'Yalumba' means - ‘all the country around’ in native Aboriginal language

Yalumba’s 175+ year wine history in Australia, South Australia, Barossa Valley and frankly the world is nothing short of fantastic. From assembling a team of passionate and dedicated professionals, to growing wine to barrel making, Yalumba is a company that embraces their history with every step they take yet blends it with a modern and future focused vision.

The wines are always quality driven - from the higher volume commercial end of the scale to the stunning ‘Signature’ and ‘Caley’ red blends.

A favourite of mine form the their white wine portfolio is the Vigilius Viognier.

Tasting notes from head winemaker Sam Wigan’s recent visit - June 3rd - to Aotearoa New Zealand below:

The Virgilius Viognier '23 - Takes a few swirls to fully release the bouquet with distinctive scents of white flowers and mineral cool wet stone ideas, then white fleshed fruits of white apricot and peach with some apple then fruits spice highlights perhaps driven by some fine lees contact. Dry with a silk touch then warmth from the abv. Flavours reflect and repeat the bouquet. Some youthful firmness from the phenolics and medium+ acidity. Plush and fresh, textured and delicious, a wine of restraint and elegant complexity. Lengthy and will age well. Best from day of purchase or mid 2027 through 2035+. 93 Points Excellent.

Sam’s comments on winemaking - “Planted in 1980. High pH wine, lower acidity is natural. No SO2, No CO2, brown juice, full solids into old oak barrels, once clear and finished its fermenting and brief ageing this wine can does deliver a fine finish”.

Samuel's Collection Grenache '23 - An immediately enticing bouquet of red berries and plums, smells a little like Pinot Noir yet distinctive with a clay and stone soil ideas, fresh cherry and yellow plums, some reductive leesy qualities, flint then spice, some earth-smoke of crumbled clay. Dry, some firmness from acidity and an abundance of fine tannins and backbone [of acidity]. Lighter weighted, fresh and tense with layers of spice and sense of place. Lower or older oak use. VVG. 92 Points - Premium

Sam commented that Yalumba’s definition of ‘old vines’ starts at 35 years [in the ground and producing].

Samuel's Collection Cab Sav Shiraz '23 - Surprisingly more floral than expected with a big violets and blackberry flowers hit. Then scents of dark raspberry and blackcurrant, a nettles-like scent, and stones. Moderate + oak intensity. A dry wine with an immediate power and texture from tannins and acidity; as this sensation calms on the palate the flavours of plums and sour cherry, roses and red apple, blackcurrant and some peppercorn unfold. Taut and youthful, plenty of tannins and acidity accentuating the spice messages. Lengthy and very youthful with best drinking from 2029 through 2040+. 93 Points - Excellent.

Hand picked Shiraz Viognier '22 - A floral and fruit centric bouquet with roses and plums, sweet black currant and oak spice layers, fragrant then some muscle and power. Dry with an abundance of fine tannins then fruit and floral support. (Sam said - “All Eden Valley fruit with 2% Viognier, ripening at the same time as Shiraz”). Some milk-chocolate and peppercorn spice qualities. fresh, dry, balanced and well made with decent length. 93 Points - Excellent.

The Paradox Shiraz '23 - Great colour and fruit power with some powerful scents of violets and dark plums, layers of darker spices then crumbled stony soil ideas, youthful and vibrant. Lower new oaked-style with dark berries and some chocolate. Slightly chunkier tannins, with polish. Delicious, fresh and urgent mouthfeel, lots of fruit, a rounded even gently creamier style. 92 Points - Premium

The Signature Cab Sav and Shiraz '22 - A complete wine with energy and power, a style that speaks to dark berries and chocolate, spices of clove and nutmeg, some ageing meats and blackberries, then layers of violets and plums, wild raspberry and peppercorn. Firm tannins and big acid line. Lengthy and powerful, a delicious wine. Best drinking from 2029 through 2040+. 94 Points - Excellent.

The Caley Cab Sav Shiraz '21 - Fabulous power and concentration. The bouquet delivers intensity and thrust with scents of wild raspberry and blackcurrant, raspberry and plums, floral layers with a mix of rose and violets then bitter chocolate and olive, cherry and warmth. Dry, firm and concentrated reflecting the bouquet with red fruits then spices, oak then earth. Bold tannins with polish and power, an abundance of them framing the core fruits and fine velvet textures. An exceptional example with tension, lots of poise, long finish with persistent energy and length. Fantastic. Best drinking from today if you want to, great drinking from 2031 through 2045. 97 Points - Outstanding.

Yalumba Wines - New Release tasting - June 2026