Australia

Yalumba – The Signature

From the first vines planted in 1849, Yalumba has been at the forefront of every turning point in Australian wine history, helping to forge Australia’s enviable wine culture from table wines to those that sit proudly amongst the finest wines of the world.

The heart of Yalumba’s legacy remains its iconic blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, for decades led by the acclaimed The Signature, FDR1A, and most recently The Caleyan extraordinary union of Coonawarra Cabernet and Barossa Shiraz.

With ancient vines sustained by the world’s oldest soils and enriched by the craftsmanship of generations, Yalumba is writing the next chapter in Australia’s fine wine storya future for the wine world that thrives with authenticity, diversity, and distinction.

Yalumba’s greatest legacy is the courage to make decisions and act now for the benefit of future generations rather than for immediate gain. It is engrained in the philosophy, methods and culturenow, across six generations of the family’s winemaking history, and in the vision for the future.
Generation after generation, Yalumba continually strives to reduce the impact on the environment, and make great wine with minimal intervention.  Yalumba is committed to sustainable practices with the belief that healthier vines create better wines.

Yalumba started with the planting of vines in 1849, by founder Samuel Smith. Under the moonlight, in the heart of the Barossa, he set in place not just the first of many generations of vines, but a philosophy that still holds true today. A genuine respect for the land and a willingness to venture into the unknown.

Yalumba has always had a deep connection to the Barossa.  The long-term vision is manifested in the marble and sandstone Clocktower; a solid monument to the commitment to the region.  The Yalumba Cooperage also shows this passion. It is where Yalumba continues the proud tradition of crafting oak barrels and it is the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

A family wine business doesn’t thrive across three centuries by standing still. Change is a constant. Innovation is a must. And while the current, sixth generation Yalumba custodians have enormous respect for those who have gone before them, they spend most of their time looking forward. Not back.

Yalumba 2018 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz
Third generation Fred Caley Smith, took to the seas on a grand scientific discovery in 1893 and returned with progressive horticultural developments that laid the foundation of sustainable viticulture and winemaking at Yalumba today.  Yalumba honors his spirit of innovation with their Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blends.

The blending of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz is a distinctly Australian winemaking practice, producing striking reds that cannot be replicated in France, Germany or Italy due to strict controls around regional blending.  Since the 1800’s, Yalumba has been one of the most dedicated pioneers of this method. The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz is a prime example. A coming together of The Great Australian Red. With no set formula, Yalumba has embraced the magnificent unknown to create a unique and surprising vintage since 1961.

For the 2018 Signature vintage, a wet winter set the vines up for a healthy start to the season. Spring was drier than average and the vines responded quickly; growing and flowering well and setting a good number of bunches. Summer saw warm, dry days with cool nights ripening the grapes and maintaining freshness and natural acidity. The balmy Indian summer of early March helped complete the ripening of these perfectly balanced and flavored grapes.

The Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from four vineyards in the Barossa Valley. The diversity of the vineyard selection provides the rich, lifted Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics and palate structure for which The Signature is renowned. The Shiraz comes from vineyards of varying age, with the oldest planted in 1945. These blocks are of sandy loam, featuring yellow sand and ochre clay over red clay. The combination of these Barossa Valley blocks provides a Shiraz with sweetness, fullness, depth and layers of complexity.

An impressive star of the 2018 vintage. Medium deep, dense, red in color. Cool, fresh aromas of perfumed mints, blueberry, small red berries and red spicy cedar notes. Some leafy aromatics appear as the wine opens up over time. A refined and complex palate that is delightfully fresh with seamlessly integrated oak. Generous red berry fruit is wrapped in finely honed tannins. A medium to full bodied wine with a long, flowing tannin profile.  A very refined Signature that can be aged 15+ years in the bottle.