2016 Yalumba The Caley Cab Shiraz

"This is one of the greatest examples of this great Australian Blend of recent decades!"~99 Halliday Wine Companion 

Yalumba winery was born in 1849 when founder Samuel Smith planted his first vineyard in the heart of Barossa Valley. Forty-four years later, Fred Caley Smith (from the third generation of the family) started developing sustainable viticulture and winemaking, which is still implemented to this day. The winery has a strong sense of responsibility for the environment, which has earned them more than 43 accolades for their sustainable practices, including the “International Award of Excellence for Sustainable Wine Growing” and the “International Green Apple Gold Award.”

In 2001, the Smith family decided to honor Caley’s passion, and bold, pioneering spirit by introducing a new wine: The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz. This wine is “the pinnacle of a long winemaking journey of excellence, that rightfully honors Yalumba’s most adventurous son, Fred Caley Smith.”

Today, the Hill-Smith family is a big name in the Australian wine industry, owning more than 19 estates throughout the continent.

Louisa Rose is the genius behind Yalumba’s wines, she works with winemaker Kevin Glastonbury to create these masterpieces. Louisa has a long trajectory in the world of wine and has become one of the world’s most respected winemakers. In 1999, she was awarded “Barossa Winemaker of the Year” and in 2004 “International Woman in Wine” by London IWSC. She has been recognized two times as "Winemaker of the Year" by Gourmet Traveler WINE Magazine and by the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology, and in 2014 she was awarded “Best winemaker in Australia."

Kevin Glastonbury, Louisa’s right hand, joined Yalumba in 1999. Ken’s passion to innovate and experiment has been recognized by several wine critics and was recently named “Winemaker of the Year” by Winestate.

The Caley is a beautiful blend of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Barossa Shiraz, The Caley is "a classic marriage of two noble varieties and two great Australian wine regions." The result is pure magic.

Aging: 21 months in French oak barrels (25% new)

71% Coonawarra Cabernet, 29% Barossa Shiraz. Very deep, dense red. Showcasing bright, attractive floral notes, cherry, oyster shell, leafy stalks, and redcurrant. A very defined and composed wine with engaging ripe fruits on the palate. Medium to full depth with a densely layered structure delivering a prominent yet silky tannin profile. This wine is built to age. 

"This is one of the greatest examples of this great Australian Blend of recent decades!"~99 Halliday Wine Companion

This has a very impressive sense of composure, offering a very attractive, cedary, and floral nose with deep violets and a wealth of forest wood, bracken, and blueberries, as well as plums. The palate has intensely ripe, assertive fruit flavors with a succulent, dense, and rich delivery of black cherry, cassis, and blackberry flavors. Density with focus and a strong drive at the finish. Long and juicy with real freshness. A blend of 71% Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon and 29% Barossa shiraz. Drink now. ~98 James Suckling

An elegant, markedly fresh fifth release, with restrained twig, tobacco, bay leaf, and mint nuances. Gliding along a fine-grained rail of tannins, well-focused blackcurrant leads the charge. Silky black cherry and sweet, succulent plum add dimension and juicy impetus through the mid-palate. Black olive, chocolate, clove, anise, ironstone, and licorice lend savory nuances. Harmonious, tapering, and persistent, the grippy finish reminds you it will age beautifully too. ~96 Decanter

Inky ruby. Highly expressive, spice-accented black and blue fruit preserves, incense, vanilla and pipe tobacco qualities on the nose, with cedary oak and spice note emerging with aeration. Offers palate-staining cherry liqueur, blackcurrant, and fruitcake flavors that are braced and sharpened by a spine of smoky minerality. Gains weight with air while retaining vivacity and finishes gently sweet and extremely long, with slow-mounting, polished tannins adding framework and final grip. ~96 Vinous Media

A profound red, rich and dense, based around a core of generous ripe cherry, spiced plum, and framboise flavors, with taut tannins adding a firm backbone as the details expand on the finish. Dried rose petals, cedar, rosemary, salted black licorice, and dark chocolate notes linger on the long, expressive finish. Cabernet and Shiraz. Drink now through 2042. From Australia. ~95+ Wine Spectator

Yalumba's 2016 The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz is a blend of 71% Cabernet (from Coonawarra) and 29% Shiraz (from Barossa—Lightpass and Eden Valley) aged 21 months in French oak barriques and hogsheads (25% new). Marked by hints of menthol and sage, it also offers up deep cassis and blackberry fruit, plus notes of cedar and vanilla. In the mouth, it's medium to full-bodied and amply concentrated but tightly wound, with plush tannins wrapped around a ripe core of fruit—this needs time to relax and unfurl. Hints of licorice appear on the finish, speaking of ripe Syrah and joining persistent notes of dark fruit. Clearly, this has a lot going for it, so give it several years in the cellar before trying a bottle. ~95 Wine Advocate

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