Zema Estate Saluti Cabernet Shiraz 2016

The Zema family tend to keep things low key and usually let the wines speak for themselves. They are, however, celebrating their fortieth anniversary and have released this wine to commemorate the milestone. A blend of 72% Cabernet and 28% Shiraz, the final wine is a barrel selection, made after the wines had spent an initial 12 months maturing, of their very best from a very fine vintage. The new blend then spent another 14 months in a mix of new and used French and American hogsheads. ‘Saluti’ is only made when the occasion demands and the vintage is sufficiently excellent. This is a near opaque magenta in colour, finely crafted, with notes of spices, dark fruits, bay leaves, tobacco, leather, black fruits, cloves, coffee beans, sandalwood and mocha plus finely integrated oak. The structure is tight, with fine tannins and plenty of them. Very good length, it has at least a decade or more ahead of it. A most worthy way to celebrate such a significant milestone.