2021 Yalumba The Cigar Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

A rich, powerful Coonawarra Cabernet with engulfing black fruits and a sturdy structure.

Sourced from Yalumba’s famed Menzie’s vineyard, the name ‘Cigar’ is derived from the unique cigar like shape of Coonawarra’s famous terra rossa strip. Maturation takes place in a mix of new French oak hogsheads, barriques and Hungarian oak hogsheads and one year old American oak barriques with balance in older French, American and Hungarian oak for a period of 16 months.
Dense midnight black in colour with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Intense ripe blackcurrant and liquorice aromas flood the nostrils trailed by some vanillin cedar, subtle earthy tobacco, black olive and bay leaf notes. Rich and full in the mouth with engulfing flavours of blackcurrant and liquorice overlaying a spicy vanillin cedar, earthy tobacco and bay leaf infused back drop. Ripe polished tannins have a sturdy underbelly. Excellent power with a long gently chewy finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14%

Other Reviews....
Matured for 16 months in new French oak barriques and hogsheads (17%), the balance in one-year and older French oak barriques and hogsheads. Blackberries pulled from the vine, dark cherries and dried olives. Tahitian vanilla, roasted coffee beans and fruit-and-nut chocolate. Compact boysenberries on the palate with a slew of fruit sweetness cut by caraway seed, allspice and pepper. A sappy succulence to the wine. It's all class and a fine wine indeed.
95 Points
Shanteh Wale – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion

Opaque with a core of dark purple with a ruby rim leads to a bouquet of complexity and power, baking spices and roasted berry fruits, cacao and cinnamon, violets and a nutty-rich layer of smoky barrel. Dry, complex, powerful and delicious, a wine of texture and flavour, mouthfeel and style. Flavours of dark berries and baking spices wrapped in a flourish of tannins and acidity both adding a tautness and complexity. Well made, lengthy and classic from Yalumba. Best drinking from day or purchase through 2038.
95 points
CamDouglasms.com