Overview
First released in 1962, Yalumba The Signature is a classic Australian Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend created to honour individuals who have made a significant contribution to Yalumba. The 1996 vintage comes from one of the great Barossa growing seasons and combines 52% Cabernet Sauvignon with 48% Shiraz, delivering mature dark fruit, savoury complexity and structured depth.
Vintage
Yalumba describes 1996 as one of the great growing seasons. Below-average winter and spring rainfall was followed by an early, cool summer, creating one of the longest growing and ripening seasons on record and particularly favourable conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vineyard
The Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from four Barossa Valley vineyards, selected to provide the lifted aromatics and palate structure associated with The Signature. The Shiraz came from vineyards of varying ages, including vines planted as early as 1945, on sandy loam with yellow sand and ochre clay over red clay.
Winemaking
The wine was matured for 21 months in French barriques together with American and Hungarian hogsheads, with 33% new oak.
Producer Tasting Notes
Yalumba described the wine: “Colour: Deep plum cherry/inky red. Nose: Inviting aromas of ripe plums, prunes and black olives, backed up with chocolate/roasted nut oak lift. Palate: Very complex with multi layered fruit and oak. Rich, full bodied with an excellent balance between fruit extract and tannin and a wine that will reward cellaring for 15-20 years.”
Kevin Glastonbury, Winemaker
“Deep dark red in colour with crimson hues. Ripe, jammy fruits on the nose, backed by spicy aromatics and complex smoky oak notes. A sweet, rich and lush textured wine in the mouth with judicious oak treatment that strikes a good balance with the long, layered fruit flavours.”
Tasted November 2003
Critic Reviews
95/100 — Jeremy Oliver
Tasted January 2003
Drinking window: 2008–2016.
92/100 — Decanter
Tasted April 2022
Drinking window: 2022–2025.
92/100 — The Wine Front
91/100 — Wine Enthusiast
“Nicely balanced dark berry herb and tobacco bouquet opens this pleasing, supple red. Full and even in the mouth, it offers a lot of black cherry cassis and toasty oak flavors, good texture and enough structure to be considered serious. This is a delicious Cabernet-Shiraz blend, already drinkable and capable of holding for the next two to four years, maybe longer.”
Tasted January 2004
Awards
5 Gold Medals.
Producer
Yalumba’s The Signature represents one of the estate’s enduring traditions. Since its first release in 1962, each vintage has acknowledged a “Signatory” whose contribution has enriched Yalumba’s history and culture. The 1996 release honours James Wark, a second-generation member of the Wark family and a longstanding figure associated with Yalumba.
Specifications
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Vintage: 1996
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Producer: Yalumba
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Wine: The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
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Blend: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Shiraz
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Region: Barossa Valley, Barossa, South Australia, Australia
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Alcohol: 14%
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Maturation: 21 months in French barriques, American and Hungarian hogsheads
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New Oak: 33%
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Cellaring Potential: 15–20 years (Producer)
