Petaluma, founded in 1976, crafts ultra-premium wines by carefully selecting the best sites within a particular region suited to a chosen variety. This is our 'distinguished vineyards' philosophy. This pioneering attitude towards responsive and instinctive viticulture and winemaking is as uncompromising and true today as it was more than 35 years ago.

The well known Coonawarra region produces elegant and long lived Cabernet and Merlot wines. To create this Coonawarra blend that is now an iconic Australian red wine and one of the benchmarks for the region, Petaluma employs hand pruning and hand picking coupled with minimal irrigation and low yields.

Petaluma is one of our most like iconic Coonawarra reds. Even more exciting when it comes from a thrilling vintage for the region like 2021. The wine spent a year and a half maturing in French oak barriques and hogsheads, 40% of which were new. The blend is 90% Cabernet and 10% Merlot. This is as good a version of Yellow Label as I can recall for many years. An opaque maroon hue, there is still oak evident here, but integration is proceeding well. The nose reveals notes of chocolate, plums, cassis, tobacco leaves, black fruits, leather, coffee beans, cocoa powder, cold tea and blackberries. Complexity is already shining through. There is superb focus and serious length, through to the silkiest of tannins. Really impressive balance throughout, this is stunning stuff and will offer at least two decades of pleasure. Drink to: 2026-2046; Price: $80.00; Rating: 96 Points; Ken Gargett

A Coonawarra regional classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) and Merlot (10%) from the Evans Vineyard that has been a special wine in the Petaluma portfolio for decades. It rises with wafts of blackberry more than blackcurrant, though not in any way removed from each other, charry cedar and woody spices holding the two as honest associates. It spills with energised palate structures, a delightful freshness despite its depths, and reverbing aromatic flavours, while its expected varietal tannins are right there in unreserved support. Impressive provenance that remains timelessly appealing. Price: $80.00; Rating: 96 Points; Tony Love