2001 Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz - Museum Release

The Yalumba Octavius Shiraz is one of the Barossa’s and Australia’s icon wines. 2001 was an excellent growing season in South Australia with fruit for this wine sourced from low yielding Old vines (most aged between 70 and 100 years) located in both Eden Valley and the Barossa Valley. Maturation was for a period of 20 months in a combination of 50% Yalumba Coopered Missouri & Pennsylvania octaves, 10% new French hogsheads, with balance in 1 & 2 year old French & American hogsheads.

A magnificent Octavius! Opaque black purple colour with black purple hue. Superb lifted nose with aroma of violets, vanilla, liquorice, spice and ripe plum. The palate is mouthfilling, with wonderful ripe joosy fruit flavours put together with great style and finesse. Violet infusions, vanilla, plum and liquorice flavours are supported by velvet smooth tannins. Aftertaste of vanilla, liquorice, spice and blackberry.
Cellar 5-8 years (2010-2013)
Alc/Vol: 13.5%

Other Reviews….
Produced from yields of 1.2 tons of fruit per acre, the 2001 Shiraz Octavius spent 20 months in both French and American oak. A blockbuster, structured Shiraz with oodles of personality/soul, it offers a sumptuous bouquet as well as flavors of chocolate, white flowers, blackberry and cassis liqueur, prunes, figs, roasted meats, and burning embers. This full-bodied, hugely extracted, monster Shiraz has amazing balance and symmetry for its large-scaled style. It needs another 1-3 years of cellaring, and should last for 12-20 years, based on the longevity of some earlier examples. For instance, a gorgeous 1994 Octavius, drunk in 2004, had a decade of life remaining. A 1966 Shiraz/Cabernet The Signature tasted next to it, was still in spectacular shape.
98 points
Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate.

Excellent black cherry and blackbery fruit, bright and still fresh; the oak in relative restraint; supple mouthfeel, flavour without excess alcohol.
Drink 2016
Rating 96
James Halliday - 2007 Australian Wine Companion