Sixty Second Swirl by Brent Lello

For those of you in the Yass Valley region that enjoy local wine and tapping a toe to live local music talent, you are probably aware of ‘Yazzbar’ in the main strip in Yass – a great spot to unwind, relax and take in the tastes and sounds of the region.

Yazzbar also have their own wine labels too, which offer the punter good value and top-quality local drops.

The Yazzbar ‘Penelope’ Shiraz 2015 is one such offering.

This wine is made by Dennis Hart of Dog Trap Vineyard, who has a happy knack for producing quality cool climate wines that age gracefully for years.

This Shiraz is a deep, inky, garnet red colour in the glass.

A swirl reveals aromas of blackberries, black cherries and ripe blood plums.

It is loaded with cool climate spice, with a nose twitching crack of black pepper and a lick of vanilla.

In the mouth, the wine is smooth and round with ripe black fruit flavours and a soft, mellow but lingering finish.

This is a top drop indeed and belies its 6 years of age.

We enjoyed ours with a block of crumbly cheddar cheese whilst unwinding after a hectic weekend, but would go really well with a grilled, pepper-crusted lamb chop or slow-braised lamb shanks.

I bought my bottle for $18 from the well-stocked shelves at the Yass Valley Information Centre, but you can also give it a run at Yazzbar itself.