Yering Station Village Rosé 2022

In the hierarchy of French wines, the term village indicates a step up in quality, one of the precursors to Premier and Grand Cru. Yering Station uses the term in a similar fashion, that is, it’s one step up from its Little Yering range in both price and quality. A blend of Shiraz, Sangiovese and Mourvèdre – an unusual number of grapes in a rosé – the intent in the ’22 Village rosé is clear; the maker is after a greater degree of complexity and interest. It is nicely achieved.

This is a serious rosé, less of the usual lolly confection notes sometimes displayed in rosé, and more of the red berries and spice with tannins and acidity well in place. Attractive salmon pink hues. Delicate aromas in red cherry, berries, dusty earthy notes and some of mourvèdre’s wonderful spiciness. I like the edginess here, the mix of acid drive and mid-palate smoothness with lifted aromatic and spice running across the tongue: florals, musk, cherry, anise with just a touch of saline/briny olive savouriness. Definitely a step up in character and poise for an Aussie rosé. Great to see.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic