We have been fortunate enough to receive samples of three premium reds from Yelland & Papps in the Barossa, all of which should be released very soon. First up we have the Yelland & Papps Old Vine Grenache 2007.
Some alcoholic heat detracts from the vibrant red berry and dusty earth aromas. Medium bodied and silky smooth, the persistant finish is nice and savoury with a refreshing acidic bite.
Like the 2006 vintage, this wine is held together with acidity rather than tannin, however it seems to be missing the “x-factor” of the older sibling. Given that the balance is there now, I think this will be looking very good with a few years in the bottle.
Score: 89/100
Price: $30
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14.5%
Other Opinions: None I could find yet…
Would I buy this wine?
Make haste and snap up some of the 2006 before it sells out!
Before tasting (drinking) a sample of The Story Wines Grampians Shiraz 2007, I really should have read the blog post by winemaker Rory Lane on this very wine. Not only did he open with “This years story …” as I had intented (nevermind, that was so December 2008 anyhow), but he dished out some excellent advice on approaching this young shiraz - give it at least 2 hours in the decanter!
Initially the wine was rather restained in both its aroma and fruit flavours, however if you allow sufficient decanting time, a richer and fuller experience awaits. There are aromas of cherry, raspberry and nutmeg and a medium bodied palate with decent length and fine tannins. The balance between fruits/spices and tannin/acidity hits the mark and keeps you coming back for just one more glass…
Rory needs a pat on the back for turning out a very good wine from a difficult vintage, likewise for deciding that 2007 was not the year to release a single vineyard wine, but rather declassify the fruit (grapes!) into the regional blend.
Score: 90/100
Price: $22
Closure: Screwcap
Alcohol: 14%
Other Opinions: The Story Wines (read this - it’s open and spot on with the self assessment)
Would I buy this wine?
Yes, this is the style of Shiraz I like to drink and good value to boot
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