Yalumba ‘The Reserve’ 2001 $128 
Impenetrable, squid ink colour, and for an 11 year old wine it’s still so incredibly fresh with sweet cocoa, christmas pudding spices, exotically rich and densely concentrated dark fruit flavours. A blend of Barossa-sourced Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz which is only made in exceptional vintages, it’s a wine that’s really only just hitting its stride in terms of developing the elegance and sophistication it’s designed to achieve. There’s a peppery, juniper-like complexity on the finish which I really love. www.yalumba.com
