Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2016

The classic Australian blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz is almost an endangered species, as blends on the whole have become seriously uncool. But the simple fact is that there is a hell of a lot of blending going on behind closed doors. Plenty of well known shiraz have a dash of something, just to provide a bit of interest. Viognier, grenache and mataro are all popular but for local conditions, many of the greatest are a blend of cabernet and shiraz – cabernet providing the backbone and shiraz the flashy fruits. And when top notch fruit is expertly blended you can get not only blindingly impressive wines, but also some of the greatest and most unique expressions of what Australia has to offer on a global scale, which brings us to the 2016 Yalumba The Signature. The Signature is dedicated every year to a single individual in the wider Yalumba family and reflects just how important that extended family is within the business. It is a tribute that is unique in the wider world of wine. In 2016 the Yalumba signatory is long-time Yalumba Chief Winemaker Louisa Rose. The wine is deeply coloured and actually a little peculiar in that the individual characters of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz are initially hard to find – it more shows aromas of the baked red earths and Terracotta of the Barossa before some leafy cassis slowly awakens matched by youthful oak influence. The palate is then reserved but does show significant mouth-coating tannins seamlessly interwoven with outstanding fruit plus an almost never-ending finish. The overall experience is truly seamless, the wine even and unforced, and is just a great drink showing superb balance; exceptional winemaking from Kevin Glastonbury and his team with fruit in true harmony. I don’t buy much wine, but I am absolutely grabbing a case of this when it comes out in March 2021. And if you want to know more about the story of Yalumba The Signature, listen to Kevin Glastonbury and Jess Hill- Smith talk about what this wine means to them. Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot, Nov 2020