Tom
Carson presents Yabby Lake's 2009 vintage
A serious producer from Australia's Mornington Peninsula, currently
making some stunning Pinots and Chardonnays

Tom
Carson (above) is one of the bright stars in the Australian
wine firmament. He built his reputation largely through his work at
Yarra Valley winery Yering Station. A couple of years ago he moved
on to boutique Mornington Peninsula outfit Yabby Lake.
Some time ago I reported on the 2008
releases from Yabby Lake (below and also for
more detail on Yabby Lake itself). This was the first vintage that
new winemaker Tom Carson had produced, and the wines were quite
stunning.
I caught up again with Tom over lunch at
La Trompette in Chiswick to taste through the 2009 releases. This is
the first vintage where Tom has had complete control through the
growing season as well as the winemaking. More recently (2013),
I tried the 2010s, which are another step up.
2009 was a vintage with issues in
southern Victoria. Overall, the vintage was slightly cooler than
average, but then in late January there was a heat spike, with three
days hotter than 43 °C in Melbourne,
and then a week later came Black Saturday: temperatures tipped 47 °C,
and big bush fires erupted, killing 170 people.
The
Yarra Valley was badly affected, with smoke taint a major issue. At
Yabby Lake Tom lost 30% of the fruit: the bunches that were exposed
just shrivelled up. But the rest was protected.
Pinot
Noir was picked over a six week period, which is remarkable for a
single site. ‘We made 30-40% of what we’d normally make,’ says
Tom. The good news is that 2010 is a cracking vintage. This was
followed by 2011, the year of the breaking of the drought, with lots
of water during the growing season and harvest.
‘We
don’t want to clutter the wines up with winemaking,’ says Tom.
For his Chardonnay there is some crushing. ‘We like to get some
phenolics and solids in the juice,’ he says. The alcohols are not
high (around 12%), and there is no manipulation with acid or sugar
additions. ‘We don’t measure nitrogen,’ Tom reveals. ‘We
don’t need to.’
‘We
want intrigue and complexity in our wines, so we use solids and wild
yeast ferment,’ says Tom. The previous winemaker used to inoculate
everything with just one strain of yeast, and so for the first
couple of years Tom says he has struggled to get complexity from his
wild yeast ferments. ‘This year we had one barrel that had Coche
Dury style matchstick characters, so we spread this yeast through
all the barrels.’
Tom’s
Chardonnays are mostly fermented in 500 litre barrels, seasoned for
four years, with slightly thicker staves and medium toast. The Yabby
Lake policy of lower alcohol helps here. ‘At 13% alcohol and under
the extraction of oak is a lot less,’ explains Tom. ‘At 14% and
over alcohol acts as a solvent, resulting in coarser oak tannins.’
There
are seven clones of Chardonnay and 10 clones of Pinot Noir grown in
the Yabby Lake Vineyard, all planted on their own roots.
For
Pinot Noir, Tom destems into vat, usually on top of some whole
bunches. There’s no crushing and the grapes are left for 2-4 days
until they start to show some activity. Then he inoculates with 2-4
different yeast strains. Tom has played around with natural ferments
but the results haven’t been great so far. So he uses very low
levels of inoculation and different strains of yeasts to achieve
complexity. Fermentation takes 10-14 days and when the wine is dry
it is pressed off. Pinot Noir can quickly oxidise on skins when
there is no fermentation activity, he points out. The wine is then
settled in tank for a day before going to barrel, where it isn’t
racked until it is pulled out for bottling.
Tom
likes to play around a bit with whole bunches in his Pinot Noir
ferments. ‘I am still experimenting, and I’m reluctant to go in
too hard, because I don’t like wines with a mulchy, herbal
character,’ he explains. ‘When it’s good, whole bunch
fermentation gives fragrance and perfume, and adds a bit of strength
and firmness to the tannins. But when it’s not good it can dull
the fruit, adding mulch and compost character,’ says Tom. ‘We
want to highlight the fragrance of the Pinot. We don’t want
complexing elements that are not vineyard-derived.’ Tom did 8%
whole bunch in 2009 and 20% in 2010, but then backed off a lot
because it was a wet year and the stalks were quite green. ‘We are
still learning what is the right amount.’
THE
WINES
Yabby Lake Vineyard Single
Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Strongly mineral nose with mtachstick, citrus and pear. The palate
is taut and lean with citrus, pear, peach and toast notes, as well
as an attractive minerality. Real intensity with great freshness and
keen acidity, but also finesse. 94/100 (03/13)
Yabby Lake Vineyard Single
Block Release Block 6 Chardonnay 2010 Mornington Peninsula,
Australia
100% Mendoza clone, no malolactic fermentation. Super-fine, taut
grapefruit, lemon, toast and mineral nose. Real complexity. The
palate shows amazing concentration and finesse, with pristine
citrus, herb and mineral notes as well as lively acidity. There’s
a subtle toasty warmth on the finish, which is long. Not a hint of
fatness; an incredible Chardonnay. 96/100 (03/13)
Yabby Lake Vineyard Single Vineyard
Pinot Noir 2010 Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Lively and precise with fine cherry and plum fruit, and some
spicy tannins. Lovely balance between the sweet fruit, the silky
texture and the spicy grippy structure. Ripe, pure, fine and
beautifully constructed. 93/100 (03/13)
Yabby Lake Vineyard Single Block
Release Block 2 Pinot Noir 2010 Mornington Peninsula, Australia
From rows 1–37, MV6 clone, 14.5% alcohol. 3780 bottles.
Floral, taut cherry and plum fruit with an asian spice note. Very
expressive. The palate is ripe and richly textured with some spice
and herb notes as well as sweet cherry and berry fruits. Some grippy
tannins under the fruit. Youthful with a slight reductive edge. A
wine for ageing. 94/100 (03/13)
Yabby Lake Vineyard Single Block
Release Block 6 Pinot Noir 2010 Mornington Peninsula, Australia
75% D2V4 clone, 25% MV6; 40% whole bunch. Fresh, floral, sweet
cherry and plum fruit nose with some fine spiciness. The palate
combines sweet, supple cherry and berry fruits with good acidity and
a grippy, savoury quality. Fine-grained but firm tannins under the
sweet fruit suggests this is built to age. Very classy. 95/100
(03/13)
Yabby
Lake Red Claw Chardonnay 2009
A selection of clones and parcels. Taut and slightly toasty with
some fresh, citrus, mineral notes. The palate is really fresh with
nice acidity and bright citrus fruit. Taut and crisp, with a bit of
toasty richness: a lovely fresh, pure style. 91/100
(07/11)
Yabby
Lake Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2009
Nicely complex nose with minerality and a hint of struck match
as well as taut citrus fruits and subtle toastiness. The palate is
fresh and lively with good acidity. Intense, mineral, precise with
subtle notes of toast and nuts. Very similar to Red Claw, with a
touch more intensity. 93/100 (07/11)
Yabby
Lake Single Block Release Chardonnay 2009
This year, this wine comes from Block 1. Interesting nose with
some toast and herb notes, as well as mealy richness. There are also
fine citrussy notes. The palate has toast and nut richness but also
lovely freshness. Real personality and minerality here. 95/100
(07/11)
Yabby
Lake Red Claw Pinot Noir 2009
Very attractive ripe, sweet cherry and berry fruit nose:
vibrant, sweet and direct. The palate is boldly flavoured with ripe
berry and cherry notes and appealing texture and structure. Fruit
focused. 90/100
(07/11)
Yabby
Lake Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009
Lovely, vibrant intense aromatic nose of fine red cherry fruit
with some lushness and richness. The palate is supple, vibrant and
elegant with lovely focus. Fragrant, perfumed and pure with smooth
yet fresh cherry fruit and fine tannins. 94/100
(07/11)
Yabby
Lake Single Block Pinot Noir 2009
This is from Block 20 in 2009. All NV6 clone, 20% whole bunch.
Slightly meaty, spicy richness on the nose with black cherry as well
as red berry fruit. The palate is rich and dense, yet elegant, with
sweet cherry fruit. Some lushnes here, underpinned by spicy
structure. 95/100
(07/11)
The
2008s
I
met with Tom Carson at Ransome's Dock restaurant in London to try the newly released
2008s from Yabby Lake: the first vintage that Tom had been
responsible for. These are striking wines of real class, and with
this vintage I’d say Yabby Lake is now among Australia's elite
band of top wineries. The Block Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are
peers of Australia's best.
Yabby
Lake is owned by the Kirby family, who made their money from a
cinema chain called the Village Road Show. The first vineyard
plantings were in 1998. The Kirbys also own Heathcote Estate and
some vineyards in the Strathbogie Ranges.
Establishing
a winery like this in Mornington is a long-term proposition, says
Tom. The land is expensive, and the Kirbys have invested in building
a new winery; they are committed to the long term. Yering Station,
Tom's previous winery, was a much bigger operation. 'It is quite a
step down from Yering Station,' says Tom. 'It is more focused here;
I can get down to handling small blocks.'
Production
is quite small. There are around 2000 cases of the entry level Red
Claw wines, 1000 cases of the estate wines, and then 200 cases of
the Block wines, which are specific blocks that Tom feels have done
something special in any particular vintage.
'The
main challenge is getting a better understanding of the vineyard and
its potential,' says Tom. 'And the last two years have seen
challenging climatic conditions.' The Yabby Lake vineyard is split
into 90 blocks, according to the soil type and aspect, and around
100 acres are now planted.
The
Mornington is very focused on Pinot Noir, with more than 50% of the
region planted to this variety. Tom reckons there are now 10-15
producers now making top-end Pinot Noir here. Two factors have
helped in this respect: the climate is a little warmer now than it
was, and now there is significant vineyard area with vines over 10
years old.
In
winemaking, Tom believes in what he calls expression over
impression. 'I don't like the term winemaker. It gives the
impression of being some sort of a magician. I am more of a
craftsman bringing the expression of the vineyard to life.' He also
chooses to work naturally. 'Nothing has been added to these wines
except sulfur at bottling. I call them natural wines.' He does,
however, use some filtration – the wines go through a cross-flow
filter. Tom describes this as 'gentle, really excellent technology',
and says that it really polishes the wines.
His
Chardonnays are striking. 'Chardonnay should be picked right at the
beginning of the ripeness spectrum,' says Tom. Of his Chardonnays:
'I love the precise mineral, focused palate with a bit of matchstick
on the nose. Delicate wines with underlying power.' When asked what
his favourite Yabby Lake wine is: 'there is no better or worse; the
point is that the wines are different.'
THE
WINES
Red
Claw Chardonnay 2008
Complex, quite taut and nutty with some citrus fruits and
attractive toasty notes. Some elegance here. Nice purity and
balance. Lemony, minerally finish. Very stylish. 91/100
Red
Claw Pinot Noir 2008
Quite rich and aromatic with bright cherry fruit and warm spicy
notes. Fresh with lovely herb, spice, red cherry, plum and subtle
savory meatiness. Supple and nicely balanced. 92/100
Yabby
Lake Chardonnay 2008
Complex, intense, savoury and nutty with some mineral notes and
elegance. Powerful, fresh, citrussy, this is a very bright
Chardonnay with real class and an intense mineral finish. 93/100
Yabby
Lake Chardonnay Block 6 Rows 1-15 2008
13% alcohol. This is Mendoza clone from Block 6 of the vineyard.
'I love the block 6: it's just so precise and beauitifully
textured,' says Tom. This is fermented with indigenous yeasts in 500
litre oak barrels with no malolactic fermentation and a little bit
of lees stirring. Tight,
fresh and intense. Very light, beautifully fresh and elegant with
real precision. There's some subtle matchstick minerality and fresh
citrussy fruit. Tightwound and intense with a hint of good
reduction. Nervy, precise and pure with the oak in the background.
Incredible stuff: totally world class. 96/100
Yabby
Lake Pinot Noir 2008
Sweet, pure, ripe elegant cherry fruit with some liqueur-like
richness, but also a hint of sappy greenness. The palate is smoothly
textured and pure with fresh, cherryish notes as well as some subtle
spiciness. Pure with nice fruit: a serious wine. 93/100
Yabby
Lake Pinot Noir Block 2 Rows 1-37 2008
Some structure here. Bright, powerful, fresh cherry and berry
fruit on the aromatic nose. The palate has wonderful richness and is
both elegant and structured, with ripe fruit and some spicy, mineral
depth. Silky cherry and berry fruit to the fore, underpinned by
fine-grained tannins. A wine of many dimensions. 96/100
Yabby
Lake Block 5 Pinot Noir 2008
Taut and structured with some firm cherry and berry fruit and
nice dense structure. Quite fresh with tart berry fruit and nice
spicy, cherry notes. There's some tannin, but this is an elegant
wine of real interest, finishing dry and tannic. Quite serious.
95/100
Yabby
Lake 'Roc' Shiraz 2004
Sweet, quite lush, smooth berry fruits nose with some iodine
notes. The palate is silky, sweet and forward but with some lovely
peppery, spicy notes. Rich, sweet, dense and peppery, this is quite
elegant. 94/100
See
also:
Landmark
Australia Tutorial (series)
Wines
tasted 05/10
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