Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

My first Japanese Red! Blend of Merlot and Muscat Bailey A (A Red Japanese hybrid grape). Interesting ruby color with garnet and purple highlights and a slight brick rim. Aromas of red and black fruit and purple flowers. Flavors of red/black cherries, raspberries, strawberries, cola, and black licorice. Slight hint of vanilla on the medium finish. Low (but pleasant) acidity and light on tannins and structure. Well polished texture and quite delicate. A light bodied and chill-able refreshing red. Not overly complex. I found myself continuously reaching for the bottle. Very unique. Thank you so much for sharing this wine, John P! — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

My last YY 2015 Pinot Noir. A good balance between red fruits and savouriness and probably drinking at its peak. I have always loved YY Pinot Noir Noir back when it was undoubtedly the best Pinot Noir in Australia in the mid 1980’s made by the legendary Dr Bailey Carrodus. A lot more competition for that mantle these days but Yarra Yering is still kicking major goals as recently as 2 weeks ago winning a Platinum award and 97 points for their 2022 Pinot Noir at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London. The following night aromatic red florals. — 2 years ago

Steve Lieblich

9.6

Classic Aussie taste… the best — 3 years ago

Nicole K

9.0

Nice fruity Pinot , round . Cote with bailey bros — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Nothing to add to my extensive notes from January 2021. To reiterate this was the last vintage for the founder, Dr Bailey Carrodus before his passing. Just an excellent aged Yarra Valley Cabernet. — 5 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.2

On the leaner side with some black currant and gravelly, savoury notes. Fresh, airy, with a slight whiff of green pepper.
On the palate this is light but with presence, fine & dusty tannins and beautiful juicy acidity. I was expecting a bit more on the mid palate but this has poise, precision & complexity which more than makes up for it.
Haut-Bailey rarely disappoints and this just proves it! — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

In the Langtons Excellent category. A Shiraz blend from the Yarra Valley created originally by the enigmatic Dr Bailey Carrodus who has passed. Probably the first person in Australia to co-ferment Shiraz and Viognier. Always a delicious long living wine. — 8 years ago

Sardine House

9.2

Pale garnet robe. Incredible nose of honey, cream and strawberries. Strong taste honey, burnt sugar and candies strawberries with practically no tannin. Short finish. Amazing. — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Delectable: Dry Red No. 3 is not a Shiraz blend. It is a blend of the Portuguese varieties of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Alvarelhao and Sousao. Aromas of red berries, dried herbs (sage) and a potpourri of spices. A savoury red fruited palate. Stellar winemaking from talented winemaker, Sarah Crowe, a former Halliday winemaker of the Year. Sarah shows confidence in blending these Portuguese red varieties to make this delicious red. Originally planted in 1990 in a hot dry corner of the vineyard by Dr Bailey Carrodus in order to make Port. A lovely and unique red wine from Sarah who I had the pleasure of sitting opposite at a Yarra Yering dinner in Brisbane earlier this year. — 10 months ago

Jason Keefer

9.0

My lone madrone drought is over! Great, but still not as good as Bailey ranch. Mild Christmas spice and cherry, juicy! — 2 years ago

Jason Keefer

9.0

Zin doesn’t get much better than this! Central coast babay! — 3 years ago

with Natasha

Bob McDonald

9.5

Aromas of Black currant, cassis, red florals, dark chocolate - a lovely perfume. Emphasising yet again that even though the Yarra does excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay it does Cabernet and blends the best. In a blind tasting I might have picked this as coming from SA (McLaren Vale or Clare Valley). With time a touch of capsicum and light pepper - medium weight but with M+ intensity. A brilliant effort and the last vintage of Dry Red No. 1 made by the originator and legend, Dr. Bailey Carrodus before his passing. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Our first bottling from this small production family winery in Calistoga.

My first impressions of this wine, it’s a classic older Calistoga Cabernet. It’s nicely resolved but, not at the end of its life as some have predicted. It is a shade past its prime but, drinking nicely with the exception it’s a touch hot, even after all this time in bottle and when temp’s were not pushing alcohol levels like they can now. However, heat aside, I enjoy wines just the other side of their prime and beyond. Brings out additional complexity-characteristics and are infinitely more interesting.

The nose reveals, stewed & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries with some deep blue fruits. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender.

The body is rich, lush, ruby, statin, velvety and thick. The tannins are rounded & softened but, still speaking loudly. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a very good place. This wine has legs to stand for another 5-10 years depending on how you enjoy them. Stewed, candied & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries deep blue fruits, purple fruit blend, haunting raspberries with poached strawberries as it sets. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice with good palate heat, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, slightly, moist clay, pronounced, fine volcanic minerals, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender. The acidity is round & exquisite. The long finish is; well balanced fruit & earth, very complexity, rich, delicious and persists endlessly.

Photos of; Stephanie Jones Bailey, Rick and Elaine Jones, Estate view, their Cabernet fruit close to harvest and vineyard staff managing fruit clusters & leafing.

Producer notes...they were founded in 1996. Jones Family Vineyards specializes in estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Thomas Rivers Brown makes their wines, two Cabernet wines...Jones Family Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and The Sisters. TRB also makes an extremely limited production of aged Sauvignon Blanc that is cellared for over 3 years in barrel and bottle.

Jones Family has ten acres of south facing vineyards that lie 600 to 800 feet off the valley floor, resting above the fog line, an ideal altitude for growing Cabernet in the Napa Valley area.

@Paul T- Huntington Beach FYI. — 7 years ago

Ron R

9.4

It’s been years since I tasted this wine. Indeed, I was drinking the stuff made by Dr Bailey Carrodus before he passed. I’m pleased to note that the current winemaker hasn’t stepped off the reservation.
Nose is brambly and dense. Notes of figs, dates and cedar waft from the glass. Not as dense on the mid-palate as i recall, but well balanced, with no overbearing oak. Texture on the palate invokes a crunchy mouthfeel. This will benefit from more cellaring, but drinking very well right now.
Thanks to @Bob McDonald for reminding me how much I have missed this wine. — 2 years ago

with Anne-marie

Bob McDonald

9.4

Delectable, this is the Dry Red No1 Cabernet blend from Yarra Yering not Yering Station. Aromatics of mulberry and black currant. Also a lovely violet fragrance. On the medium bodied palate a red fruited sweetness with cedar and spice. Oak is totally resolved even if a touch of astringency. A remnant of dark chocolate. Drinking at its peak. An excellent Cabernet consistent with what Dry Red No. 1 always produces - proving yet again that the Yarra Valley’s best terroir is for Cabernet Sauvignon. IMO. See previous Delectable tasting notes. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot. PS. This 2008 was the last vintage made by the legendary founder, Dr Bailey Carrodus, before he passed. — 3 years ago

Seth Masterson

9.0

Grown anywhere else, I would give this dry muscat a 8.5. But there is a subtle, forest stream like charm that comes through the tongue that I can't help to compare to many of the sakes that compare themselves to the mountain snow and springs from the same continent. I know I know, it must be a placebian effect right? I don't know- judge for yourself. — 4 years ago

Chris On

9.2

Good Pinot, light. — 6 years ago

Kazuhiro Kiyokawa

9.3

ソムリエのお土産。
このベーリーAはとても良い！
らしさがとても出ている。いちごの華やかさがピカイチ。常に家に置いておきたい一品^ ^ — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

This was the last vintage for the founder of Yarra Yering, Dr Bailey Carrodus before he passed. Classic Cabernet aromas - a slight greenish asparagus note which diminished with time. Medium weight palate with fine Tannins. YY is traditionally one of the best producers in the Yarra Valley and this is the 2nd ranked Cabernet cuvée. Herbaceous With time the nose and palate has developed a plummy sweetness. — 8 years ago

Matt Potts

9.2

A little fruit forward with balanced oaks, subtle tanins that hold at finish — 8 years ago