x
  • Country ranking ?

    107
  • Producer ranking ?

    4
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    now to 2045

Food Pairing

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The Story

Yalumba The Octavius has established a reputation as one of Australia's icon Shiraz wines, an amazing feat considering the first release was the 1990 vintage. In addition to being sourced from a number of very old vineyards in the Barossa, The Octavius is matured in American and French oak 'octaves' of 100 litre capacity. It is the only red wine in the world that is matured in such small barrels. The secret of the wine not becoming overpowered...

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Wine Information

Fifth-generation proprietor Robert Hill-Smith commented on the family winemaker’s philosophy on old vines, saying “Barossa is home to some of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in the world and there are unique qualities of wines made from old vines. It is our responsibility to protect, nurture and promote these precious vines.” 

“When expertly cultivated, ancient vines yield wines of unrivalled intensity, complexity, and flavour. ...

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

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Written Notes

One of the legendary Barossa Shiraz releases, this is a fine addition to the Octavius line-up. Vines used here date back to 1854 (the Eden Valley component), while the name comes from the tradition of using octaves from the Yalumba cooperage. The blend is 69% Eden Valley and 31% Barossa, giving an average age of a rather impressive 111 years. The wine will spend the best part of two years maturing in a mix of French oak vessels, around one-quarter new. Under cork. 

An opaque maroon with a purple rim. This is still tight and poised, very youthful. If circumstances permit, give it another three to four years in the bottle before opening (though it is already rather delicious), and then enjoy over the following fifteen to twenty. The nose is all chocolate, mocha, cassis, delicatessen meats, spices, herbs, sage and tobacco leaves. This is extremely well structured, seamless with a creamy texture, balance, length and abundant, silky tannins. There is really good intensity for the full journey. Great stuff and a wonderful climax to what is perhaps the finest collection of prestige wines I have seen from Yalumba. 96.


  • 96p

Yalumba The Octavius 2020 – Barossa Valley, Australia

The 2020 vintage in South Australia was defined by low yields due to drought and bushfire pressures, yet it produced concentrated, finely structured wines of great purity. For Yalumba, The Octavius—the Barossa’s flagship old-vine Shiraz—captured the intensity of the year while retaining balance and elegance.

The bouquet is deep and expressive, with blackberry, black cherry, and mulberry laced with violets, licorice, dark chocolate, espresso, and subtle cedar from its maturation in small oak octaves. On the palate, it is full-bodied and muscular yet polished, with ripe dark fruit framed by firm, silky tannins and underpinned by vibrant acidity. Notes of graphite, spice, and earthy minerality add layers of complexity.

The finish is long, resonant, and refined, echoing dark berries, cocoa, and spice. The 2020 Octavius is a concentrated yet poised expression of Barossa Shiraz—powerful, stylish, and destined for decades in the cellar. 96 points.


  • 96p

Deep crimson. Elemental and pure with expressive blackberry, boysenberry, aniseed aromas with vanilla notes. Beautiful concentrated wine with superbly dense ripe dark berry fruits, chocolaty graphite firm coating tannins and mocha, roasted chestnut oak notes. All in parts but very well balanced wine with superb fruit concentration and purity. Minerally. Could be anything from 96–100 points, but not ready for review. 14.5% alc NS


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Information

Origin

Angaston, South Australia

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