Pillow menus. They seem to be in a lot of hotels these days. There seems to be every ‘pillow possibility’ covered with every filling, firmness, softness and size available to suit every man, woman and child ensuring everyone gets a good night sleep.
It’s similar with Shiraz these days. There are Shirazes from different regions, different elevations and grown in different soil types. They are made in so many different ways too, such as whole bunch, whole berry, wild ferment, fermented in barrel, in stainless steel, blended with other varieties and so on. There is even sparkling and fortified Shiraz out there (Make sure you find some of both. They are so good). In this country, there is a Shiraz to suit every man, woman and child (over the age of eighteen of course). This one from the Yelland and Papps husband and wife team is definitely a crowd pleaser regardless of your preferred style.
To start things off, it smells fruity, juicy and delicious and, as a matter of fact, that’s what it’s like when drinking it too but even better.
Dark berries are everywhere with plums and blueberries scattered among that lot. It’s savoury, it’s spicy and it also carries a little bit of sweetness in there too, plus there’s a smooth creamy sort of feel about it on the palate. Tannins are so soft and have a delicate touch on a pretty good length. It’s certainly better than medium bodied thanks to the Barossa fruit, but it’s been so well tamed thanks to judicious use of whole bunch, wild ferment and a deft touch of (15%) new oak combining to produce a simply delicious drink. Without a doubt there is lots to like about this wine.
Region: Barossa Valley, SA Price: $45 Source: Sample thanks to Yelland & Papps
Words from a Wine Glass 