Yalumba Organic, Y Series, Galway and Earthworks Releases

26-Jan-2018

Although Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family-owned winemaker, the approach encompasses an extremely modern outlook whilst retaining traditional values and styles when appropriate. Most of the wines are indeed contemporary in character, possessing fresh fruitiness and elegance, and are designed to be able to be enjoyed in their youth. This does not mean such wines cannot age, as balance is the key to good development. Yalumba also has its traditionally styled wines too, as classicism is truly ageless. However, the modern face of Yalumba’s wines embrace all that is positive about elegance and encompasses the issues that face the world in these times. Hence the ‘Organic’ wines are a nod to sustainability. The ‘Y Series’ wines have always been accessible to all people. This applies to the ‘Galway Vintage’ range that refers the Yalumba’s Barossa history, but steered towards tradition. The new ‘Earthworks’ range supports the idea of terroir and regionality, these being buzz-words in wine. Here, I review a selection of Yalumba’s contemporary wines. www.yalumba.com

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

Yalumba ‘Organic’ South Australia Viognier 2017
Viognier from Australia - South Australia
Review Date : 26-Jan-2018
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, very pale straw-yellow colour with slight green hues, near colourless on the rim. The nose is very fresh with taut and steely aromas of white stonefruits and nuances of apricots entwined with subtle white florals, fresh herbs, unfolding chalky mineral elements. Dry to taste and medium-full bodied, the palate is tightly bound but possesses a degree of unctuousness, revealing an rounded core of white stonefruits, apricots, white florals and herbs. The mouthfeel is smooth-flowing with some underlying alcoholic power, and is balanced by light acid cut. Exotic florals and citrus zest elements emerge and carry to long, lingering finish. This is a tightly bound Viognier with a rounded core of white stonefruits, apricots, fresh herbs and minerals and plenty of linearity. Match with Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese fare over the next 2-3 years. Fruit from the ‘Barich’ vineyard at Loxton, and the ‘Bassham’ vineyard at Barmera, indigenous yeast fermented to 14.5% alc. and 1.7 g/L RS. Australian certified organic. Winemaker: Heather Fraser. 16.5+/20 Jan 2018 RRP $18.95
Yalumba ‘Y Series’ South Australia Viognier 2017
Viognier from Australia - South Australia
Review Date : 26-Jan-2018
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, light straw-yellow colour with lemon-green hues. The nose is elegant and fresh with subtly voluminous and gently packed aromas of white ad yellow stonefruits, apricot pith and soft exotic florals. Dry to taste, the palate has up-front flavours of white and yellow stonefruits entwined with exotic florals. The fruit forms a softly concentrated heart and unfolds to fill the palate. The mouthfeel is balanced, and flows smoothly, with soft, integrated acidity. The wine leads to an elegantly proportioned, lingering finish with alcoholic drive and length. This is an up-front, softly mouthfilling Viognier with white and yellow stonefruits, notes of tropical fruit and exotic florals. Serve with Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine over the next 2-3 years. South Australian fruit indigenous yeast fermented in stainless-steel to 13.5% alc. and 2.1 g/L RS. Winemaker: Heather Fraser. 17.0/20 Jan 2018 RRP $16.95
Yalumba ‘Y Series’ South Australia Shiraz 2017
Syrah from Australia - South Australia
Review Date : 26-Jan-2018
☆☆☆☆☆
Dark, deep, black-hued purple-red colour, a little lighter on the edge, and very youthful in appearance. The nose is softly full with well-packed aromas of ripe blackberry and dark raspberry fruit along with nuances of black pepper, liquorice and spice. This has a firm core that promises to open out. Medium-bodied, the palate has sweetly rich and vibrant fruit flavours of blackberries and dark raspberries with black pepper and subtle spicy elements. This has good palate presence, and the fruit is supported by supple tannin extraction forming a fine, firm heart. The mouthfeel is bright and lively and the wine flows with good energy and tension to a lingering finish of blackberry jam. This is a fresh and vibrant blackberry fruited Shiraz with a supple palate. Match with barbecued and grilled red meat dishes over the next 3+ years. South Australian fruit fermented to 13.5% alc. 17.0/20 Jan 2018 RRP $16.95
Yalumba ‘Galway Vintage’ Barossa Valley Malbec 2015
Malbec from Australia - South Australia
Review Date : 26-Jan-2018
☆☆☆☆☆
Full, deep, near impenetrable black-red colour with youthful purple hues on the rim. The nose is softly full with ripe fruit aromas of black plums, blackberries and hints of boysenberries and mulberries, entwined with spice notes. Medium-full bodied, the palate has good depth and a rounded heart of ripe black plum fruit with blackberries, boysenberries and mulberries. The flavours are up-front and mouthfilling with plenty of palate weight, and the mouthfeel is plush, with light, supple tannins enabling approachability. The flavours recede a little as the wine leads to an elegant finish. This is a plush, juicy, ripe Malbec with black plum, boysenberry and blackberry jam flavours. Serve with game meat dishes over the next 3+ years. Fruit from the Barossa Valley floor fermented to 14.0% alc. 17.0+/20 Jan 2018 RRP $19.95
Earthworks Barossa Shiraz 2017
Syrah from Australia - South Australia
Review Date : 26-Jan-2018
☆☆☆☆☆
Full, dark, deep purple-hued ruby-red colour, very youthful in appearance. This has a full and up-front nose with ripe, dark raspberry fruit lifted by dark-red florals and enriched by plum jam elements, unfolding a little liquorice. Medium-full bodied, the palate has rich and juicy, and lusciously sweet flavours of ripe dark raspberries, aromatic florals and plum jam along with pepper and liquorice notes. The fruit richness and vitality is balanced by supple, underlying structure, lending a fine-textured, smooth mouthfeel with lacy acidity. This has good linearity, and the flavours carry to a long and sustained finish of black pepper and spices. Match with lamb, beef and venison, and semi-hard cheeses over the next 4+ years. Barossa fruit fermented to 14.5% alc. Winemaker: Mark van Halderen. 17.5/20 Jan 2018 RRP $22.00

Yalumba Organic, Y Series, Galway and Earthworks Releases

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

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