Yalumba The Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Yalumba The Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 takes its name from a narrow, cigar-shaped strip of terra rossa soil that defines Coonawarra, one of Australia's most structured red wine regions. The fruit comes from the Menzies Vineyard, Yalumba's Coonawarra estate, where iron-rich red clay over limestone, artesian water, and a long cool ripening season produce a particularly herbaceous and age-worthy expression of Cabernet. The 2020 vintage is bright magenta in the glass, with fine mouth-filling tannins and the backbone to cellar for years. Yalumba was founded in 1849 by English brewer Samuel Smith and remains Australia's most historic family-owned wine company, now in its sixth generation under the Hill-Smith family. The estate practices sustainable viticulture across all its vineyards and ferments every wine with wild yeast, a minimal-intervention approach that lets Coonawarra's distinctive terroir speak. The Menzies Vineyard sits at the heart of the terra rossa strip, where the combination of red clay, limestone subsoil, and pure artesian water creates ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon with both power and elegance. The 2020 was fermented with native yeasts and aged to preserve the vineyard's mineral-driven character. The nose offers blue and black fruits, blackcurrant, black olive, spearmint, and cedar, layered with anise, tobacco, dark chocolate, and sandalwood. On the palate, blackcurrant, plum, blueberry, and ripe currant are lifted by clove spice and a hint of eucalyptus, with dark chocolate and mint adding depth. The wine is medium to full-bodied with balanced acidity and a lingering, succulent finish. Already approachable, it has the structure to reward another five to ten years in the cellar. Pair it with grilled lamb chops, beef short ribs, or a sharp aged cheddar. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.