It is a checklist spanning as far back as 1913, one we are schooled in as kids – the five w’s. The Who? What? When? Where? Why? … followed by the alliterative outlier ‘How’.
As I grow older, I find there is one ‘W’ in particular that continues to cast its shadow.
Why did I start renovating?
Why am I still with you? (a threat to my partner linked with said renovation)
Why did I eat so much?
Why did I drink so much?
And that was just the month of December.
Some questions, some rhetoric, some I already know the answer.
Fortunately the Y Series sheds light to those unresolved questions. A low alc for ‘too much alcohol’. A low calorie for ‘too much food’. And a sparking to celebrate running water and functioning toilets, ergo a relationship no longer in question.
Sometimes the ‘Y’ need not be so complicated!
Y Series Brut Cuvée NV
$16 | 88 Points
The sound of this reaching the glass is like that of a Sprite commercial – audio refreshment. Its perfume, a citric contortion – motioning between orange blossom, mandarin, and marmalade. When held on the palate, the wine is redolent of rice bubbles -‘snap, crackle and pop’, its mousse the spongey mattress to bed flavours of baklava and orange sherbet. There is a pleasant line of acid, not taut yet sufficient to sustain the cleansed, chalky finish. A wine to celebrate remembering to put the bins out.
Y Series Lighter Cuvée 7% NV
$16 | 88 Points
Playful and perky, a scented trail of tinned pineapple, toffee apple, lemon zest and sherbert. The palate is an extension of this play as its mousse expands like whipped cream from the nozzle. Flavours of lemonade, green apple and citrus sorbet waver between sweet and sour – in what is a surprisingly off-dry style and unoffensively so. A reputable low alc substitute, for when you feel like celebrating surviving a Wednesday.
Y Series Pinot Noir 2024
$15 | 88 Points
Crimson and coltish, it is this raw zeal that I find rather charming. A display of cranberry juice, fennel infused salami and Campari bitter. The latter, one that you can preemptively taste, its initial piquancy washed over by a wave of red fruit. The wine holds its form, wrapped in a glossy coat of tannin and propped up by youth. This is a Pinot without pretentiousness nor price tag – and in an arduous world, there is solace not asking, but simply drinking the ‘Y’.
Y Series Tempranillo 2022
$15 | 89 Points
A Tempranillo of temptation – the aromatic allure of cherry liqueur, raspberry bullets, prune with hints of sundried tomato and leather. Flavours to lick the glass’ rim – a sweet core of prune, black cherry, mixed berry compote dotted with vanilla bean and baking spice. Together they move swift and smooth – grazing the wine’s round, chocolatey tannins. Vibrancy runs the length with notable balance, no easy feat on a $15 tightrope! For when you’re dreaming of a Spanish holiday but haven’t a penny to your name.
Y Series Lighter Shiraz 8% 2023
$16 | 88 Points
Pale crimson with a translucent ring, its 8% immediately apparent as you are not looking into an abyss of the alcoholic unknown. By no means has it cast a muted aromatic impression – this is bright and jovial; a flutter of plum, redskin chews, cherry cola and rooibos tea. Lighter in both name and nature, the wine glides across the palate, leaving with it a sweet shadow. By virtue of the wine’s residual sugar, flavours of apple & raspberry cordial, strawberry, and swirls of boysenberry ice-cream come to the fore. Offset by an attractive pulpiness and melt in your mouth tannins – here is a wine to break low-alc prejudice. Tuesday’s post-pilates glass that can now be enjoyed guilt free.
