Family tradition. That’s the heart of Yeringberg Winery. Since 1863 the de Pury family has dedicated themselves to winemaking and farming here. Now, fourth-generation siblings Sandra and David de Pury carry on that legacy at Yeringberg.
Yeringberg isn’t just a winery. It’s a farm. They raise grass-fed lambs and cattle too. You might find their lamb on the menu at select restaurants around the Yarra Valley and Melbourne.
Yeringberg wines are known for their elegance, finesse and longevity. These wines are made in tiny volumes. The de Pury family has called Yeringberg home since its beginning.
Let’s step back in time. Frederic Guillame de Pury, a Swiss baron, arrived in Australia. He bought part of the original Yering Station in 1863. This original Yering Station was huge. It had been established in 1837. In the 1860s, it was divided into three properties: Yeringberg, St Huberts and Yering.
But winegrowing faced hard times. By 1921, the Yarra Valley vineyards were gone. Australia shifted its taste to fortified wines and beer. The properties turned to grazing. Yeringberg became a sheep and cattle farm. It still is today with 2000 sheep and 250 cows.
Guill de Pury, Frederic’s grandson, brought wine back to Yeringberg in the 1970s. That was the start of the Yarra renaissance.
Guill’s wife, Katharine, remembers those early days. There hadn’t been wine here for years. The first new Yeringberg wines were made in 1974. Originally there were only a few acres of vines. Now, there are 50 acres. These acres produce about 20 tons of grapes.
Yeringberg makes five wines. Guill has a PhD in biochemistry. His son has a PhD in plant physiology.
Yeringberg wines have impressive longevity. Hugh Johnson, a wine authority, tasted a 1915 Yeringberg. He said it was showing well. Guill holds vertical tastings. He says the 1976 vintage was impressive.
Sandra de Pury walked through the winery. She showed an old door with prize cards from local shows. One was from 1901. The more important international awards were lost in a fire. Through the door, you enter a cellar from the 1860s. It matures the red wines. Everything spends 18 months to two years in barrels. Besides a concrete floor, the cellar is much the same as it was.
Back then, they didn’t have electricity or plastic buckets. There are some old candleholders on the wall. The building was expanded in the 1880s. The stone came from a quarry nearby.
Yeringberg has started making a rosé recently. The juice is processed upstairs. It flows to the tanks below. Sandra experiments with different techniques. An example of this was two tonnes of Marsanne that was left on skins for two weeks, to see how that looked.
They’ve used Taransaud oak for decades. Sandra prefers Chardonnay with a bit of flavour. The Marsanne/Rousanne is fermented in tanks. Then it goes into old barrels.
The Viognier is picked at three different times. This gives different points of ripeness. The early pick has acidity. The late pick can be about 15% alcohol.
Upstairs is the original winery. The last vintage here was 1921. It has a wooden floor and no temperature control. Grapes came by horse-drawn cart. They were lifted by a steam-engine powered hoist. The steam engine also powered the de-stemmer.
This space is now used for tastings. Once a year, there is an event for mailing list customers.
Sandra explains that she intends to say No to a lot of appointments. Because it is a big place and she lives here. If people want to make an appointment she just says that they have to pay a fee.
Yeringberg wines all had corks until about 2005. Then they moved to screwcaps in 2012. The eponymous wine ‘Yeringberg’ is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
As you leave Yeringberg, remember the long history and dedication. It is a legacy that continues to evolve. The de Pury family welcomes you to experience their remarkable wines.