Yalumba, Coonawarra and Barossa (South Australia) 2012

  Yalumba’s inaugural offering of ‘The Caley’ Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz is a spectacular success.  It will rank among the top wines of Australia for decades to come.  Drawn from vineyards in Coonawarra for the Cabernet and the Barossa for the Shiraz, it achieves a degree of elegance and liveliness on the palate that it remarkable.  Plush blackcurrant and blackberry fruit aromas are underscored by lovely nuances of violet, mint, cocoa, vanilla, savory green herbs and baking spices.  The flavors are lifted, layered and long with opulent black fruits enhanced by a red fruit lilt that is seamlessly interwoven with hints of cedar, herbs, cocoa, vanilla and spice.  This is a beautifully balanced red with an exquisitely silky texture that tantalizes with its complexity.  It is powerful, but not at all heavy.  It will age well for decades, perhaps reaching a delicious peak at twenty years of age.  It is expensive, but worthy of comparison with similarly-priced reds from anywhere in the world.