The New Look Yabby Lake (2 years in the making) ...

Tasting @ circa, 1st June 2010

June 1st, 2010 signalled the coming of age for Tom Carson as General Manager and winemaker for Yabby Lake. This has been an evolution in the making since the beginning of 2008 when he set a new course for the style of wines that are now emerging. Don't get me wrong, the previous style was fine, but Tom's direction has been to lighten the wines, tone down the power and build in a little elegance and finesse. June 1st was a fitting day to release wines he considers his own, as it marks two years to the day his official start as head of the Kirby (think Village Cinemas) wine empire. (Empire is a little grandiose, but it works for me.)


The line-up for the day was the following five wines. These are my tasting notes, without scores, but I am sure you will get feel for their quality. This tasting took place at circa, and while I did not stay to enjoy the food created by Matt Wilkinson (I am starting to feel like Monty Python's Mr Creosote), Dan Sims and Sally Humble have relayed that it was nothing short of brilliant. Good work for some.

Yabby Lake Estate Chardonnay, 2008 ($44 rrp)
Bright mid-gold; a rich and open knit bouquet of citrus, ripe nectarine, fine oak and mineral streak running through the core; on the palate the wine is quite soft and enticing, showing lovely construct and line; complex but not complicated, relying on generosity and purity; long and quite attractive grilled nut character to conclude.

Yabby Lake 'Block 6' Chardonnay, 2008 ($75 rrp)
Pure, tight and focused, promising racy palate from the bouquet, which is layered and complex; the palate provides pure tight citrus fruit on entry and gives way to a more generous dollop of grapefruit and an enthralling mineral core; the finish is long, precise and incredibly persistent; unevolved and delicious now, but six months will see it hit its stride.

Yabby Lake Estate Pinot Noir, 2008 ($58 rrp)
A bright, pure and precise example of Mornington Pinot Noir; in fact I would go so far as to say it is a textbook example; bright red fruits, delicately spicy, plush in texture with underlying structure lurking below the ample fruit; long and with a touch of toastiness on the quite firm finish; savoury and serious indeed.

Yabby Lake 'Block 2' Pinot Noir, 2008 ($75 rrp)
Brighter and slightly deeper in colour than the estate, this is my favourite of the three wines; pure, fragrant and deeply fruited with layers of seductive spices and a truly engaging savoury, ironstone core; the palate is tightly wound, yet shows generosity as it opens slowly to reveal the quality of the MV6 that makes up this wine; finishes with a supple and expansive grace; delicious.

Yabby Lake 'Block 5' Pinot Noir, 2008 ($75 rrp)
Is it just me, or does just about everyone make a Block 5 wine? Anyway this example is deep, dark and quite rugged in personality, showing earthy notes, hints of game and a slight suggestion of mint; the palate is sinewy, with real presence and fruit weight, with a rather delicious meaty extract to conclude; a further 6 months will see this wine open and reveal the true extent of the perfume that lies within.

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