June 21, 2019

YALUMBA "The Y Series" Shiraz 2017

(South Australia, Australia) $11

Nobody does pure deliciousness better than the Australians. And this wine is a testament. Drinking it is like jumping into a pool of fresh blueberries and dark chocolate. Then a few seconds into that bit of hedonism, a nice blast of spiciness hits. It’s a wild ride—don’t miss it. Australian shiraz often used to be rather syrupy, but vintners have pulled back from that, and wines like this Yalumba Y Series Shiraz are now more beautifully balanced. And all for $11. Talk about over-delivering! (13.5% abv)

90 points KM

Available at Vivino.com

All Oregon Pinot Noirs must be 90 percent that variety.

Answer: True.

Labeling a wine based on the variety of grape used to make that wine has been commonplace in most of the New World since the late 1960s. In the United States, the first varietally labeled wines were required by federal law to be composed of 51 percent of the variety named. In 1983, the minimum was raised to the current level of 75 percent. States and specific appellations can choose to exceed (but not go below) the federal regulations. For example, in Oregon, all Pinot Noirs so-labeled must be at least 90 percent Pinot Noir. The same is true for Oregon Chardonnay, but not Oregon Cabernet Sauvignon. Oregon makes an exception from the “90% rule” for Cabernet and other grapes that benefit from blending and have a long history of being used for blending in their respective European regions.

YALUMBA "The Y Series" Shiraz 2017

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