YANGARRA ESTATE Kings Wood Shiraz, McLaren Vale
The Yangarra Kings Wood Shiraz (first vintage 2017) takes the place of the label’s ‘Whole Bunch’ Shiraz first made in 2009. The use of whole bunches is a feature of all Shiraz winemaking at Yangarra. The new wine follows the introduction of large-format foudres (oak vats), also in 2017, and the identification of a single block (Block 12) of suitable, biodynamically-farmed Shiraz growing at 150-180m on weathered sands mixed with ironstone gravels in the Kangarilla sub-district of McLaren Vale.
The wine is 100% estate-grown Shiraz, hand-picked, and double-sorted before fermentation with 25% whole bunches and maturation in 2500 litre French oak foudres for 15 months. Kings Wood Shiraz typically combines power with restraint, showing concentrated fruit in the red cherry, raspberry and red plum spectrum integrated with plush, supple, velvety textures on a long palate.
Incredibly vibrant deep purple colour in the glass. Subdued nose, dark loam and black fruits lurk with intent. Remarkable poise for such a young wine, dark fruits, blood and ironstone all meld seamlessly. Full of palate yet has a feeling of compression from acid and tannin so it pushes very deep and long. Time will provide even further layers and complexity.
95 points, The Real Review (February 2021)
Hewn of fruit from a southeast facing ironstone sandy outcrop. Hand picked and gently macerated, resplendent with 25% whole bunches. 15 days on skins. 18 months in French foudres (30% new). I like this. A bit looser knit than the Ironheart. Floral and lifted. Sappy and crunchy. A powerful wine, to be sure, but light on its feet. An energetic cadence, weaving a thread of peppery acidity into a quilt of blue-fruit allusions, violet, nori, smoked meat and Asian spice. Firm across the finish, the tannins pulling the saliva forth in readiness for the next glass.
95 points, Wine Companion (December 2020)
