The Caley 2016 has been sourced from three outstanding vineyards in the Coonawarra and Barossa regions including two Yalumba family estate sites.
The Caley was matured for 21 months in 25% new Yalumba coopered French barriques, with the balance in 2 year and older French barriques. Once bottled on 2 May 2018, the wine was hidden away in our marble cellars for a further 36 months, and released on 1 June 2021.
‘I know this fits in this line up. I think 2016 was a great vintage. The blend is put together in November, then set aside for the rest of their time in barrel, a full 12 months as a single wine. So when we look at this, it’s the knowledge of the fruit, style of wine, what sort of tannin, the mid palate, that ends up making this wine. The blend comes together based on structure, tannin profile, direction you want the palate to flow in. The vintage determines so much of this of course”. So says winemaker Kevin Glastonbury.
Magnificent in every sense. Perfume, poise, tension, length, detail. Fruit, spice, savouriness. Strong elements of Coonawarra so evident with the seasoning of Barossa lending judicious character. Scents of cassis, kirsch, a booze-soaked berry experience, fennel, brown spice, turned earth and herbs. Superb. Slippery and long, seamless flow, tannins fine and spreading in a web that draws the wine into long distance mode even as they draw the wine to very, almost uncomfortably tight. Finishes lifted and fresh. Wow stuff, with best to come.’ – 96+ points. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
‘Yalumba began blending Coonawarra cabernet with Barossa shiraz more than a half century ago. This is one of the greatest expressions of this great Australian blend of recent decades. Perfect, compact, fragrant blackcurrant and blackberry fruit depth pauses time as it hovers motionless for minutes, propelled by the most intricate, chalk mineral framework of perfectly interlocked fruit and French oak tannins. A vintage to hark back to for another half century yet.’ – 99 points. Tyson Stelzer, Halliday Wine Companion 2022
