Yarra Yering Underhill Shiraz 2006
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The purple-colored 2006 Underhill Shiraz is unlike anything out of Barossa and McLaren Vale. It reveals a complex aromatic array of cedar, violets, earth notes, black cherry, and black raspberry. Sweet and silky on the palate, it comes off as a Shiraz in Pinot Noir clothing; that is the type of finesse that this wine possesses. This unique effort should evolve for several years and offer prime drinking from 2011 through 2020.
Other Vintages
2003-
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
The wines are a reflection of this highly individual man, the site he chose so carefully, and the vagaries of the seasons in which they are produced. From the beginning the aim was to produce wines of elegance and sophistication. The vineyard is not irrigated, and this promotes strong root growth deep into the subsoils protecting the vines against the trials of drought, and allowing the fruit to express the characteristics of the terroir in which it is grown.
The vines are hand pruned and cared for by vineyard staff with decades of experience at Yarra Yering. The fruit is hand picked, it is crushed gently by the old crusher destemmer and fermented in small batches, before being hand pressed in the basket press. Maturation is in carefully selected French oak casks and the wine is bottled on site. These are artisan produced wines of the highest quality. Yarra Yering maintains a proud heritage established by an extraordinary man.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
As the most important area of wine production in Victoria today, the Yarra Valley is most popular for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which account for over half of vineyard acreage. A gentle, rolling and rural region alongside the Margaret River, the Yarra Valley has a cool maritime climate with a lengthy growing season, perfect for these cool-climate varieties.
Two styles of Pinot Noir are possible here. The warmer Lower Yarra Valley with sandy, loam soils, produces plush and fruity Pinot Noir while the cooler, higher-elevation Upper Yarra Valley with soils of young red basalt, produces more angular and mineral-driven Pinot Noir.
Yarra Valley Chardonnay is among the best in Australia. To preserve the floral aromatics and fresh citrus flavors for which this area’s Chardonnay is so appreciated, time in barrel is restrained (though barrel fermentation is common). The best Yarra Valley Chardonnays display brilliant acidity, leesy characteristics, citrus, stone fruit and flavors of ginger and spice.
Shiraz and Cabernet find success in parts of this region as well.