Yalumba Organic Shiraz 2010

Yalumba Wine Company
Organic Shiraz 2010
South Australia, Australia
$17-20 +563015 Available at BC Liquor Stores & select private retailers
www.yalumba.com  

One of the reasons the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is such an outstanding event are the winery principals in attendance. Every year winemakers, winery owners and winery ambassadors descend on YVR, bringing with them not only specialty bottles, but personal stories and experiences to share with participants. This year, one of the wine world’s most entertaining and endearing personality is returning to Playhouse: Yalumba’s Jane Ferrari.

I first met Jane in 2003, when she was on her Viognier Monologues tour – a world-wide whirlwind of wine dinners and events, promoting the Viognier grape. I recall that her BC visit was at the heel end of a month-long globetrot, and her Aussie wry humour kept the laughter and conversations flowing right along with the wines. The evening’s theme, Viognier Monologues, was based on the hit play The Vagina Monologues – a telling title that this was not your typical wine dinner, or host.

Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family run vineyard, has long had a strong presence in our market, favoured for their consistency and personality across the tiers. This Organic range of wines is new to the family, the result of 160 years of the company’s dedication to their land and environment. The Organic Shiraz is uniquely unoaked, allowing fresh, bright fruit to shine through. Dusty plum and earthy wild raspberry aromas lead to a soft palate of sweet spice, blueberries, herbs and plum. A wave of crushed flower petals, earth and subtle pepper close the finish – a nice change to the standard oaked powerhouses of the past. This wine would be a great partner to casual fare – burgers, meat sandwiches or plum dressed pork stirfry. Want to know more about Yalumba’s Organic program? Well you can ask Jane yourself at Playhouse – in two weeks time.

88 Points

In case you had any hesitation of seeking Jane out during Playhouse, check out this fitting description of her that I came across:

“Her official job title – Winemaker, Communications – scarcely gives an indication of the scope of her role, still less of her expansive personality. Ferrari is no PR fluffy, no charcoal-suited jargon-spinner turned out from a corporate mould. She’s jeans, boots and a laid back straight talker, with a taste for Barossa Shiraz and an open soul. She’s an inveterate traveller, a trained winemaker, a born story-teller, a canny judge of character (people or horses), an olive oil producer and custodian of a treasured gum-studded block of Barossa land.
There’s no fake or frippery with Jane Ferrari – when she preaches the Yalumba gospel, you realise that she’s doing it because she’s passionate about the place.”



Jane will be appearing and speaking at numerous events throughout the week, including one of my annual favourites, Diva(s) at the Met on Wednesday, February 29 from 6-8pm. A few tickets remain, and you can reserve your seat here.

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The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival  is one of North America’s largest and greatest celebrations of wine. This year from February 27 to March 4, the theme country is Chile and the focus is Cabernet(s). EAT will be on site for the whole week, with daily posts, DRINKs, tweets and updates live from the festival.