Yarra Yering Dry Red No.1 2024

Think of it as an investment in the future. One of Australia's most age-worthy wines. The Yarra Valley’s most celebrated name – and arguably the spiritual leader of the pack – Dry Red No. 1 is a Cabernet and Malbec blend that defies gravity. It flirts with intensity, yet holds back from revealing all. Regal and aristocratic. Introverted. Quiet money. The not-too-revealing type.

And in 2022, it’s arguably in the finest form of its storied history.

Back in 1969, Dr Bailey Carrodus planted the first vines at the foothills of the Warramate Ranges – the end of a long, determined search to find a dress-circle site in the Yarra where noble French grapes could hold court.

Since then, a revolving door of viticultural wizards and winemaking masters have led from the front at Yarra Yering, all while honouring the original recipe first mastered by Carrodus.

Today, the estate is under the stewardship of Sarah Crowe – a recipient of countless awards, including Winemaker of the Year. Her leadership marks a kind of second coming for Yarra Yering: a charge back to the forefront of Australia’s fine wine scene.

And through it all, Dry Red No. 1 remains unchanged in spirit.

The 2022 is a masterclass in restraint and detail: pencil shavings, ferrous iron, violets and boysenberry, leather and tilled earth. There’s dried flowers, clove, thyme, and that telltale whisper of undergrowth – old tea chests filled with whole bunches.

What majesty. A breathtaking wine that will reward anyone lucky enough to have it in their cellar – now or decades from now.

A cooler vintage, so this isn’t about brute power. This one is all about structure. Red and black fruits, graphite, a touch of bay leaf…
fine tannins, long finish, everything in place.

A wine that doesn’t try to impress early… it’s built for the long haul. But those early accolades tell you it’s already drinking beautifully.