2018 The Octavius Old Vines Shiraz

Full bottle 1,494 g. Average vine age 111 years! 69% Eden Valley, 31% Barossa Valley – and seriously old vines. So called because aged for 21 months in 100-litre French oak casks known as octaves. Picked 15 February to 10 April. Yalumba claim on the back label this could be drunk any time up to 2043, though the tech spec suggests 15+ years. Sumptuous salty ripeness but there is a certain coolness here that makes me surprised Eden Valley was the minority partner. Not fleshy. Not medicinal. A distinctly well-behaved Shiraz! Neat and lively. Certainly not fat and sprawling. Fresh finish. Lots of tension on the end. From a famous vintage, should age very nicely. (JR)

100% Syrah from old vines, some dating back to 1854. Fruit from Eden Valley (69%) and Barossa Valley (31%). Harvested 15 February to 4 April. Matured for 21 months in French oak of different sizes, 25% new. TA 6.4 g/l, pH 3.52, SO 2 121 mg/l. Seductive black fruit meets notes of leather and liquorice on the nose, this is a refined take on classic Barossa Shiraz. Black olives, bramble jam and peppery hedgerow fruit all come through on the palate, which is slick, round and full-bodied. Meaty, bold fruit leads the long finish. (TP)

The first bottle of 2018 The Octavius was corked. I have opened the second bottle for review. Coffee grounds, dark chocolate, mulberry compote and black olive tapenade lead the charge for this irrepressibly Australian Shiraz. Big bold forest berry flavors are effusive and almost gushing, held in check by the firm hand of tannic structure. Woodsy spices—sandalwood, particularly—punctuate the black cherry and salted licorice characters. This is really good, satisfying, mouthfilling, delicious. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.