Yelland & Papps Limited Cuvée Shiraz 2023

Sourced from a dry-grown Greenock block planted in the 1960s, this was wild-fermented, basket-pressed and matured in tight-grain French oak. Deep-set and brooding in feel. The cedar oak features prominently to begin with before a filling out of plum conserves, peppercorn sauce, au jus, blackberry, an iodine nuance, clove spice and cacao powder. This needs some air to combat the oak-laden opening, but the result is a finessed and complex aromatic profile. This thread carries through to the palate, which also balances oak presence with lifted fruit and spice. Black cherry, blackberry and plum sit high in the mouth, with some warm spice and oak notes dancing around the core. There’s a cooling mineral feel piercing the fruit too, adding to the sense of lift, while a solid anchoring of firm-but-fine-grained tannins wraps it all up to long length. This needs time for integration, but the bones are very impressive. Intensity without weight. Finesse is the word.