2025 The Wanderer Yellingbo Pinot Noir

93 pts
A darker, slightly fleshier take on Upper Yarra Pinot that still shows the polish, poise and quiet confidence of The Wanderer house style.

Price:
Sale price$42.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

The Wanderer winemaker Andrew Marks has been carving out his own path in the Upper Yarra for a long time, and the Yellingbo block is central to that story. This vineyard sits on dense grey clay, a soil profile that naturally gives the MV6 clone a heavier, structural frame compared to the lighter, more perfumed styles from the red volcanic soils nearby.

The 2025 season brought plenty of core depth to the fruit. Andrew completely destemmed the crop but left the berries whole, letting a wild ferment take place before tucked away the juice into large, seasoned French oak barrels for nearly a year. Bottled unfiltered without any fining, it is an authentic look at this unique pocket of the valley.

This release has a real chew to it. It has a dark, brambly fruit profile packed with forest floor characters. The tannins are immaculate and dense, giving the wine a solid foundation that begs for a couple of years in the cellar to fully unwind. It is a smart, savoury red that values substance over simple prettiness.

93 points - "This is a beautiful if slightly understated Pinot Noir. It arguably needs another year or two in bottle but the savoury underpinning and general purity of fruit – combined with immaculate tannin structure – will hold it in excellent stead. Roasted nuts, fresh black cherries, woodsy spice notes and the aforementioned undergrowth; all the right boxes are ticked here." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Single vineyard wine from Yellingbo in the Upper Yarra Valley.

Cane pruned MV6 clone on heavy grey clay with North Easterly aspect at 180m elevation.

100% destemmed. No crushing for retention of whole berries. Cold soak and fermentation in open fermenters. Wild ferment. Pumped over and hand plunged. Elevage in large format seasoned French oak barrels with 11 months on lees. Diam closure.

No fining or filtration. Estate bottled.

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type Red
Body Light Bodied
Variety Pinot Noir
Country Australia
Region Yarra Valley
Australian State VIC
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Critic Score 93
Alcohol 13.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure DIAM Cork

The Wanderer

The Wanderer is Andrew Marks’ personal venture, allowing him to step beyond his family’s Gembrook Hill vineyard to craft wines that reflect his deep winemaking experience. Raised at Gembrook Hill, one of the Yarra Valley’s pioneering vineyards, Andrew’s path was shaped by early exposure to viticulture and formal training at the University of Adelaide. His work at Penfolds, along with vintages in France and Spain, honed his ability to blend traditional techniques with a modern, thoughtful approach.

Under The Wanderer label, Andrew produces wines that express the unique character of each vineyard with minimal intervention. His delicate Pinot Noir, refined Chardonnay, and Rhone-inspired Syrah showcase finesse and precision, capturing the natural nuances of the fruit. These wines are all about subtlety and complexity, evolving naturally over time to reveal their layers.

Produced in small quantities, The Wanderer wines are highly sought after and known to sell out quickly. Each limited release reflects Andrew’s journey and his dedication to crafting wines that tell a story—of place, of vintage, and of his evolution as a winemaker. For those who appreciate elegance and nuance, The Wanderer offers something truly special, albeit fleeting.

Andrew Marks in the vineyard The Wanderer

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