2015 Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Museum Release, Coonawarra

51/49% cabernet sauvignon/shiraz. A museum release of the famous Yalumba 'The Signature', made by Kevin Glastonbury and honouring the late Darrell Kruger, a Yalumba vineyard manager from '75–'19. Blackberry, black cherry and dark plum fruits of great intensity and depth with a hint of exoticness to the spice array; soul-like it is. Hints of cedar, leather and mahogany. It boasts a superb structure and pitch-perfect weight, the fruit drawing long and elegant on the finish. What a ripper.

96 points Dave Brookes winecompanion.com.au April 2025

Yalumba’s The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz is one of Australia’s most enduring classics, and in Jeroboam format (3L) it becomes something truly special. First released in 1962, The Signature has been crafted every year since, celebrating the unique Australian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Each vintage is dedicated to a member of the extended Yalumba family—winemakers, vineyard workers, cellar hands—acknowledging their role in shaping the history of this Barossa institution.

The Jeroboam bottling adds another layer of prestige. At three litres, large formats age more slowly and gracefully than standard bottles, allowing this wine to evolve over decades while retaining freshness. It also makes a dramatic centrepiece for a table or a cellar.

In style, The Signature brings together Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure and cassis-driven aromatics with Shiraz’s richness and spice. Expect layers of blackcurrant, mulberry and plum supported by tobacco leaf, mocha, cedar and fine-grained tannins. The Coonawarra fruit contributes cool-climate precision and elegant acidity, while Barossa and Eden Valley Shiraz lend warmth and generosity. On release it is already approachable, but the balance of fruit, tannin and oak ensures cellaring potential of 20 years or more, especially in Jeroboam format.

At the table, this wine is a natural partner for roast lamb, beef ribeye, venison pie or mushroom Wellington. Its savoury complexity and depth also pair beautifully with hard cheeses like Comté or aged Cheddar.