Yelta Ridge Wines. Variety descriptions.

2004 was the first commercial release by Yelta Ridge. The emphasis is on soft smooth lightly oaked wines that are crafted to compliment food and not overpower it. Yelta Ridge offers you a chance to try handcrafted wines made with traditional winemaking techniques direct from the growers of the grapes.

All of the wines are painstakingly basket pressed to ensure the soft rich flavour of the grapes are preserved. Yelta Ridge has seven wine loving owners who have sourced quality fruit from their own vineyards.

Cabernet Merlot is a popular blend combining the richness of Cabernet and the smoothness of Merlot providing you with a rich red with smooth fruit flavours. Extended maceration after fermentation was used to contribute tannin structure resulting in maximum flavour extraction from our grapes. This wine is great with a steak.

Cabernet Sauvignon shows bright medium red with a touch of pinkness on the rim. It has a slightly leafy nose with crushed black currant fruit. The wine displays a smooth palate showing black currant fruit underlain with spicy nuances. It is a fruit driven wine with soft tannins that pass easily over the palate leaving an agreeable aftertaste.

Petit Verdot is one of the newer varieties to be grown in Mildura and is producing some outstanding wines. The 2004 Yelta Ridge was certainly one of them as it literally flew out the door and is now totally sold out, only months after its release. It ripens very late which suits Mildura’s climate. We are convinced that it will become another Australian wine success story in the years to come.

Seven Brothers is a red blend that was produced originally for the pleasure of the grapegrowing owners but they couldn't keep the secret of their great wines for long. It’s a smooth red without the sharpness or bitterness sometimes associated with red wine. A soft red made to be enjoyed whilst young. A great summer wine served chilled with tasty morsels on a antipasto platter.

Shiraz is another variety that is well suited to Mildura and is always extremely popular. Like the 2004 Petit Verdot, the 2004 Shiraz sold out, very soon after its release. The 2005 vintage looks every bit as good as the sold out 2004 and has been well received.

Yelta Rose is a light red blend which is delicious served well chilled. It is made by carbonic maceration, a traditional French method that used in the production of Beaujolais and this produces a soft crisp finish. This wine is of a dry style that we love but as far as we know is not made commercially by any winery in Australia. A chance to try something truly unique.

Mildura has a long history of producing quality Chardonnay. A huge amount is made and exported from Mildura every year. Spicy oak is kept well in the background to highlight the soft fruit flavours for you to enjoy. We enjoy this wine with a creamy mushroom risotto.