Location:

Yarrawood Estate is located in the Yarra Valley on the Melba Hwy, 3km north of the Yarra Glen township.

The Yarra Valley is considered to be one of Australia’s best cool climate wine growing regions. The mild weather allows for slow ripening and in combination with restricted yields leads to production of wines of premium quality.
The property sits at 82 – 104 metres above sea level. All fruit is 100% estate grown.

Trellis System:

Vines are grown using the Vertical Shoot Position (V.S.P.) trellis style.  V.S.P. promotes upright growth of the vine allowing for maximum air-flow through the canopy and maximum canopy surface area for increased sun intake. The systems structure also provides good protection to the fruit from sunburn.

Soil Conditions:

Soil type: Grey/brown fine sandy clay loam.
Gravel: Content is less than 5%.
Organic Matter: Content of approximately 6%
PH: 6.30.

The clay base provides good water retention and the close to neutral pH provides an ideal environment for nutrient uptake.

Vine Density

Vines are planted with a vine spacing of 1.5 metres.
Rows are 2.75 metres apart.
Vine density is 980 vines per acre.

Varieties:
The vineyard is home to more than 99,200 vines. The vines were planted as rootlings in 1996 and 1997.

Variety Chardonnay Riesling Sauvignon Blanc Verdelho Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Shiraz

Clone I10V1 198G FI4V9 E6V14 SA125 D3V14 MV6 & D5V12 1654

Harvest:

Fruit matures and is harvested according to flavour, acidity and sugar content. Normally picking falls within March and April. Harvesting is done predominately using a mechanical harvester. Some varieties are still hand picked. Riesling is one such variety which lends itself to the selective ability of handpicking. 3 – 3.5 kilograms is the average weight of fruit produced by a single vine, equating to approximately 3 – 3.4 tonnes per acre.

Wine Making:

Within hours of harvest the fruit begins the involved and long process of wine making. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Verdelho are made without wood contact, allowing for fresh/crisp, purely varietal bouquet and taste. Wine making of Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties and Chardonnay involve oak maturation. We incorporate a combination of French and American oak barrels (medium toast) to add to and intensify the complexity and depth of the wines. The time spent within barrels varies according to variety, from 6 to 8 months for the lighter red and Chardonnay varieties to more than 12 months for the heavier and fuller flavoured/bodied red varieties including Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine continues to further develop after bottling, and right up to the point of drinking.