2022 Yarra Yering Underhill Shiraz

98 POINTS

James Halliday - Halliday Wine Companion

From a shiraz vineyard planted in 1973 adjacent to Yarra Yering. A vivid crimson purple colour, a mix of whole-bunch and berry fermentation and maturation in large format French oak. This is a glorious shiraz, bursting with life and what will surely be a 40-year life span, so perfectly framed and balanced are its black cherry and blackberry fruit duo, tannins obediently bending the knee to the fruit.

97 POINTS

Decanter World Wine Awards

Inviting red plums, berries, rhubarb and herbs are shrouded flawlessly in a mystifying collective of smoky meat, earthy spice and toast. Ample tannins and fleshy texture drive the palate with an enthralling peppered raspberry finish.

95 POINTS

James Suckling

Perfumed and spice-driven aromas of boysenberries, pepper, rose petals and five spice. The palate is medium-bodied with finely integrated tannins and bright acidity, giving notes of cassia bark, wild raspberries and dried strawberries. Very polished and elegant.

95 POINTS

Huon Hooke - The Real Review

Brilliant full purple-red hue with aromas of violet/floral nutmeg/spices, the palate bursting with immature fruit that possibly could have enjoyed longer in the barrel. Peppery cool-grown aromas abound. The tannins are fine and emery-like. A wine that is balanced and elegant enough to drink young but I would cellar it to bring more complexity into it. Elegant and delicious.

95 POINTS

Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front

Underhill is a single block of shiraz on the western side of this heralded Yarra Valley estate. This block was planted in 1973. I’ve slowly been working my way through a fantastic vertical tasting of Underhill Shiraz (1989-2021) held at the estate in 2023, with notes going – here. This 2022 release was not at that tasting; I have it on the bench in front of me now. This wine is more complex than your average bear. It clearly has some stalk influence, and it clearly presents an array of smoky, woodsy, peppery characters, as well as flashes of mescal and Campari-like herb notes. The fruit is ripe, deep, fresh and meaty at once, with ultra-long chains of grainy, smoky tannin drawing through. We’re talking red berried fruits with a darkness in their centre. This ripe, juicy Yarra Valley Shiraz has its savoury side in a firm embrace. It’s quite herbal, quite smoky, and quite tannic, all in a positive way. It has a bit of dare to it. In time, it will flourish.

93 POINTS

Jeremy Oliver

Wild and fragrant, with a fiery, spicy and peppery bouquet of cassis, blackberries and redcurrants backed by faintly smoky, creamy vanilla oak with earthy, chocolatey undertones and a whiff of licorice. Medium in weight, it's long, supple and savoury, with a gentle spine of faintly crunchy tannins. Quite St-Joseph-like, but could use more extract.

93 POINTS

Erin Larkin - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2022 Shiraz Underhill aromatically leads with resinous tobacco character, raspberry and mortadella, cassis, perfume and dried flowers. In the mouth, the wine is lean and full of whole-bunch characters, although I believe this only makes up about 20% of the wine. With dried orange peel and bergamot, musk sticks (fondant candy), lavender and blueberries, this is elegant but lean and bunchy. It's a style and done well. From an eight-acre, clay-based soil Shiraz block with a westerly aspect planted in 1973. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. in 2023, this wine won the trophy for Best Victorian Shiraz at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards.