Coonawarra: Mid-winter rains were followed by a dry, warm spring. Flowering was earlier than average and was completed quickly and evenly. The dry summer conditions kept berry size small, producing fruit with excellent concentration of colour, flavour and tannin.

Barossa: Consistent rainfall throughout winter led into a warmer and drier than average spring. The long, mild summer had few heat spikes accompanied by cool nights which retained the acidity and pristine fruit flavours, producing grapes of great aromatics and concentration.

The Ming D block in the Yalumba Coonawarra vineyard provides the 74% Cabernet Sauvignon of this blend. This 2.7 ha plot was planted in 1992 with two clones of Cabernet Sauvignon selected for structure and depth of flavour.

The Caley’s 26% Shiraz component was sourced from two Barossa blocks. The first from the Burgemeister “Linke” block planted in 1901 at Light Pass. The second block is the Horseshoe Vineyard on the southern side of the Yalumba winery in Eden Valley. Planted by Helen HillSmith in 1971, this block follows the contours around the Fred Caley Smith Hut.