Of all the wines that have come across the Qwine tasting bench, this has been the most compelling and the purest. This Yalumba Caley is a wine that oozes class as pleasure seeps through every pore. Raise this up on the highest pedestal as every accolade is well deserved.
An utterly divine wine, words almost seem irrelevant. It's that moment when you turn the volume down to just absorb what's around you. That.
I recall catching up with Jane Ferarri (former Yalumba ambassador and famed story teller) a few years ago and not long before the first Caley release hit the scene. She spoke with absolute passion and pride of this "super claret". I could see in her eyes and hear in her voice the magnitude of the upcoming debut release and the impact it would have on the Yalumba brand and the Australian wine landscape. There's no disappointment here folks, let me assure you.
A blend of Cabernet and Shiraz (74/26), the Cabernet comes from Yalumba's Coonawarra Ming D Block planted in 1992. The Shiraz component is sourced from two sites, the first being the Burgemeister "Linke Block" between Nurioopta and Angaston which was planted in 1901 while the second site is the Horseshoe Block on the southern side of the Yalumba's Eden Valley winery planted in 1971.
Matured for 21 months in 46% new French Barriques, the remainder saw two year and older French Barriques. Once bottled in 2017, the finished wine was tucked away for 36 months prior to release.
Beautifully presented in a case with a pop out booklet which outlines the history of the wine, the bottle is wrapped in tissue paper and the cork wax sealed. A wine that slides through the mouth with absolute ease, it's silkiness the highlight for me. To bring Cabernet and Shiraz together from Coonawarra and Barossa sites in such a pristine fashion as Kevin Glastonbury has done is a nod to his finesse and winemaking ability.
Mulberries, blueberries, soft dark plums and dark cherries set things alight. There's an intensity yet the restraint is a pleasure to behold. A touch of cedar, cinnamon, olive and a saltiness tuck in behind puffs of earth and the faintest lick of mint. The sublime balance between fruit, acid and oak cannot be underestimated. Fine spices coil around the mouth and tighten ever so slightly ready to soften in years to come. Did I mention that long and seemingly never ending silky finish? All class.
As Jane Ferrari said, "This is a super claret never seen before in Australia." She would be right. It is the ultimate Cabernet Shiraz blend.
Drink now to twenty years+
97/100
RRP: $365
Source: Sample
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