2024 Yalumba Collection Release
2021 Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz - Barossa, South Australia
Signatory - Chris Gerhardy, production team - Yalumba
Medium deep crimson. Intense fresh elderberry, black cherry, blackcurrant, hint praline, mint aromas with underlying roasted chestnut notes. Inky deep pure and tight with ample black cherry, blackcurrant, herb garden flavours, plentiful fine loose-knit/slinky touch al-dente tannins and well-balanced roasted chestnut, vanilla notes. Finishes claret firm and minerally with some star aniseed notes. 19 months maturation in 23% new and seasoned Yalumba-coopered French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads. Generously concentrated wine with beautifully defined dark berry fruits, oak complexity and torque. Should develop very well. Drink 2025 – 2038 14.5% alc 96 points *****
2014 Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz – Barossa, South Australia
Signatory - Chris Greening, sales team - Yalumba
Medium deep crimson. Beautiful cassis, dark plum, vanilla aromas with hints of tobacco leaf. Well-developed blackcurrant, dark plum fruits, a touch of liquorice, chalky firm but sinuous textures, lovely mid palate volume and well-integrated vanilla, marzipan, roasted hazelnut notes. Finishes chalky firm and long with tobacco/ espresso notes. Very well-balanced wine with lovely density, richness and volume. At a very good stage of development but should continue to mature evenly for years to come. 21 months maturation in 32% new and seasoned Yalumba-coopered French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads. Some seasoned American oak as well. Drink now – 2032 14% alc 97 points *****
2012 Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz – Barossa, South Australia
Signatory - Robert Hill-Smith, vigneron & proprietor - Yalumba
Medium deep crimson. Fragrant and complex wine with black cherry, blackberry, graphite, cedar aromas with brambly notes. Richly concentrated black cherry, blackberry fruits, persistent gravelly/ sinewy touch ferruginous tannins, lovely inky density and well- balanced cedar, roasted chestnut oak notes. Finishes sinewy firm, followed on by buoyant dark berry fruits. Generously flavoured and well evolved wine with impressive vigour and mineral length. 19 months maturation in 23% new and seasoned Yalumba-coopered French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads. Drink now – 2035 13.5% alc 95 points *****
2009 Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz – Barossa, South Australia
Signatory - Clive Weston, sales & distribution - Yalumba
Medium deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant dark chocolate, roasted chestnut, vanilla tobacco leaf aromas. Superbly well-developed wine with inky deep cassis, praline, mocha flavours, lovely mid-palate volume, dense grainy tannins and underlying marzipan, roasted walnut, tobacco notes. A lovely firm muscular finish with attractive chocolaty/ dark berry fruits. 20 months maturation in 35% new and seasoned Yalumba-coopered French barriques and Hungarian hogsheads. Drink now – 2035 13.5% alc 94 points ****
2019 Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Intense cassis, dark cherry, mulberry, vanilla, mint aromas with hints of stonefruit. Expressive claret-style with pure blackcurrant, dark cherry fruits, classical grainy firm tannins, some roasted chestnut vanilla notes and well-integrated fresh linear acidity. Lovely mid-palate inky density and complexity. Finishes cedary/ spicy with graphite/ leafy notes. A reference Coonawarra Cabernet that should continue to age very well. 18 months maturation in 20% new and seasoned French and Hungarian Hogsheads. Drink now – 2035 14% alc 96 points *****
2014 Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Well evolved cabernet with cassis, espresso, tobacco leaf, touch capsicum aromas. Inky deep palate with ample dark berry fruits, roasted coffee, tobacco leaf, black olive, chinotto notes, al-dente/ leafy/ grippy textures, attractive mid-palate density and hints of vanilla, marzipan. Finishes grippy and long. A firm claret style with lovely volume and mineral length. 20 months maturation in 36% new and seasoned French and Hungarian Hogsheads. Drink now – 2030 14% alc **93 points** ****
2019 Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz, Barossa – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Intense inky, blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate, chinotto aromas with marzipan vanilla hint oatmeal notes. Beautifully balanced and generously proportioned wine with ample inky, pure blackberry fruits, hint of sage, supple chocolaty firm tannins and underlying praline, mocha, marzipan, roasted chestnut notes. Finishes chocolaty firm and long. A classical Barossa Shiraz style with the volume and sinuous structure to last the distance. 19 months maturation in 25% new French oak barriques and hogshead. The balance in seasoned French oak hogsheads and octaves. Drink 2030 – 2048+ 14.5% alc 97 points *****
2014 Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz, Barossa – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Evolved earthy, wax polish, black berry aromas with roasted walnut notes. Inky deep earthy, blackberry, dark plum fruits, fine supple ripe, touch grippy tannins, attractive mid-palate density, some roasted walnut, chinotto notes. Finishes with a chalky plume and wax polish leather notes. Secondary characters bring a lovely complexity while bottle age gives added volume. Drinking very well now but should continue to develop. 20 months maturation in 38% new French and American oak octaves. The balance in seasoned barriques, hogsheads and octaves. Drink now – 2035 14% alc 95 points *****
2009 Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz, Barossa – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. A classical Barossa Shiraz with generous blackberry, dark chocolate, liquorice aromas and hints of herb garden, polished leather and spice. Very well concentrated wine with generous blackberry, dark plum, dark chocolate, panforte flavours, plentiful looseknit chalky firm tannins, lovely inky density and some spicy, earthy notes. Chocolaty firm finish. Wonderful complexity volume and richness. The scent and purity of the Eden Valley singing through the density and flow of Barossa Valley fruit. 20 months maturation in 39% new French and American oak octaves. The balance in seasoned barriques, hogsheads and octaves. Drink now – 2035 13.5% 97 points *****
2022 Yalumba Tricentenary Grenache, Barossa Valley – South Australia
Medium light crimson. Perfumed strawberry, rose petal aromas with orange rind, hint flinty notes. Fresh and supple palate with strawberry, red cherry, redcurrant flavours, fine slinky/ lacy textures, lovely mid plate viscosity and well-integrated but juicy acidity. Chalky at the finish with star anise notes. Drinking beautifully now but should develop and expand with further bottle age. 372 post-fermentation maceration in stainless steel has created a compelling complexity and timelessness in style. Based on 820 surviving 1889-planted grenache vines in the heart of the Barossa Valley. Drink now – 2032 14% alc 95 points *****
2019 Yalumba The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz, Coonawarra & Barossa – South Australia
Deep crimson. Intense black cherry, cassis, dark chocolate, roasted chestnut aromas. Inky deep, voluminous and chocolaty with abundant dark cherry, cassis flavours, fine dense velvety tannins and well-integrated roasted chestnut, marzipan notes. Builds chocolaty firm at the finish with ample dark berry fruits. Elemental and powerfully structured wine with the density, volume and torque for long term aging. Keep for a while to allow the elements to fold. A high quality vintage destined for a great cellaring future. 77% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 23% Barossa Shiraz. 19 months maturation in 24% new and seasoned French Barriques. Drink 2027 – 2040+ 96 points *****
2014 Yalumba The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz, Coonawarra & Barossa – South Australia
Medium deep colour. Very expressive with roasted coffee, black cherry pastille, cassis, mocha aromas with tobacco/ hint sage notes. Beautifully balanced wine with black cherry pastille cassis fruits, looseknit chalky/ grainy tannins, superb mid-palate volume and viscosity and underlying espresso/ mocha oak complexity. Finishes leafy firm with seductive dark berry fruits and a lovely tannin plume. A beautiful wine that has developed into something special and lasting. Evoking the very best of the Australian Cabernet Shiraz tradition, it’s destined to become a classic vintage of the decade. 82% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 18% Barossa Shiraz. 20 months maturation in 41% new and 59% seasoned French oak barriques. 14% alc Drink 2023 – 2038 98 points *****
2004 The Reserve
Deep crimson. Dark chocolate, blackberry, earthy, ironstone aromas with hints of wax polish and leather. Minerally blackberry, chocolate, dark cherry, chinotto flavours with roasted walnut, ferruginous earthy notes, attractive mid-palate richness and supple chocolaty touch grippy/ sinewy tannins. Finishes chocolaty and minerally with salted liquorice, espresso notes. A beautifully evocative wine showing the earthy polished leather characters, buoyancy/ volume and complexity achieved through bottle-age. Should hold up for many years to come. A blend of the best 20 barrels of Yalumba’s 2004 red wine vintage. 69% Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 31% Barossa Shiraz. 23 months maturation in 28% new French barriques, 24% new American hogsheads and seasoned oak hogsheads. 18 years bottle maturation in Yalumba cellars. 14.5% alc Drink now – 2035+ 94+ points ****