophy is no irrigation, open canopies, cane pruning, minimal spraying with only organic sprays and no use of pesticides. Yields are purposely kept low, between three and five tonnes per hectare to ensure grapes are produced with intense flavours. The grapes are always picked on flavour and tannin ripeness, never by chemical numbers!