Winemaker Notes
The 2014 Caley represents a wine for the cellar. Deep and dark red in color, it is the bright aromatics that capture you. Intriguing. Fine. Complex. A touch of currants, leaf and herb. Cool fresh spices. Iodine and cedar. It has it all. Then you take a mouthful. Richness, texture and depth, yet cool with a line of Coonawarra peppermint through its soul. The acid and fine tannin show their support and precision.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is Yalumba’s most premium wine, and it’s easy to see why. It blends Coonawarra Cabernet with Barossa Shiraz for a classy, complex wine that could be drunk over the next few years with lengthy time in decanter, but will really blossom over the next decade or even two. Once exposed to oxygen, it starts to reveal a plethora of enticing aromas, from bushels of red and black fruits to dark chocolate and coffee beans; from iodine to dried mint and tobacco. The palate is big yet focused, seamlessly melding the forest fruit with the earthy, dried herbal notes and oak spice, all supported by powerful, leathery tannins. Drink 2021–2039.
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James Suckling
Just the third edition of this flagship Yalumba red blend, it has a wealth of dried violet and rose florals with blueberries, cassis and blackcurrants, as well as gently meaty, chalky and herbal notes. The palate is succulent with long, regal tannins, carrying plenty of flavor. A blend of 82% cabernet sauvignon and 18% shiraz. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz comprises 81% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Shiraz from Barossa Valley. On the nose, there is salted licorice, roasted meat crust, pink peppercorns, graphite, charry black spice and loads of dark chocolate. In the mouth, the wine is substantial, bigger than the framing of the 2014 vintage that has previously been painted by the wines on the table today. The impact of the élevage is quite profound here and casts a dark light over the wine. There are notes of toasted walnuts and cracked pistachio, rose attar and tapenade.
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Wine Spectator
Open-knit yet muscular, showing off a complex mix of tobacco, dried herb, espresso and juicy cherry flavors, with accents of black licorice and olive tapenade, revealing a dose of freshly cracked black pepper. Tannins flex on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Drink now through 2033.
Established in 1849, Yalumba is Australia’s most historic family-owned wine company showcasing the best of the Barossa and South Australian wine regions. Fiercely independent and extremely progressive through the generational ownership by the Hill-Smith family, their longevity and success are a result of patience, collaboration, and forward-thinking. Yalumba is a leader in the industry with the foresight to embrace the natural terroir to craft wines with individual character and a sense of purpose, as well as a spirit to reinvest in the land upon which it operates. Yalumba is committed to sharing stories of provenance gathered over 175 years of history of family winemaking.
Arguably the single most famous wine region in Australia, the Barossa includes both Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, making it one of the only areas in Australia to have neighboring warm and cool climate growing conditions. Yalumba is privileged to have access to some of the oldest vineyards in the world in Barossa Valley, including 1889 bush vine Grenache and 1908 Shiraz. They are committed to growing premium quality fruit reflecting distinctive varietal characters of the region.
Yalumba also operates the Southern Hemisphere's only fully operational Cooperage, crafting bespoke oak barrels that elevate the wines aged within them. While the beginnings of the Yalumba Cooperage remain a mystery lost in time, coopering has been a proud tradition at the winery for more than a century. Their coopers have been performing and perfecting their craft since around 1890. In the Nursery, Yalumba is a global leader in wine innovation, growing, evaluating, and supplying quality grape vines to the Australian wine industry. Yalumba has developed strong relationships with leading grapevine programs from around the world and have exclusive access to certain new varietals in Australia. This gives the Yalumba viticulturists and winemakers the unique opportunity to evaluate and develop new or emerging varieties before they are sold.
Yalumba continually strives to reduce their impact on the environment, stay involved in the community, and make great wine with minimal intervention in the vineyard and in the winery. They are committed to sustainable practices, with the belief that the healthier and more biodiverse the vineyards are, the better the wines will be. Yalumba has been developing its own sustainable viticulture program since the mid-1990s, promoting the economic production of quality grapes. For every acre of vineyard Yalumba own, they have at least one acre of native vegetation. All Yalumba wines are crafted with wild yeast, are 100% vegan, and are made with the least intervention possible but with as much knowledge, confidence, and expertise as possible.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
South Australia is the historic heart of Australian wine, a great wine capital of the world, and home to some of the most famous regions. It produces more than 80% of Australia’s premium wine from some of the oldest vines in the world. There is an abundance of varieties and wide spectrum of styles to explore. From the rogue to refined, discover Australian wines that are far from ordinary.