Yering Station Village Pinot Noir 2018 Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia 75cl

Yering Station was established in 1838 and is one of Victoria’s oldest wineries, set in the cool Yarra Valley just outside Melbourne. Its Village range brings that long pedigree down to an accessible, everyday price, made to show what the valley does well without asking for the cellar.

Pinot Noir is the Yarra’s signature red, and the Village bottling is made in a bright, welcoming style. The aim is freshness and immediate charm, a wine of red fruit and gentle structure that drinks beautifully young rather than one built for long ageing.

The 2018 vintage produced ripe but fresh cool-climate fruit, and that balance shows in the glass. The wine keeps the lift and delicacy typical of good Yarra Pinot while offering plenty of generous, juicy fruit up front.

Expect red and black cherry with macerated strawberry, touched by dusty cocoa and a gentle earthiness, all carried on a juicy palate and a fine lattice of soft tannin. Lightly chilled, it is lovely with duck, salmon, roast chicken or a simple charcuterie board.

For those who enjoy Burgundy or the cooler Pinot Noirs of Australia and New Zealand, the Village is a consistent, well-priced way into the Yarra Valley, honest and food-friendly in equal measure.