Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz 2020

Plush aromas of blackberries, red currants, cedar, red apple skin, citrus peel and bitter chocolate. The palate is full-bodied with a generous and powerful mouthfeel and finely grained tannins that lead to a bold, dark-fruited and savory finish. Some lovely old-vine character. It’s aged 50% in 100-liter house-coopered barrels. Drink or hold.

The 2020 The Octavius is lighter and finer than the depth and darkness of the 2019 tasted beside it. This is an interesting development. The 2020 season was hot and low yielding, just like 2019; however, the wine displays real finesse and levity in the glass. The tannins are dusty and earthy through the finish and leave a trail of sumac, pressed flowers and exotic spice in their wake. The finish leaves a note of clove and aniseed, and the length of flavor and carriage of tannin is something really worth discussing and noting. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.

• Reviewer Name: Erin Larkin

Wow, a deep, heady nose full of purple flowers and ripe black fruit. Supple and alive, this is almost thick in the mouth - concentrated and intense thanks to the dry and mild-to-hot vintage conditions - although there’s a tense aspect too with acidity that drives the wine forward and keeps it all in quite a straight line. Streamlined and focussed, this has such detail to the tannins and fruit and while the flavour widen the structure is pointed and very straight. I like the sense of bite you get, the tangy edges and lovely stony, mineral, salty touch. Some iron, clove spice, cedar spice, bitter chocolate but with freshly picked strawberries. Amazing - still a little compact on the finish but great potential here and it has a mouthwatering core that is so delicious. 3.64pH. With an average vine age of 89 years, 72% of this Shiraz is sourced from the Barossa Valley and 28% from Eden Valley.

• Reviewer Name: Georgina Hindle