Winemaker Notes
This is a shiraz with verve and drive, it sings with bright red and black cherries, while the graphite notes show silkiness and fragrant anise-like fruit. The red dirt lends the wine a profound depth, layering the brightness of the fruit with savory notes and the dark tones of the earth. There is an energy in the fruit, keeping the wine fresh and focussed on structure, with muscular and lithe tannins emphasising the wines refinement and finesse. Enjoy with grilled lamb cutlets, cooked pink and rare, with rosemary and tarragon roast potatoes or Cajun style tofu with caramelised root vegetables.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Quite a smoky nose of blackberries, black peppers, blueberries and some light meats. Medium-bodied with a pretty array of spicy fruit, which are supported by lithe tannins. A fresh finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Part of Yalumba's Distinguished Sites program, the 2014 Steeple Vineyard Shiraz comes from a Light Pass vineyard planted in 1919. After 15 months in 35% new French oak barriques, it's understandably smoky, toasty and cedary. Those elements are balanced on the medium to full-bodied palate by espresso and boysenberry notes. Concentrated and supple, it's ready to drink now and should drink well for at least a decade.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.