Yalumba Rare & Fine Collection 2026 – The Caley & The Octavius

When it comes to the finest examples of the iconic Australian red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz, few wineries can match or come close to Yalumba. Yalumba The Caley Cabernet Shiraz, the house flagship, is justifiably regarded as one of the very best examples in Australia.  If you want to understand how these two grapes can weave their respective charms to perfection – The Caley is the wine that delivers all the answers with unrivalled authority.
Yalumba also have a very long and distinguished tradition of crafting outstanding Shiraz  from some of the finest vineyard sources in Barossa & Eden Valleys.  Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz is the second flagship red of the estate, showcasing to stunning effect the tradition of blending Shiraz fruit from several great vineyards across the Barossa and Eden Valleys.
A couple of weeks ago,  the AWC team had the privilege of welcoming Yalumba Winemaker, Head of Sustainability and Global Brand Ambassador Louisa Rose to the store.  The team were mightily impressed with the entire range and were especially taken with the two new release vintages of The Caley Cabernet Shiraz 2021 and The Octavius Shiraz 2019.

New Release Flagships
The 2021 Caley is, as always, a blend of Coonawarra Cabernet and Barossa Shiraz (74% & 26% for 2021.  It is mind-blowingly good.  Some say the best Caley ever, receiving perfect 100 point and 20/20 scores from critics.
The 2019 Octavius is old vine shiraz with an average vine age of 104 years, sourced from five sites in Eden Valley (55%) and Barossa Valley (45%).  Yalumba remains one of the only wineries in the World to maintain their own on-site cooperage, where small format barrels (Octaves) are specially produced for the maturation of this outstanding Shiraz.
Museum Release Flagships
A little over 20 years ago, Yalumba began a program to set aside stock from their premium and flagship line up for future release with each years Rare & Fine launch.
This year, Yalumba have released The Caley Cabernet Shiraz 2016 and The Octavius 2016 alongside the respective new release vintages.  They are magnificent now and will most certainly benefit from additional time in the cellar.
It is a pleasure to bring you these highlights from our tasting with Yalumba’s Louisa Rose. Please note that the wines are due for release on the 1^st of May.  Quantities are extremely limited and are not available for purchase via the website. Instead, we are now taking expressions of interest prior to the official release. Please email [email protected] to submit your order request. Once we have received your email, we will do our utmost to fulfil your request and will confirm quantities shortly after May 1^st.  Please note that we do not require any payment until we have confirmed stock availability from Yalumba for your order.