The Caskaway

Yalumba, The Steeple Vineyard Shiraz 2016. At Christmas, I posted about Yalumba Galway Vintage 2021 Barossa Shiraz, as one of my supermarket slurps, and it was a lovely wine. Today’s post is about another Yalumba Barossa Vally Shiraz, this time a premium offer from a single vineyard known as the Steeple. This wine was a proper treat, a real showstopper and a delight to drink.

Yalumba Winery

Founded in 1849 and named after an Aboriginal word meaning ‘all the land around’, today the company produces wines from all the classic Australian grape varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz, which is grown in the Barossa and Eden Valleys. There is an entry-level series, single vineyard wines and even tawny port-style wines. Yalumba also produces premium and super-premium wines such as the Steeple.

The vines are grown following biodynamic principles and a technique called minimal intervention winemaking where the winemaker tries to limit the impact of winemaking on the environment from the vineyard to the cellar.  Yalumba’s sustainable philosophy led to it being the first winery in the world to be awarded the Climate Protection Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency. This includes planting biodiverse vegetation to match every hectare of vines, using solar energy to power a quarter of their energy needs and using technology-based irrigation strategies to reduce water usage.

Yalumba, The Steeple Vineyard Shiraz 2016

Grown in the shadow of the Light Pass Immanuel Lutheran Church steeple the vines are just over one hundred years old. The 1.34 hectare single varietal vineyard is situated on the floor of the Barossa Valley and consists of well-drained fine, sandy loam soil. The vines are planted three meters apart in north-to-south rows. The wine was matured for fifteen months in a mix of new and old French oak barriques.

When you pour your first glass you cannot help but be impressed by the deep colour, this is matched by the layers and layers of fresh fruit aromas. Blueberries, cranberries, moving to lightly stewed plums. This is matched on tasting by the flavours of lots of ripe berries and juicy dark cherries. This is a full-bodied beauty of a wine, a great example of what a pleasure Barossa Valley Shiraz can be to drink. Luscious and rich with a lengthy, velvety smooth finish it was great to drink now but with the potential to age for at least ten years according to Yalumba’s own tasting notes. Pair with a classic slightly charred roast lamb or an umami-packed wild mushroom ragout for a special occasion.

Grape variety                               Shiraz

Country of origin                      Australia

Region                                             Barossa Valley, South Australia

Vintage                                            2016

Alcohol                                            14.5%

Notes

Yalumba, The Steeple Shiraz 2016, is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.