Yalumba Rare & Fine The Octavius

Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz bottle image

Wine Description

Signifying Yalumba’s commitment to Barossa Shiraz, this is a truly individual wine, handcrafted, handmade and matured in fine French oak and Yalumba coopered American octave barrels. These unique barrels, which offered inspiration for the wine’s name, are just one of the many harmonious components in the symphony that is Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz.

Yalumba Clocktower
Yalumba Cooperage
Yalumba Vineyard
Yalumba Barrel Room
Yalumba Museum
Robert and Jess Hill-Smith
Winemaker, Louisa Rose
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Acclaim
“The 2009 The Octavius hails from old vines in the Barossa. The oldest vineyard is in the Eden Valley, which was planted in 1854. In the mouth, the wine is showing its charry élevage, but the fruit emerges triumphant through the finish, where we see blackberry and dark chocolate, crushed quartz and pressed flowers. To give some more detail on the oak, it was 39% new octaves (100-liter barrels, both French and American oak). While the octave is still important to the current vintages, they are usually second-use/seasoned. This is heading in a direction I like, and the intensity of the fruit through the finish is both pleasurable and heartening.” — Wine Advocate, Sep 2024
“This decadent 2009 The Octavius is immediately impressive boasting a rich core of mulberry and blackberry aromas lifted by hints of mushroom and aged spices. Ripe and richly proportioned, with coffee grounds oak influences, it delivers bold yet balanced flavors of blackberry and baked earth before concluding with a long, powerful and mouth filling finish. Classic Barossa with a long future ahead of it.” — Vinous, Aug 2024
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Multiple Vineyards
Soil composition
Barossa Vineyards
Elevation:
300-1,500 feet
Average Vine Age:
84 years
Certifying Organizations:
ISO14001; Entwine Australia
Sustainability Certification:
EPA Acredited Sustainability Licence
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
1-3 days on skins pre fermentation before wild yeast start to ferment
Varietal composition:
100% Shiraz
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Barriques and Hogsheads
Type of oak:
French and American
Length of aging before bottling:
23 months
Age of Aging Container:
20 months
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Analytical Data
No relevant data were found.
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Wine Production

The growing season opened with a drier than average winter, followed by an even drier and warmer spring and summer. These conditions produced fewer grapes that were concentrated and full of flavour. Although the season was warm, it was without extremes and the nights were relatively cool, helping to maintain freshness, aromatics and a pristine fruit profile. Matured for 20 months in 42% new French and American octaves, 14% 1 year old French barriques and hogsheads, balance in older French barriques & hogsheads.

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About the Vineyard

Sourced 53% from Eden Valley and 47% from Barossa Valley with an average vine age of 84 years. The Eden Valley Shiraz provides the exotic aromatics and seamless palate structure, while the Barossa Valley Shiraz provides richness, density and concentration.