Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Shiraz 2022

The Signature, always a tribute to a deserving contributor to Yalumba and/or the Australian wine industry, is probably Yalumba’s best known wine. The 2022, a superb vintage, is in honour of Paul Midolo, who is their Executive Director of Sales for Australia and New Zealand. As always, made by Kevin Glastonbury, himself the recipient of the 2019 Signature. The blend, all Barossa, is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Shiraz. The vines average 52 years of age and the wine spent a year and a half maturing in a mix of new Hungarian oak hogsheads, French barriques and hogsheads (21%), with the remainder in older barriques and hogsheads, both Hungarian and French (for those wondering, Yalumba are one of the few wineries remaining in the world to have their own cooper; hence, such innovative oak treatment is not beyond them). Under cork. A very dark maroon, the nose is all about chocolate and mocha notes, aniseed, black cherries, smoked meats, blackberries, bay leaves, bacon fat and cloves. Rather silky on the palate, there is good oak integration proceeding well. There is good balance, bright acidity and impressive length. This release has perhaps a touch more elegance than some from the past, and it is all the better for it. An excellent Signature from a superb vintage, still youthful, this has at least ten to fifteen years ahead of it.