2012 Yalumba Hand Picked Shiraz Viognier

The concept of blending Shiraz and Viognier is not new. This wine is inspired by the great French wine region of Northern Rhone, in particular, the Côte Rôtie area. Côte Rôtie has often been described as one of France's finest and most perfumed red wines. Since 2006 Yalumba has utilised the skins only of the Viognier grapes in addition to the traditional method of co-fermenting select parcels of both Shiraz and Viognier grapes together. The skins on their own can often provide even more powerful aroma and texture and this helps create another dimension of flavour and complexity in the wine.

Maturation took place in a complex array of new and older French and Hungarian oak hogsheads for a period of 20 months. Totally opaque black crimson colour with a deep purple crimson red hue. Alluring liquorice and ripe blackberry aromas arise from the glass showing excellent intensity. Nuances of dark plum, vanillin cedar and a faint whiff of apricot as an end note follow. Rich and generously textured the palate is filled with ripe blackberry, liquorice and dark plum flavours with underlying vanillin cedar and a faint touch of spicy dried apricot. Velvet smooth tannis. Excellent concentration with a long persistent aftertaste of dark plum, liquorice, blackberry and spicy vanillin cedar.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%