Yelland & Papps is the brand of husband-and-wife duo Susan (née Yelland) and Michael Papps, based in Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley. Their label began in 2010, after both of them had gained much experience working across the valley.
Their wines come from a selection of estate-grown vineyards and purchased fruit, encompassing some expected varieties such as Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, but also Cinsault, Vermentino and Roussanne, with some single vineyard and limited cuvée wines providing some seriously good offerings, and even the lower priced wines give tremendous value.
2022 Yelland & Papps Barossa Valley YP ‘Vin de Soif’
93 points – $32
‘Sourcing from multiple vineyards throughout the Barossa Valley this 70% Grenache 18% Cinsault and 12% Mataro blend comes together each year to represent the YP style of wine that has become Vin de Soif. Always in favour of Grenache being the prominent varietal with Cinsault and Mataro supporting the result being a delicious interesting and enjoyable wine.‘
‘Vin de soif’ is French for ‘thirst quencher’, and that’s a very good descriptor for this moreish wine that goes down very easily. Like the Cinsault below, it’s a very pretty wine, showing wild strawberry, boysenberry, red cherry and raspberry with a touch of cinnamon spice, violets and some cola depth. The palate is very spicy and bright, and whether you drink it by itself or with food, it’s an incredibly pleasant wine.
2022 Yelland & Papps Barossa Valley Single Vineyard Roussanne
93 points – $46
‘Sourced from the Materne vineyard in the Greenock sub-region of the Barossa Valley, lies rich loam over red clay 300m above sea level on the northeast corner of the Greenock region. Here lies rich loam over red clay 300m above sea level on the northeast corner of the Greenock region. Planted on their own roots in 2001 these vines are tendered by fourth Generation grower David Materne, with vines running east-west.’
Coming from the same vineyard as the Brumeux, this is more of your traditional Roussanne: wax, grapefruit, orange blossom, lanolin, fresh honeycomb. The palate is salty, bright and silky, and I found the palate weight to actually be a touch fuller than the Brumeux. It goes really nicely with cheese or chicken.
2022 Yelland & Papps Barossa Valley Estate Syrah
93 points – $49
‘Situated in the Ober Langmeil (Dorrien)sub-region of the Barossa Valley, on Susan & Michael Papps Estate vineyard 270m above sea level. Lies on sandy loam over clay, vineyards running north-south, twelve years of organic practices in the vineyard (not certified).’
Like with some of the other Yelland & Papps reds I tasted, boysenberry was a prominent feature here, giving the wines a sweet-fruited, almost tangy lift. The Estate Syrah shows other red and blue fruits – mulberry, raspberry and blueberry – with a smidge of eucalypt and vanilla, too. It pairs really well with spicy foods.
2021 Yelland & Papps Barossa Valley Single Vineyard Greenock Shiraz
93 points – $49
‘The fruit for our Devote Shiraz comes from the beautiful western Barossa wine region of Greenock. David Materne is again our man. We’ve sourced grapes from David for many years and the Shiraz comes from his ‘House Block’ on Victor Road. It was originally owned by the Victor family before being planted by Sir Condor Lauke in the 1960’s and purchased by the Materne’s in 2007. The House Block vineyard lies around 300 metres above sea level, planted on mixed loam over red clays dotted with ironstone and the sub-region only receives around 500mm of rain in an average year.’
This wine is a bit of chameleon, being quite dark fruited when consumed by itself but seeming brighter and fresher when paired with food. It’s inky and deep coloured, with fresh blackberry, mulberry, raspberry and wild strawberry intermixed with dried fruits, and savouriness of pine and toast. Give it a bit of time to breathe and be subsequently rewarded.
2021 Yelland & Papps Barossa Valley Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
93 points – $43
‘Estate block Valley Floor Ober Langmeil (Dorrien). Hailing from our Estate block this vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon the vineyard has been removed after a well-earned rest and regenerate time has been replanted with Grenache Blanc and Roussanne.’
Cabernet is the second most-grown red grape in the Barossa Valley (though still far behind Shiraz). The Yelland & Papps Cabernet shows pronounced aromas of blackberry and tomato leaf over red cherry, clove, beetroot and cedar. It’s bright and tasty, well balanced, and goes especially well with foods like pizza or pasta.
2022 Yelland & Papps Barossa Valley Single Vineyard Cinsault
94 points – $43
‘Situated 285m above sea level in the sub-region of Stone Well Barossa Valley the soil is heavy rich loam over red clay with a sprinkling of pink quartz throughout the vineyard. A newly planted vineyard from the Sonntag family on the highest point of the vineyard, running east-west and trellised on its own roots.’
If you drink a lot of reds from the southern Rhône or rosé from Provence, chances are you’ve had Cinsault/Cinsaut amongst the blend of grapes. It isn’t found very often as a varietal, which is a shame, as it can be quite lovely. A case in point is Yelland & Papps’ Cinsault, which is honestly one of the brightest and fruitiest wines I’ve had in a while. It has jubey aromas of raspberry and strawberry, intense boysenberry, violet prettiness, and cinnamon spice. It’s very zippy and fresh, with an energy on the palate that makes it perfect to sip or to pair with rich and spicy food.
2022 Yelland & Papps Barossa Valley Single Vineyard Old Vine Grenache
95 points – $43
‘The 2022 Single Vineyard Old Vine Grenache hails from only 2km from the Yelland &Papps Estate. This vineyard has been producing high-quality Grenache for Yelland &Papps since 2013. Previously sourced for the Second Take Grenache, these 1953 vines produce the characters in Grenache that we are looking for, savoury undertones and intense structure.’
There is so much to love in this Grenache. It has boundless energy and life in it, as witnessed by the array of fruits and savoury characters on display: strawberry (ripe like ice cream topping), raspberry, boysenberry, red cherry, liquorice and violets. The palate is silky and juicy, with chewy tannins and a dusty mouthfeel. While it’s great by itself, it comes alive even more with food; I had it with steak and it cut right through the fat and protein. A beautiful wine that will keep developing for a long time.
