Dry Red N°2 2016

This cuvée is born at the Yarra Yering estate, in Gruyere, in the heart of the Yarra Valley, in the state of Victoria, south-eastern Australia. The vines, dry-farmed on the foothills of the Warramate Hills, enjoy a warm north-facing aspect, ancient, free-draining soils and the freshness of an elevated vineyard. The historic plots of Shiraz and Marsanne form the foundation of this Rhône-style blend.

The grapes are harvested by hand, sorted as whole bunches and then destemmed into small half-tonne open-top fermenters. A high proportion of whole berries is kept to promote perfume; stems are added back to some fermenters for structure and aromatic expression. Frozen Viognier or Marsanne skins complement some fermentations. The wine is then aged for twelve months in French barriques, 30% of them new, before blending and bottling.

This wine reveals notes of blackberry, blueberry, black plum, blackcurrant, violet, dried flowers, white pepper, liquorice, graphite, smoked meat, black olive and mocha. The profile combines the richness of black fruits with a very appealing floral, spicy and savoury dimension. The palate offers broad, supple fruit, lifted by fresh acidity; the velvety yet structuring tannins accompany a long, juicy, peppery finish.

Australia began making wine more than two centuries ago. The result is a country rich in old vines, multi-generational winemaking families and deep-rooted knowledge of and respect for the craft. Add to that a thirst for exploration and innovation, a fearless attitude and a varied portfolio of 65 wine regions across many climates, and you have the makings of an extraordinary wine country like few others. Australia burst onto export markets in the 1980s and has since been offering the whole world dynamic, fruity wines of exceptional value. Until the late 1990s and early 2000s, the story of Australian wine was dominated by overly concentrated examples of Shiraz, Grenache and red blends. Between these two extremes lies the diversity of Australia's high-quality and regional wines, which has always existed. Australian viticulture is mainly concentrated along the southern ocean fringe, where conditions are cooler. There are four main wine regions, located around the major cities: Western Australia around Perth, South Australia around Adelaide, Victoria around Melbourne and New South Wales around Sydney. The country is one of the world's largest wine producers and was the 4th-largest exporter in the world in 2011. This recent development has made Australia one of the most prominent countries for the quality of its wines. You can taste Australian wines all over the country. Each Australian region has its own grape varieties. Australian wines are defined by their grape variety, unlike French wines, which are defined by their terroir.