This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes.
The main focus is the 25.4ha of Pinot Noir, 14ha of Chardonnay and 7.7ha of Pinot Gris; Shiraz, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines. After 10 years of planning, Robert and Mem handed control of the family’s vineyards and brands to their children, Nina and Clark, in 2008.
96 Points Mike Bennie
Huge wafts of red fruit and spicy perfume. Floral notes too, but the default is savoury-tinged, expansive scents of fruit, sweetness, spice, earth. Lovely stuff. Mouthfilling with plush but satiny texture, fine, firm, slender tannins that mesh like a web through the mouth, finishing with dusty-savoury pucker. It’s a wine that feels delicious even if structured to the hilt, even open for a while needs time to relax, but there’s deep pleasure in the swirl and a satisfaction in the draw on the glass. Satisfying in fruit character and elegance of pinot noir, but showing some flex. This is pretty epic.
