2025 Gembrook Hill Village Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

From a vineyard in Yellingbo, 6km from Gembrook. A light, bright crimson ruby. A pure-fruited bouquet of red fruits, delicate spice and a light dusting of rose petal. It's a little richer and more structured than the '24, and while it's been made to drink now, this will still be looking good three to four years from now. Drink 2026 to 2030.

93 points Philip Rich for Halliday Wine Companion, March 2026

Gembrook Hill is one of the oldest vineyards in the Upper Yarra subregion, founded in 1983 by Ian and June Marks after a fine combed search of Victoria's wine regions for the right place for what Ian had in mind: cool-climate wine in an old-world mould. The hilly amphitheatre they found in the Upper Yarra is on red volcanic loam soil and enjoys a north-easterly aspect. Ian passed away in 2017, and his work is now carried forward by June and son Andrew, who returned home after years of experiencing vintages across Burgundy, Languedoc, Spain and California. The low yielding vineyard is hand pruned and harvested.

The Village Pinot Noir is the one wine in the Gembrook Hill range that steps outside the home vineyard. This vintage it comes from a single site in Yellingbo, where grey clay loam soils give the fruit a denser, richer character than the volcanic red loam of the Gembrook estate. The Upper Yarra perfume is still there but the palate sits with a little more weight and a more notable tannin structure.

A wine made with the same care as the estate wines, just from a different patch of dirt. Destemmed, fermented on skins for three to four weeks in the winery, then matured in large format old French oak. Unfined and unfiltered.

Red cherry and rose petal on the nose, with a darker plum note and a thread of earth underneath. The palate is medium bodied with good texture, soft but present tannins and a clean, fresh finish.

Good company for a weekend lunch: duck breast with a cherry reduction, a mushroom and thyme risotto, or a roast pork with crackling.