Wine of the week: the best-value Australian red of the year
2016 Yalumba, The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz, Barossa, South Australia
£33.99, waitrosecellar. com; £36.05, vinvm.co.uk; £36.68, corkingwines. co.uk; £37.99, reduced to £33.99 on a Mix Six, majestic.co.uk; £38.34, dennhoferwines.com; £41, auswinesonline.co.uk;
£41, connollyswine.co.uk; £42.50, frazierswine. co.uk; £312 for 12 bottles in bond, farrvintners.com; £156 for 6 bottles in bond, uk.cruworldwine.com
If you track back to 18 June, you’ll find my review of 2016 Yalumba The Caley. I described it as the finest young Aussie Cabernet/ Shiraz I have ever tasted, and I awarded it a perfect 20/20 score. By all accounts, this wine is relatively rare right now, given that only several hundred cases were made, and even though it was priced at the £200+ mark, sales have been brisk.
While this was only the fifth release of The Caley, its little brother, The Signature, is on its 47th vintage. The Yalumba luminary invited to sign their name on the label of this epic 2016 vintage is none other than chief winemaker Louisa Rose. Let’s be clear, Lou has not used her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to scribble her name on any old vintage. She has reserved this privilege for a phenomenal wine.
Consider this: 2016 is a stellar year for Yalumba and this elite blend, which I call The Great Australian Red. And also, that The Signature shares an enormous amount of The Caley’s DNA. It therefore follows that this red wine is the finest-value Australian wine of the year. It drinks perfectly now, but it can age gracefully for a further quarter of a century and more, so it might just be the finest red wine to buy for your cellar as 2021 comes to a close. 2016 The Signature has earned its starring role this week, not least because it gives you just enough time to snap some up for last-minute festive gifts for your fastidious, wine-loving friends.
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (MatthewJukes.com).