Yalumba Rare & Fine The Caley

Yalumba The Caley Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz bottle image

Wine Description

The Caley has been sourced from three outstanding vineyards of the Coonawarra and Barossa regions and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Yalumba Clocktower
Yalumba Cooperage
Yalumba Vineyard
Yalumba Barrel Room
Yalumba Museum
Robert and Jess Hill-Smith
Winemaker, Louisa Rose
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Acclaim
"Dark purple. Intensely perfumed dark fruit preserve, incense, vanilla and exotic spice qualities on the nose, along with hints of pipe tobacco and woodsmoke. Offers palate-staining, concentrated black and blue fruit, violet pastille and espresso flavors that deftly blend depth and energy. Finishes youthfully chewy and precise, with steadily building tannins, resonating dark fruit, spice and floral notes and superb persistence."
— Vinous, Dec 2021
“Generous, concentrated and savory, with mineral accents and touches of dried rosemary, tapenade, and fresh loam. Ends with an epic finish.”
— Wine Spectator, Aug 2021
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Vineyard & Production Info
Production area/appellation:
Coonawarra & Barossa
Soil composition
Terra Rossa and Limestone/red brown loam
Elevation:
50-1,100 feet
Harvest time:
February 13-April 2, 2015
First vintage of this wine:
2012
Average Vine Age:
40 years
Certifying Organizations:
ISO14001; Entwine Australia
Sustainability Certification:
EPA Acredited Sustainability Licence
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
1-3 days on skins pre fermentation before wild yeast start to ferment
Varietal composition:
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Shiraz
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
21 months
Age of Aging Container:
46% New, 54% 2+ year old
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.49
Acidity:
6.5 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %
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Wine Production

Coonawarra: Mid-winter rains were followed by a dry, warm spring. Flowering was earlier than average and was completed quickly and evenly. The dry summer conditions kept berry size small, producing fruit with excellent concentration of colour, flavour and tannin.

Barossa: Consistent rainfall throughout winter led into a warmer and drier than average spring. The long, mild summer had few heat spikes accompanied by cool nights which retained the acidity and pristine fruit flavours, producing grapes of great aromatics and concentration.

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About the Vineyard

The Ming D block in the Yalumba Coonawarra vineyard provides the 74% Cabernet Sauvignon of this blend. This 2.7 ha plot was planted in 1992 with two clones of Cabernet Sauvignon selected for structure and depth of flavour.

The Caley’s 26% Shiraz component was sourced from two Barossa blocks. The first from the Burgemeister “Linke” block planted in 1901 at Light Pass. The second block is the Horseshoe Vineyard on the southern side of the Yalumba winery in Eden Valley. Planted by Helen HillSmith in 1971, this block follows the contours around the Fred Caley Smith Hut.