The 2015 Yalumba The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz Museum Release is Yalumba’s flagship Australian red, blending 74% Cabernet Sauvignon with 26% Shiraz. The Cabernet comes from Coonawarra and Barossa, while the Shiraz includes fruit from Barossa vines planted in 1901. It offers deep aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry and Satsuma plum, layered with cedar, tobacco, sage, rosemary, iodine, dark chocolate and mixed spice.
The palate is concentrated and generous but remains remarkably fresh and composed. Pure black and blue fruits are framed by fine acidity and compact, powdery tannins, with savoury notes of graphite, earth, panforte and polished French oak adding complexity. Matured for 21 months in French barriques, including 46% new oak, it finishes exceptionally long with a compelling combination of latent power, elegance and precision.
Ben’s Recommendation:
At Wine More Cellars, this museum release offers collectors the advantage of impeccable winery cellaring while retaining decades of development ahead. It can be enjoyed now after one to two hours of decanting or cellared for another 20 years or longer. An outstanding match with prime rib, roast lamb, venison, slow-cooked beef cheeks, dry-aged steak or mature hard cheeses.
