Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz

for Australian red wines. At the Bordeaux International Wine Exhibition, a panel of expert judges awarded the 1882 Yalumba Claret a gold medal, beginning a golden era of prize-winning claret wines and other types at international wine shows, including London and Calcutta. Together, second-generation Sidney Smith and his sons, Percy and Walter, developed a thriving ‘wine manufactory’ that became the pride of the Barossa. Many of the vineyards planted during this era have survived the test of time, and Yalumba’s The Octavius Shiraz is based on the best heirloom vineyard blocks going back 70 to 170 years! By 1889, Yalumba was ‘still outpacing all other brands in public estimation’. Around 1890, Yalumba established its own barrel-making team and cooperage at the winery. This was in response to the enormous orders of dry red wine from the United Kingdom and the increasing production of fortified wine and brandy. The tradition of running a chateau-style cooperage has been an integral part of Yalumba’s identity for over 130 years, and was inspired by the shipping method of the time. Almost all of South Australia’s exports were shipped in 300-litre oak hogsheads.

Seasoning the barrels