2022 Yarra Yering Agincourt, Yarra Valley

A blend of 80/20% 1995-planted cabernet and 1990-planted malbec. Matured in French barriques (15% new). A medium deep, bright crimson. Fragrant with aromas of damson plums, blackcurrants, cedar and violets. Medium bodied, this elegantly wrought and persistent wine finishes with very fine-grained and suave tannins suggesting this will age gracefully over the next six to eight years.

96 points Philip Rich winecompanion.com.au

Yarra Yering Agincourt Cabernet Malbec is a brooding, elegant red blend that brings together the classic structure of Cabernet Sauvignon with the deep, earthy muscle of Malbec — a nod to the great blends of Bordeaux, but reimagined through the lens of the Yarra Valley. It’s a wine with history, both in name and origin: “Agincourt” was the original name of the vineyard site before it became Yarra Yering, one of Australia’s most revered and quietly revolutionary wineries.

Dr Bailey Carrodus, the brilliant botanist who founded Yarra Yering in 1969, was a pioneer of Yarra Valley wine revival. Today, the legacy lives on under the stewardship of winemaker Sarah Crowe, whose touch has elevated Yarra Yering into one of the top echelon wineries in the country. Sarah was named James Halliday's Winemaker of the Year in 2017 — and for good reason. Her wines have precision, soul and longevity.

Agincourt is typically a blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (around 60–70%), with the remainder made up of Malbec, all estate-grown. The Cabernet brings cassis, bay leaf, graphite and fine, classical structure. The Malbec layers in dark plum, cocoa, and a plush mid-palate. It’s aged in French oak (around 30–40% new) for 18 months, allowing the components to knit together and adding savoury spice and cedar nuances.

In the glass, it’s restrained and composed: blackcurrant, black cherry, dried herbs, tobacco, and violet, with hints of dark chocolate and gravel. The tannins are fine and long, chalky and architectural — this is a wine that doesn't shout, but it absolutely commands attention with its balance and pedigree.

Food pairing: Superb with slow-roasted lamb shoulder, venison with blackberry jus, porcini and beef ragu, or grilled eggplant with smoky romesco. Aged Gouda or clothbound Cheddar also sing alongside it.

Cellar potential: Built to age, Agincourt will reward 10–15 years of cellaring, gaining tobacco, leather, dried herb and savoury complexity while retaining its core of fruit and structure.