Travel around the world and what you notice is many great international wineries have parcels of old vintages for sale. Not a couple of bottles, but some serious stock weight which they use to showcase the ageing potential of their wines. There is not enough of the same here in Australia so it is great to see Yalumba going down this track. Driven by Jess Hill-Smith, and launched to coincide with the 175th anniversary, Yalumba have released a Museum Collection stretching back up to 15 years. This is also just the beginning and we can look forward to a constant stream of vintage wines to enjoy going back five, ten and fifteen years, hopefully for decades to come.
Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Shiraz
2021
This 2021 Cabernet Shiraz blend is beautifully pure and pristine with aromas of coca, mahogany, blackberry, fruit pastilles and toasted cloves with a veneer of vanillin oak. Young, and tightly crafted with a seamless mid weight palate radiating with dark cherry flavours laced with ironstone. Powdery tannins support a long and fine finish. A young stallion that needs time to shine
94+ | 2030 – 2036
2014
This generously proportioned 2014 Cabernet Shiraz retains its youthful vitality with tarry, chocolate and blackberry aromas with some aged earthy, tobacco tones starting to emerge. Bold and brooding, with a chewy tannin frame and lashings of choc /blackberry flavour which build to a strong, gravel infused finish. Great character and aging potential.
95 | 2026-2040
2012
Excellent purity and detail in this finely tuned 2012 Cabernet Shiraz. Initially quite a leafy expression lifted by red currants, freshly sawn cedar with a backbone of fruit pastille before aromas of wood smoke start to build. Classical palate with vibrant flavours tightly wound in a sea of fine yet firm tannins. A sleeper just starting to come of age with exceptional length to finish.
96 | 2030-2050
2009
This more open knit 2009 vintage of Signature offers up plush aromas of blackberry conserve and fruits of the forrest with coal fire tones against a subtle backdrop of sweet oak. Firm edged chalky tannins add a chewy texture backing more mature woodsmoke and tarry tones to finish. At peak but will hold
93 | 2024-2032
Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon
2019
This youthful and perky 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon has a strong Coonawarra imprint thanks to layers of leafy, herbal cedary aromas with a backdrop of blackcurrant. Juicy and traditionally styled with a very strong tannic seam over powerful gravelly flavours, the finish is long, and strong, but needs time to peak.
92 | 2030 – 2038
2014
This beautifully pitched 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is drinking superbly with poised and enticing aromas of black currant and red earth laced with cigarbox, all while retaining energy and vitality. Compact and midweight offering a sophisticated palate with subtle smoky/herbal accents. Composed, balanced and starting to peak but will hold for another decade.
93 | 2025-2035
Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz
2019
This stylish 2019 Shiraz, which is a blend of 55% Eden and 45% Barossa Shiraz, is beautifully layered with initial aromas of violets, sage and white pepper followed up by a rich vein of focussed licorice. Sturdly, and tightly bound with powdery tannins, a superb mix of bright fruit pastille and dark earthy flavours are underpinned by wood smoke. Immensely complex and energetic, held tight and compact through to a finish of extreme length, this is benchmark Barossa Shiraz.
96 | 2030-2045
2014
This 2014 Shiraz is a seamless expression in peak condition with expressive aromas of mulberry and blackberry laced with black pepper, showing good purity and focus. Quite youthful but also now with layers of black olive and crushed spice aged complexity, it builds nicely up to a seamless finish, with a firm edge of tannins. Close to peak but will hold.
93 | 2025-2035
2009
This decadent 2009 Shiraz is immediately impressive boasting a rich core of mulberry and blackberry aromas lifted by hints of mushroom and aged spices. Ripe and richly proportioned, with coffee grounds oak influences, it delivers bold yet balanced flavours of blackberry and baked earth before concluding with a long, powerful and mouth filling finish. Classic Barossa with a long future ahead of it.
94 | 2024-2040
Yalumba Tri-Centenary Grenache
2022
This deliciously perfumed 2022 Grenache has rose petal, raspberry and charcuterie aromas, all seamless with touches of baking species. Vibrant, fresh and juicy, fragrant flavours of cranberry, red licorice and fennel seed and silky and beautifully weighted before building to a tangy, ethereal finish. A fine vintage from some of the world’s oldest Grenache vines.
93 | 2024-2030
Yalumba The Caley Cabernet Shiraz
2019
This young and confident blend of 77% Coonawarra Cabernet 23% Barossa Shiraz (19% BV, 4%EV) is a baby with its tight and effortless core of blackcurrant, gravel and clove aromas with new oak well encapsulated. Truly seamless and vibrant with a plume of plush tannins which feel a little more open knit than the outstanding 2018 vintage, it is a true claret stye that will build in stature over at least the next decade.
94 | 2028-2040
2014
This 2014 blend of Coonawarra Cabernet (82%) and Barossa Shiraz (18%) is almost perfect with its vibrant and seamless aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and new leather with hints of Australian bush. Classical lines of firm tannins underpin a well composed core of vibrant, energetic flavours with palpable tension, exceptional balance and length. Delightful and will last another two decades.
97 | 2030-2045
