The French will not like this Winery, but the British will love it
Tasted in March 2015
Gruyere, Victoria
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
After finishing an eight month working tour at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, it was time for a quick tour of Australia before returning to the USA, beginning in Melbourne, and then a wine tour to the Yarra Valley. The Yarra wine region is an hours drive outside of Melbourne, and over a two day period, I would visit six wine vineyards for tastings plus lunches at two others. This was my second stop on the first day and my favorite vineyard for the whole trip, Yarra Yering.
Now, why would the French hate this winery, but the British would love it, I will explain that later, but you can sum it up in one word; Agincourt. On this first wine touring day I would manage only two wineries' and lunch since I decided to stop at the Healesville Sanctuary to see some Koala Bears and Kangaroo’s for the second half of the day. After all I was in Australia!!
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From vineyards home page:
Yarra Yering is one of the oldest and most beautiful vineyards in the Yarra Valley consisting of 28 hectares of vines located at the foot of the Warramate Hills. Established in 1969 by Dr Bailey Carrodus the 1973 vintage saw the production of the first vintage of Dry Red Wines – No’s 1 & 2. This saw Yarra Yering quickly gain an international reputation for quality and individuality. We invite you to explore our wine and discover more about our history, our present and our future.
Main review:
As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, Agincourt is the reason the French will hate this winery, but why the British will love it. As a fan of history as soon as I saw the name as one of their ranges for grape growing, I knew that I would like this winery, and what this articles theme would in-tale. For those who know the name Agincourt, then you are aware of why I say the French will hate it. For those who are not familiar, Agincourt was a battle fought between the British and the French on the 25th of October, 1415, during The One Hundred Years War. The commanders on the field were King Henry V of England against the Constable of France, Charles d’Albret, Comte de Dreux. King Henry’s army numbered around 5,000 knights, men-at-arms and archers. Estimates of the size of the French army vary from 30,000 to as high as 100,000 men. It had rained the night before and the French army moved slowly across the field of battle. The Welsh bowman let loose, and by the end of the day, the British not only defeated the French army, but slaughtered them. Charles D’Albret, was killed with numbers of other prominent French nobles. It was believed among the English archers during the Hundred Years War that the French intended to cut off the first and second right hand fingers of every captured archer to prevent him from again using a bow. The archers raised those two fingers to the advancing French as a gesture of defiance. That gesture is still used to this very day.
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| The Battle of Agincourt |
Upon arrival at the Yarra Yering property and cellar door, you can see the vineyards sprawling out, with a few large trees scatted about, and beyond was the Yarra Valley with hills pushing up as far as the eyes could see. You walk by the start of the vineyards from the parking area towards the cellar door and see a sign warning the guests to not enter the vineyards as phylloxera has been an issue. So what do I see but a group of Chinese tourists who walk into the vineyard and pull some grapes from the vines. I guess the sign should be in Chinese as well. When I inquired about the sign later on, it was brought to my attention that the reason the sign was put there was because of the Chinese, and they still go into the vineyards. The Australian, European, and American guests heed the warnings of the sign, respect the vineyard, and stay out.
The cellar door tasting room was on the second floor of the building, past an old wooden press used before the days of large industrial machines. There were three tastings available ranging from $10 to $15 Australian dollars depending on which you wanted, and if you purchased some wine, then the fee was waved. I tried the current vintage plus the museum release tasting which consisted of six wines.
Among these wines were the Agincourt, to which the folks at the winery also showed the vineyard layout and where this cabernet grape grew. Among the other wines to taste were a shiraz, chardonnay, rose, pinot noir, and a cabernet-merlot blend. Besides the Agincourt section, the vineyard had other colorful battles from history where the British had won such as Waterloo, and Salamanca. That battle, also known as the Battle of the Arapiles was fought in 1812 during the Peninsular War, and was a stunning success to the British Commander, The Duke of Wellington. Every bloack section of the vineyard had a famous battle name, which in itself was yet another story. Not all were defeats of the French, some were Spanish, but the main theme was the Britain was the victor in all.
Since I mentioned writing for this blog and taking extensive notes on the experience, they gave me a few other tastes to include one that I enjoyed as much as the Agincourt and the shiraz called the dry red no.2, which are grapes combined from the ranges of Blenheim, Waterloo, Salamanca, and Corunna, and is a Northern Rhone style blended wine. I enjoy many varieties of wine both red and white, but am very partial to the Rhone wines and they will also be my go to wine. The Battle of Blenheim was part of the War of Spanish Succession where the Duke of Marlborough defeated the French army of Louis XIV, and the Battle of Corunna was like Salamanca, a part of the Peninsular War where British Major General Sir John Moore fought against the Emperor Napoleon of France. This battle was also the only one on the list that I saw where the British lost the battle.
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| The Battle of Blenheim |
Of the six wineries that I visited on my two day tour of the Yarra Valley, this was my favorite on that list. Yes, they played to my vanity and love of history, but to me their wine was also fantastic. The customer service was beyond par, and for an overall experience I rate them very high. See the ratings and other accolades and information in the charts below.
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| The Battle of Corunna |
By the way, I skipped out the information on Waterloo, so please tell me you know about the Battle of Waterloo. If not, pick up a history book and read it while you enjoy a nice glass of Agincourt Cabernet.
96 - 100
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is Extraordinary
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90 - 95
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is Outstanding
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80 -89
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is Above the Average
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70 - 79
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is Below the Average
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60 - 69
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poor / appalling / “Cac”
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Review basics:
Wine, Dine, & Play’s Rating
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96
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| Robert Parker The Wine Advocate | 95 points for the 2006 Underhill shiraz, and 94 points on the 2008 dry red wine No.1. |
| James Halliday | 96 points on the 2008 dry red wine No.1, and 95 points on the 2006 Underhill shiraz. 97 points on the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Wines Produced | Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Red Blend, Bordeaux Blend (a.k.a., Meritage), Viognier White: Chardonnay, White Blend, Rose |
| Grape Blends | Red: Shiraz, Viognier, Mataro, & Marsanne Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenere (Meritage) Cabernet Sauvignon & Malbec Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, Tinta Amarela, Alvarelhão, & Souzão Chardonnay, Sémillon |
| Regulatory | AGWA: The Australian Grape and Wine Authority |
| Barrel Types | French oak, ex-cognac puncheon sourced from 15 different coopers |
| Barrel Aging | 1 year to 21 months |
Cases Produced:
Per Year:
Average of 5000
This or these wines remind me of:
Yarra Yering Vineyard has the full monte for variety of wines like the Agincourt which was the main highlight and attraction that had this winery stick out above all the rest. This cabernet reminds me of one I tasted called Crocker & Star in Napa, California. Their pinot noir was light, fruit forward and mild tannins reminded me of a tasting from Archery Summit vineyards in Willamette Valley, Oregon, and of course the Shiraz took me back to Stellenbosch, South Africa where I tasted some of the best shiraz and red blends in my life outside my all time favorites in the Rhone like Yarra Yering's dry red no.2. The Underhill Shiraz reminds me of the De Trafford Winery.
For food pairings, the Agincourt Cabernet though a little liter than the power punching California cabernets could stand up to a powerful steak like a New York Strip, just like their shiraz could. The pinot being typical to that of Oregon and Burgundy, i would pare with a duck dish or even a nice Italian chicken alfredo. The Rose I tasted is one of those wines that you can have with anything and be happy from a salad to a cheese platter, or even some nice pork chops char-grilled and topped with peach puree. The Chardonnay like the butter bombs in California need to stick to white meat or fish. I have seen people drink them with a strong red meat, but to me the flavors arn’t there. In the end with whatever you eat, enjoy drinking what you like, and if it is a chardonnay with a steak, then hey, you bought both of them, so you enjoy. Below is more detailed information on the wines tasted with pricing. They do offer shipments to the United States at roughly $100 per case on top the sales price.
Other Yarra Valley favorites on Wine, Dine, and Play:
TarraWarra Restaurant, in Healesville
Bottle Prices
(excluding taxes)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00
**Currencies chosen reflect the world’s major travelers and restaurant connoisseur’s**
Wine Selction:
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Currency in the top wine producing countries: | Price Chart : |
Underhill Shiraz 2012 (750 ml)
|
||
$92.00
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$$
|
$66.00
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
£47.00
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€61.00
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
$89.00
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
¥431.00
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥¥
|
R 1,036.00
|
South African Rand (ZAR)
|
R
|
$1,043.00
|
Argentine Peso (ARS)
|
$$$$$
|
$45,728.00
|
Chilean Peso (CLP)
|
$$$$$
|
$100.00
|
New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
|
$$$
|
Agincourt 2012 (750 ml)
|
||
$86.00
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$$
|
$62.00
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
£44.00
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€56.00
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
Vin De Las Maison Rose 2013 (750 ml)
|
||
$40.00
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$
|
$29.00
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
£21.00
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€26.00
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
Pinot Noir 2013 (750 ml)
|
||
$92.00
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$$
|
$66.00
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
£47.00
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€61.00
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
Carrodus Cabernet Merlot 2012 (750 ml)
|
||
$250.00
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$$$$
|
$179.00
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$$
|
£128.00
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£££
|
€164.00
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€€
|
Chardonnay 2011 (750 ml)
|
||
$88.00
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$$
|
$63.00
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
£45.00
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€58.00
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
Cost of wine tasting in AUS (p/p):
| FLIGHT ONE: CURRENT VINTAGE & MUSEUM RELEASE | $10.00 |
| FLIGHT TWO: CARRODUS RANGE | $10.00 |
| FLIGHT THREE: ALL WINES (FLIGHTS 1 + 2) | $15.00 |
Bouquet & Palette:
Wine & Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
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Palette Experience:
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Underhill Shiraz 2012
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Blood plums and cigar oak with a violet floral lift from the stalk use.
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Darker fruits and spice from the clay soil, chewier tannins, and savory undertones, with a firm long finish.
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Agincourt Cabernet 2012
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This block is the most easterly part of the vineyard with blue fruits, cassis and leafy herbal notes.
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A twist of jalapeno, with inky robust fruit and ample tannins
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Vin De Las Maison Rose 2013
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A melange of red with pale salmon pink blush, lightly floral
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Subtle red berries, honeysuckle and lemon tones
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Pinot Noir 2013
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Brambly forrest floor and savory spices
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Layered palate, with sweet fruit and spice flavors, structured oak and firm tannin backbone.
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Carrodus Cabernet Merlot 2012
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Bitter Chocolate, blueberry, and plum fruits with a violet floral lift
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A big wine with balanced fruit and tannins to match. Bright acid that only time will tame
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Chardonnay 2011
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Nose of nashi pear, stonefruit, ginger cream and lemongrass with subtle oak.
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Crunchy apple and vibrant long finish
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Château or Vineyard Owner:
Dr. Bailey Carrodus
Winemaker:
Sarah Began
Vineyard &Tasting Room address:
4 Briarty Road
Gruyere, Victoria
Australia, 3770
GPS Coordinates:
-37.714556
145.468607
Contact Information:
Tasting room:
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+61 (3) 5964 9267
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| Fax: | +61 (3) 5964 9239 |
| Website: | Yarra Yering |
| Email: | Contact Winery |
| Social Media: |
Facebook Link |
| Twitter@YarraYering | |
Tasting Room Information:
Monday - Saturday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
AEDT: Australian Eastern Daylight Time (GMT + 11:00)
Wine, Dine, and Play’s Favorite Wines
|
Stellenbosch, South Africa
|
Napa, California, USA
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Santa Barbara, California, USA
|
Franschhoek, South Africa
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Willamette, Oregon
|
Rutherford, California, USA
|
|
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
|
Stellenbosch, South Africa
|
|
Alexander Valley, California, USA
|
Napa, California, USA
|
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Yountville, California
|
Willamette, Oregon
|
Yarra Yering
Yarra Valley, Australia
|
Constantia, South Africa
|
|
St Helena, California
|
Napa, California, USA
|
You can also use these sites for reference on the top wine categories:
Wine Spectator top 100, Food & Wine worlds best wine tasting experience, the Best Wines of the World list, uncorked.com worlds best list, Wines of the World best list, Forbes top wine list, weekly wine buys by Robert Parker, the Tasting Panel’s best wines list, the Wine Enthusiast top 100 list, Kens Wine Guide top 100, best Chilean wines list, Matthew Jukes top 100 of Australia, Top French Wines list, top California wines list, top Oregon wines list, The Italian Wine Connections top list, Taylor and Norton best German wine, best Spanish wines list, best 10 wines from Argentina.
Review by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
The Picture below was taken at the Biltmore Wine Estate
in Asheville, north Carolina, 2014.
About Sean:
I am based out of St. Petersburg, Florida working in the food service industry for the past twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef in Basra, Iraq. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, Dubai, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army food service program. The idea for the Wine, Dine, and Play Blog started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by others to write down the experiences from a few Jordanian restaurants, plus the wine from the region that I tasted, and locations of interest such as Petra, and the culture. Since that time, nearly 250 articles have been written on restaurants, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide; exotic world locations such as Dubai, Petra, and African Safari’s; food recipes & Grand Food Dictionaries; country cuisines such as Afghan and Peruvian; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
TTFN
“I like cooking with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.”
