Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz (Museum Release) 2012

98 POINTS

Sam Kim - Wine Orbit

A formidable wine of outstanding richness, yet it’s sophisticated at the same time. Complex aromas of black/blueberry, dark plum, floral, game and vanilla lead to a velvety palate that delivers awesome intensity and opulence. A gratifying wine from an exceptional vintage. Surely this is the best wine made under this label of fifty-year history.

96 POINTS

Mike Bennie - The Wine Front

Curiously (and wonderfully so!) vibrant perfume of maraschino cherry, sweet red berries, anise and choc-liquorice, dried beef, dried rose petal, sweet woody spices. It’s a lovely whiff. Very youthful! Medium bodied, tension and freshness, the energy in the wine is up, tannins are tense and proud, though lithe too. Great extension of flavour and a whipcrack of acidity to finish. Inherent complexity here. Massively charming and much time to go.

96 POINTS

James Suckling

This wine has real swagger. So bold, ripe and packed with deeply ripe dark berries and plums. There’s a lot of depth to the palate. Rich, long, full and supple tannins here. This has a stream of flavor that holds so, so fresh and so, so long. Impressive. Drink or hold.

96 POINTS

James Halliday - Halliday's Wine Companion

Spent 20 months in high quality French, Hungarian and American oak barrels made in Yalumba's own onsite cooperage. This is one of the richest and most opulent vintages of The Signature in the 41 years since the first was made. While the blackcurrant and blackberry fruit flavours dominate the oak, the wine has a certain elegant juiciness that offers drinking at any stage over the next 20+ years, as the tannins are supple and fine, the overall balance perfect.

96 POINTS

Decanter

Made in honour of Robert Hill-Smith, now Yalumba's Chairman, who has worked for his family's company for almost 40 years. Fittingly, for the fifth-generation winemaker, vintage conditions in 2012 were near perfect, and this complex, sinewy beauty is now hitting its optimal drinking window. Savoury aromas and flavours of leather, beef stock, mocha and bay leaves, dusty tannins and the merest hint of caramel oak sweetness on the finish.

95 POINTS

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Wine Advocate

Blended of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Shiraz, the deep garnet-purple colored 2012 The Signature (Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz) is a benchmark example of this classic South Australia blend. Giving scents of ripe black cherries, blackberries and cassis with underlying cloves, vanilla and menthol hints, it fills the mouth with ripe, seductive but never heavy fruit. Medium-bodied and well framed with firm grainy tannins and balanced freshness, it finishes long and youthfully taut. Always a great value Aussie icon, this vintage is right up there with the best and is certainly one for the cellars of Aussie wine lovers!

95 POINTS

Huon Hooke - The Real Review

It's a big, super-ripe, opulent wine. Second bottle: much superior. The same colour but with a spotlessly clean, rich, captivating aroma of black fruits and aniseed, not minty nor oaky, and the palate is beautifully focused, full-bodied, very long and superbly structured. An outstanding Signature, and fitting that Robert Hill-Smith is the signatory.

95 POINTS

Bob Campbell MW - The Real Review

Elegant, supple wine that's a bit lighter than normal but shows power and energy. Raspberry, red berry, violet, floral and subtle oak flavours. Quite fresh but deliciously drinkable and with plenty of development potential