Yalumba The Caley Cabernet Shiraz 2018

The 2018 is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Ming D block in the Yalumba Coonawarra vineyard and 20% Shiraz sourced from the Horseshoe Vineyard and the Burgemeister 'Linke' block in the Barossa. Matured for 20 months in 38% new French barriques, balance in 1 year and older French barriques.

The Caley is a showcase of expressive and indulgent winemaking. Notes of blackcurrant and dark cherry with cool iodine notes merging into savoury, leafy hints. Followed by a composed and inviting body of red fruit with a silky tannic profile.

Critics thoughts - Good depth and hue of colour it's still purple-tinted at this age. The bouquet is fresh and bold, replete with forest-floor/mint and dried-herb nuances, while the palate is very powerful, concentrated, full-bodied and firmly constructed. Deep-set cassis fruit as well, still partially in hiding. This is a dense, power-packed cabernet-driven red with abundant tannins. Tremendously long finish. A magnificent wine, which has what it takes to age and reward cellaring for the long term. (80% Coonawarra cabernet, 20% Barossa shiraz).  99 Points The Real Review, 21 Mar 2023

Incredible! An 80/20 blend with 15% of the Shiraz coming from the Eden Valley and the remaining 5% from the Barossa Valley. Medium to full-bodied, it spent 20 months in French oak and then another 39 months in bottle prior to release. Plush and silky, cool and seductive blackcurrants and blackberries draw you in along with some red currants. Some leafiness and roasted capsicum muse with a fleeting choc-mint cameo. A wine that seemingly floats on a cloud, dark plums add depth with a shimmer of red currants riding on the flank. The structure and balance are supreme. The words grace and elegance keep popping into my mind on tasting. There is a concentration yet it's not dense nor weighty. At the same time, it possesses an easy flow, composed and laid back, but you know there is that complexity to embrace. Watch this unfurl and you are on the doorstep of heaven. Drink to fifteen years+ .  Q Wine, 10 May 2023