Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/552044
50 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015 "This is history in the making," com- ments Chuck Hayward, Australia and New Zealand wine buyer for Oakland's retailer JJ Buckley. "I've tasted these wines in Australia, but never in the States. What we know from this event is the age-worthiness and excellence of 'The Signature' series, shown in the iconic Australian blending of superior Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes." "The Signature": A Legendary Tasting in Napa Whether it's a matter of history or sen- timentality, Yalumba's famed Cabernet- Shiraz blend, "The Signature," has been passed down through 54 different signato - ries since 1962 (only eight vintages of "The Signature" were missed in all those years, including the difficult 2011). Contributors to Yalumba's past are honored on each bottle, and for the past 30 years, propri - etor Robert Hill-Smith has chosen each person who was honored. For the current 2012 vintage, Hill-Smith's board of direc - tors named him as signatory. This was high praise for Hill-Smith, and accolades for the 2012 vintage in particular—one of the greatest years in the past half a century— have been resounding. To illuminate this moment in Yalumba's celebrated path, The SOMM Journal joined forces with Hill-Smith and a prestigious group of wine buyers in Napa Valley and New York City to taste through the more than six decades of terroir and technique represented by this iconic wine. "It will be great to see the evolution over the years through the lens of one special wine chronicled in this publication." noted Ryan Woodhouse, Wine Buyer for K&L Wines in Redwood City, CA, as he anticipated the tasting. Each vintage of Yalumba's "The Signature" is dedicated to a person who has contributed to Yalumba history and tradition. The 2012 bears the name of Yalumba's present proprietor, Robert Hill-Smith. Tasting Team: Napa Chuck Hayward of Oakland JJ Buckley Wines with Willi Sherer, MS of Redd/Yountville. Phil Abram is Wine Director and General Manager at The Thomas in downtown Napa. "This is an honor and privilege to host Robert Hill-Smith and taste 'The Signature' dating back to 1962 side by side with him." "We have enough locals who come in to our store who are interested in exploring wines from outside the country. When it comes to Australia, Yalumba is one of the benchmark wineries, and I feel a loyalty, as I have been to the property several times," says Rhett Gadke, Wine Director for The Bounty Hunter in Napa. "The oldest vintage I had previously tasted was 1985 . . . this is a ridiculous treat!"