Yarra Yarra Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2004 - $599.88 per dozen or $49.99 per bottle
Long and seamless, this carefully oaked white Bordeaux blend has a lightly herbal fragrance of fresh lemon, gooseberries and melon with a floral, mineral and lightly toasted, dusty vanilla oak background. Its generous, creamy palate of mouthfilling lemon/melon fruit is tightly knit with oak, finishing long and seamless, with lemony acids. Significantly more fruit-driven than herbaceous, it just lacks the acid definition for an even higher score. (Yarra Valley, $40 retail, approx., 94 points, drink 2006-2009+) Jeremy Oliver

Notwithstanding its tiny production, the wines of Yarra Yarra have found their way onto a veritable who's who listing of Melbourne's best restaurants. This has encouraged Ian Maclean to increase the estate plantings from 2 hectares to over 7 hectares during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. The demand for the wines will only be intensified by the quality of the current releases. James Halliday

A blend of 70 per cent Semillon, fermented and aged for 15 months in 30 per cent new, the remainder in older, French oak barriques. A number of different yeasts including wild yeasts are used and the wine is left on lees and stirred regularly. James Halliday

Typical Yarra Yarra style, with a complete fusion of the varieties and oak in the manner of white Bordeaux; has great length, good balance and natural acidity; ambitious pricing. 13º alc. Rating 94 Drink 2012 Date Tasted Mar 07 James Halliday Wine Companion