Tasting - Yalumba Patchwork Shiraz

Name: Yalumba Patchwork Shiraz
Variety: 100% Shiraz
Region: Barossa
Country: Australia
Year: 2012
Price: $20

Winery Review: This wine opens with lush and juicy dark cherry, licorice spice and wild flower notes that lead into a brambly herbal savour with smoky earth tones. On the palate a satin textured dark mulberry and plum fruit appears with a succulent jazzy acidity lifting the gravelly fruit. A ferrous minerality runs through the palate leaving it savoury and moorish.

My Review: This was a very well-crafted wine. The aromas were big. There was an earthiness with an herbal quality to it. I also smelled cherries and spice. The taste was just so smooth. I tasted cherries and plum. The finish was long and smooth. I want to have this with a nice, juicy ribeye. 

Tasting - Yalumba Y Series Shiraz Viognier

Name: Yalumba Y Series Shiraz Viognier
Variety: Shiraz and Viognier
Region: Barossa
Country: Australia
Year: 2011
Price: $13

Winery Review: Mid crimson in color, the Yalumba Y Series Shiraz Viognier 2011 opens with alluring aromas of Turkish delight, white pepper and summer puddings – highlighting this exotic blend. The palate is medium bodied and full of juicy summer berries that lead to a supple tannin finish. Try with barbequed American style pork spare ribs or steamed pork buns.

My Review: I was intrigued by this blend out of Australia. The nose had a peppery spice with some red fruit playing around. The taste was actually pretty good with more red fruit and some heat coming through. The body was middle of the road and tannic structure was quite a delight. The finish is short. This was a nice wine with a nice price point. 

Tasting - Yalumba Y Series Viognier

Name: Yalumba Y Series Viognier
Variety: 100% Viognier
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2014
Price: $13

Winery Review: Pale straw with green hues. Honeysuckle and jasmine with poached quinces and mandarin peel. Grapefruit pith, lemongrass and stonefruit flavours while the texture adds layers of fruit persistence. The wild yeast fermentation and ageing on lees are responsible for delivering a rich silky mid palate whilst the wine maintains a refreshing quality that make it a pleasure to drink.

My Review: The nose was a little difficult to extract but there were hints of grass and citrus with tiny herbal component. The taste was of mainly stonefruit with grapefruit behind it with some herbal trimmings. It was silky on the palate and went down smooth with a short finish. It was refreshing but left me wanting something more. Not the best Viognier I've had and not my go to but it had some nice qualities and upside. It's just not for me.

Tasting - Yalumba Y Series Shiraz

Name: Yalumba Y Series Shiraz
Variety: 100% Shiraz
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2012
Price: $16

Winery Review: The 2012 Shiraz is deep crimson red in colour. It displays aromas of boysenberry and cherry ripe, complemented by a hint of cinnamon oak. The palate shows a core of sweet fruit that make this variety so beloved. Flavours of boysenberry and cherry ripe continue with a moderate level of tannin, full body and hearty finish mean this wine is ready to be enjoyed now. Try it with baked eggs served on a chorizo and tomato sauce.

My Review: This is a big wine. The nose is present from the initial pour with cherry, blackberry, and a bit of oakiness coming through. The cherry continues through to the taste along with some sweet red fruit and with a bit of spice. There is some heat on the long finish but it adds to a somewhat complex wine. Above average Shiraz for moderate price point. Solid.

Tasting - Yalumba Y Series Pinot Grigio

Name: Yalumba Y Series Pinot Grigio
Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2013
Price: $10

Winery Review: The 2013 Y Series Pinot Grigio has aromas of nashi pear with baked apple and orange blossom. On the palate there is a succulent mix of the baked apple and feijoa initially with a fresh cream and poached pear mid palate and a tight cinnamon and oatmeal finish.

My Review: This is an interesting little wine. Apple hits the nose first with a bit of orange following. The taste follows with more of that apple coming through with pear on the back end. The finish is somewhat short but altogether smooth. Nice little wine especially at the price point. 

Tasting - The Cover Drive Jim Barry Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: The Cover Drive Jim Barry Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Coonawarra
Country: Australia
Year: 2012
Price: $20

Winery Review: This wine is deep garnet in colour with high clarity. The nose is very aromatic, displaying primary characters of cassis and dark berries with subtle hints of dried herbs. The palate is medium bodied and generous, showing fine tannins, highlighted by flavours of blackcurrant, mint and morello cherries. As with previous releases of ‘The Cover Drive’, the wine displays harmonious balance and can be enjoyed now or will reward cellaring for 5 years.

My Review: Big aromas on the nose. Black fruit and berries dominate the nose with some herbal components. The taste had a nice tannic structure that aging would only improve. The primary fruit on the palate is black fruit and cherries with a faint hint of a vegetal component. It was a nice wine but didn't excite me as much as I hoped it would.

Tasting - Langmeil Three Gardens SMG

Name: Langmeil Three Gardens SMG
Variety: 52% Shiraz, 31% Mataro, 17% Grenache
Region: Barossa
Country: Australia
Year: 2011
Price: $20

Winery Review: Lifted, fresh and bright fruit leaps out of the glass with dark cherries, Turkish delight and white pepper dominating the aroma. The bright and juicy fruit coats the palate and is well balanced with peppery and sweet spice. Medium bodied in structure with great complexity and lovely silky tannins which flow through the lengthy and savoury finish.

My Review: The nose is quite nice with red fruit and pepper spice filling the air. The taste was similar with more red fruit specifically raspberries and pepper on the palate. It was medium bodied with an underlying complexity. The heat from the Shiraz was coming through. It had a nice tannic structure with a long smooth finish.