Station Yarra Valley Shiraz Viognier

Yering Station's Shiraz Viognier draws on a winemaking decision that is deliberate and structural: a small addition of Viognier is co-fermented alongside Shiraz — not blended after the fact — so the aromatic compounds from Viognier's skins bond directly with Shiraz's tannins during primary fermentation, softening grip without sacrificing definition. This is the same technique used in the northern Rhône, applied here to the cool southern slopes of the Yarra Valley. The Yarra Valley's volcanic loam and well-drained gravels, at elevations between 50 and 400 metres under maritime cool-climate influence, produce Shiraz that achieves phenolic ripeness well ahead of sugar ripeness — the estate's stated priority — yielding structure and length rather than jammy weight. Wild yeast fermentation and hand-plunging during primary fermentation extract tannin gently; French oak at restrained new-oak percentages amplifies the valley's natural minerality rather than overlaying it. What sets this expression apart within Australian Shiraz is the co-fermentation technique at this price tier — a practice almost exclusively reserved for Reserve-level bottlings elsewhere. The current vintage reflects the Yarra Valley's cool-climate character: taut, site-driven, and built for the medium term.