Winemaker Notes
Handpicked from old, gnarly bush vines planted in 1889 in two acres of deep sandy loam soil over red-brown clay in the heart of the Barossa Valley. Year after year these ancestor vines give small quantities of exceptional grapes.
Striking floral aromas, complex and intriguing. Wild cherries, raspberries and pomegranates are entwined with orange zest, pepper, spices, and hints of cedar. The hallmark of this wine is 250-day post-ferment maceration which imparts incredibly silky texture and refinement to the palate, creating a textural wine with depth, structure, vibrant acidity, and defined tannins. Stunning now, it will gradually evolve over the medium term.
Vegan-Friendly
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very floral and quite striking aromas here, with fruit in the blueberry, pepper and spice zone, as well as a leafy edge. There’s berry pastry and pomegranate on offer, together with orange zest and redcurrant. The palate has a very composed core of raspberries, redcurrants, blood orange, papaya and peach. So emulsified and seamless. Good concentration and length here. This vintage spent 249 days on skins and was bottled without any maturation in oak at all. Scintillatingly pure and fresh. Drink over the next decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 The Tri-Centenary Grenache spent 249 days on the skins, and it was the first year that there was no oak in this cuvée. "It looked so beautiful when we pressed it off skins," says winemaker Louisa Rose, "that we just left it at that." Aromatically, the wine is graphite-laden and fine, with dried herbs, exotic spices, black fruit and pressed flowers. On the palate, the fruit is super fine, lacy almost, and lingers through the finish. The absence of oak means that the profile of tannin changes—they are finer but not as soft. It works with the delicacy of the fruit.
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Wine Enthusiast
In spite of the age of this tiny two-acre plot of vines (planted in 1889), the wine itself is a youthful juice bomb, with a snap, crackle and pop of aromas reminiscent of blueberry basil lemonade or the boozy, cranberry tang of a cosmopolitan. The palate is more tempered flavor-wise, but the light-fresh feel, with a chocolaty chew of tannins, gives an al dente bite that makes for a thirst-quenching style while also being detailed enough to cellar another seven to eight years.
Established in 1849, Yalumba is Australia’s most historic family-owned wine company showcasing the best of the Barossa and South Australian wine regions. Fiercely independent and extremely progressive through the generational ownership by the Hill-Smith family, their longevity and success are a result of patience, collaboration, and forward-thinking. Yalumba is a leader in the industry with the foresight to embrace the natural terroir to craft wines with individual character and a sense of purpose, as well as a spirit to reinvest in the land upon which it operates. Yalumba is committed to sharing stories of provenance gathered over 175 years of history of family winemaking.
Arguably the single most famous wine region in Australia, the Barossa includes both Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, making it one of the only areas in Australia to have neighboring warm and cool climate growing conditions. Yalumba is privileged to have access to some of the oldest vineyards in the world in Barossa Valley, including 1889 bush vine Grenache and 1908 Shiraz. They are committed to growing premium quality fruit reflecting distinctive varietal characters of the region.
Yalumba also operates the Southern Hemisphere's only fully operational Cooperage, crafting bespoke oak barrels that elevate the wines aged within them. While the beginnings of the Yalumba Cooperage remain a mystery lost in time, coopering has been a proud tradition at the winery for more than a century. Their coopers have been performing and perfecting their craft since around 1890. In the Nursery, Yalumba is a global leader in wine innovation, growing, evaluating, and supplying quality grape vines to the Australian wine industry. Yalumba has developed strong relationships with leading grapevine programs from around the world and have exclusive access to certain new varietals in Australia. This gives the Yalumba viticulturists and winemakers the unique opportunity to evaluate and develop new or emerging varieties before they are sold.
Yalumba continually strives to reduce their impact on the environment, stay involved in the community, and make great wine with minimal intervention in the vineyard and in the winery. They are committed to sustainable practices, with the belief that the healthier and more biodiverse the vineyards are, the better the wines will be. Yalumba has been developing its own sustainable viticulture program since the mid-1990s, promoting the economic production of quality grapes. For every acre of vineyard Yalumba own, they have at least one acre of native vegetation. All Yalumba wines are crafted with wild yeast, are 100% vegan, and are made with the least intervention possible but with as much knowledge, confidence, and expertise as possible.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
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.