Yalumba Samuel's Collection Shiraz 2023 (Barossa) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2023 Yalumba Galway Vintage Shiraz back in March, we go up a notch with tonight's red wine review from the same producer. This lovely, vegan, and certified sustainable Barossa Shiraz from Australia arrived at the LCBO as part of the Good Partners feature on Sustainable Winegrowing Australia in last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on May 9th.

Yalumba is Australia's oldest continuously family-owned winery and one of the country's most historically important wineries. It was founded by Samuel Smith in 1849 after he planted his first vines in the heart of the Barossa with a genuine respect for the land and a willingness to venture into the unknown.

Today, Yalumba is highly regarded for creating wines of authenticity and distinction, with sustainability an integral part of their success. Sustainability entered the picture at Yalumba in 1893, when Fred Caley Smith, the third generation of the family, took to the seas on a grand scientific discovery and returned with progressive horticultural developments that laid the foundation for sustainable viticulture and winemaking at Yalumba.

In 1985, Yalumba opened a new chapter when Robert Hill-Smith, the fifth generation of the family, became Managing Director at a time when the company was transitioning away from its strong reliance on fortified wines. Robert is widely credited for turning Yalumba into a well-respected producer of fine table wines, with a particular focus on premiumization, Rhône varieties, sustainability, and export markets. Robert also spearheaded the founding of Australia's First Families of Wine initiative, and in 2019 Yalumba became a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. Daughters Jessica and Lucy Hill-Smith have also joined the business and represent the sixth generation of the family.

The well-respected Louisa Rose first joined Yalumba as a cellar hand during the 1992 vintage, eventually becoming Head of Winemaking at the family business for nearly two decades and one of Australia's most respected winemakers. In 2023, Louisa stepped into the role of Head of Sustainability and brings her vision, leadership, and voice to the future of Australian wine, while championing sustainable practices, progressive thinking, and a united industry. Sam Wigan joined the Yalumba family in 2001 and became Head Winemaker in 2023. Sam now leads a close-knit team of winemakers across the Hill-Smith family's stable and embodies the Yalumba philosophy with a love for bringing people together through storytelling, generosity, and the enjoyment of fine wine.

Yalumba has several collections of wines, and this particular wine is from their Samuel's Collection, which is their core premium range of wines. The range celebrates and honours their founder, Samuel Smith, who planted Yalumba's first vineyard over 170 years ago. Samuel had a spirit of embracing provenance and giving back to the land, which was the starting point for making this collection of fine wines possible. Samuel's Collection wines are designed to offer regional typicity and varietal transparency, alongside serious winemaking and drinkability at a moderate price.

This red wine is crafted with 100% Shiraz that was sourced from vineyards across the Barossa. The vines range from young (approx. 10–15 years old) to old (greater than 35 years), and are planted on a diverse range of sites that have slight variations in microclimates and soil types, such as red brown earths, sandy loams, and dark clay, all of which contributes to the complexity of this wine. Each parcel was vinified separately and fermented using a combination of both wild and cultured yeasts. The wines were matured for 10 months in Yalumba coopered French and Hungarian hogsheads, only 15% new, then blended and bottled prior to release.

The growing season in the 2023 vintage was delayed by several weeks due to abundant winter and spring rainfall, along with cooler than average temperatures in September and October. Further impacting the vintage were the windy conditions during flowering, which resulted in lower fruit set at some of the vineyards. Summer was relatively mild and allowed the grapes to slowly ripen, develop complexity, and thrive. From a late vintage that produced elegantly restrained wines with character and charm, let's see how this 2023 Barossa Shiraz is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

YALUMBA SAMUEL'S COLLECTION SHIRAZ 2023 - Vegan, Sustainable, Barossa, South Australia (#12907) (XD) - $21.95
Enclosed by screw cap, this lovely Shiraz has a medium-high to highly aromatic nose that is deep and intense with ripe dark fruits, blackberry, black cherry, black pepper spice, oak spice, and dried herb aromas with a hint of mint. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it has above average concentration and delicious ripe dark fruit, black cherry, cassis, blackberry, black pepper spice, and cedary oak flavours, plus hints of dried herb, meaty, and smoky mineral notes. Some minty notes on the mid-palate, alongside fresh acidity and smooth, supple, and fine-grained tannins. A touch warming, but still within balance. Savoury, cedary, and smoky mineral notes linger on the long, crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts

Several wines by Yalumba are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Woodman Wines & Spirits.